Float Like a Butterball

Friday night, I went to the Winter Garden Theatre to see Ali Wong. This Asian-American has had quite a rise in the last few years starting with her Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra. Though it got raves mostly for her no-holds-barred jokes on sex and life, the fact that she was heavily pregnant was a rarity and possibly a first in the industry. So when Wong came on stage tonight to rapturous cheering, also enormously pregnant, everyone felt a weird dissonance. Was she doing props jokes now? Nope. I guess she's expecting her second child.

The deja vu continued as there were cameras all around the theatre. It turns out Netflix is filming Wong's 2nd comedy special over the course of her 4 shows here in Toronto. As she pointed out to her "cheap Asian sisters", they could have seen her for $10 with group-on tickets 2 years ago instead of the 80 bucks they shelled out tonight. But if the laughter that rang throughout the show was any indication, nobody thought they paid for a dud.

Though there were still some raunchy stories, Wong has shifted most of her material to her pregnancy, childbirth, its aftermath, and motherhood. But no sunshine and rainbow here, it was gross but gut-busting details that had both the women crying tears of laughter (and sympathy) and the men shedding tears (but likely in thankfulness).

I have no doubt her next comedy special will also be a big hit. I'm a little worried about Wong's apparent trend though. A baby for every special might lead to a The Wong Brunch scenario, given her ongoing success.