For Taiwanese-American comedian Sheng Wang, purple is more than a colour; it is a way of being. From his style to the way he floats through the world writing jokes based on the small, fleeting moments of life, the 46-year-old maintains a sense of tranquillity and creates impact with his art by not trying so hard.

It is no shock that his second Netflix special, Purple, is the most revealing of who he is at a time when people are finally paying attention.

Coming off the success of his 2022 Netflix debut, Sweet and Juicy, Wang, a 23-year comedy veteran, became a marquee name touring theatres across the United States.

Here he talks about his brand of comedy, friendship with Ali Wong, director of Purple, and love for cooking.

How do you think the colour purple relates to you and your comedy?

Purple, as far as the name goes, was just a fun name. I mean, I love the colour. There’s a joke in the special that references a purple toothbrush, and then there’s also a reference to my aura based on the fact that I’m cooking with shallots. There’s just sort of vague purple-ish themes throughout the special.