The program format of "talk show" originated from the Western "stand-up comedy" (stand-up comedy). As a comedy art with a long history, stand-up comedy is characterized by its pungent and humorous ridicule, sharp interpretation of social issues, and... Keen insights into real life became an important category of popular comedy. With the popularity of the Internet and the emergence of TV talk shows, more and more young people are turning into talk show actors. A stage is set up and a few chairs are placed under the stage. As the spotlight illuminates the actors, a performance about "happiness" begins.
In Wuhan itself, clubs of different styles and a group of actors with "personality" allow this "offensive" comedy culture to ferment in every corner of the city.
"Atypical science and engineering man, looks young, but is actually middle-aged." This is the self-introduction of Yuan Wei, a well-known local actor in Wuhan in recent years. His performance has both the rigor of a science and engineering man and the empathy that resonates with the audience. . Many viewers reported that "Yuan Wei's talk show contains the heat of local hot-dry noodles, the coldness of Japanese sushi, the fragrance of Thai curry, and the soul of an old sister-in-law in Wuhan. The combination of human segments and self-dissection is well-deserved." The finale. "
performance. Picture/provided by interviewee
Yuan Wei was born in Wuhan, Hubei in 1990. Because of his love for expression and his unique talent for language imitation, he became a full-time talk show actor. He is currently a contracted actor of Wuhan Songguo Comedy. He has performed more than 1,000 offline performances and is the finale guest of many shows. His talk show uses the cultural differences, language habits and speaking styles of different regions as the entry point, imitating "American sweethearts", "Wuhan old sisters-in-law" and "Thai students", and uses talk shows to show the audience Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Indian styles. The pronunciation difference between English and Chinese, coupled with the Wuhan dialect and the "letting go" style performance, are deeply loved by fans.
At 18:00 on April 30, Jiupai News met Yuan Wei at the Pinecone Comedy Live. He had just returned to Wuhan from Hangzhou to prepare for the evening performance. "Talk show actors don't have any fixed holidays, and it's hard to perform everywhere, but it's very happy to find something you love and turn it into a job."
[1] Plans to leave his job to become a full-time talk show actor
Yuan Wei studied in Wuhan Textile in 2008 College of Textile Science and Engineering, University, majoring in Textile Engineering. In 2012, due to his outstanding scientific research experience, academic performance and English skills, he was admitted to 7 universities in the United States, including Cornell University, the University of Texas at Austin, and North Carolina State University. Finally, he chose the University of Texas at Austin.
"At that time, I was young and didn't know what I really liked. I wanted to learn my major well and go out to see it. I was holding back my energy and wanted to prove myself. What I was thinking about was no longer what I could do. What is the probability of applying? It’s about what I can do to apply. So I made a list, completed each item, and applied to my dream school.” While studying in the United States, he served as a tutor and teaching assistant for undergraduates from various countries. Attend class.
After graduating from graduate school in 2014, Yuan Wei worked in materials research and development and procurement at P&G for three years, traveling between the United States, Japan, Germany and Guangzhou. In 2018, he joined a state-owned enterprise in Wuhan with his rich resume and was engaged in front-end procurement of the supply chain. "I have been in the state-owned enterprise for 6 years. My resignation date is in mid-May and I plan to be a talk show actor full-time."
He loves expression , in 2018, I participated in a public welfare organization called "International Lectures" in Wuhan. The speech format was in Chinese and English, on a topic of my own choice. Yuan Wei tried both Chinese and English. He was also the only contestant to win the top three in the Central China Region of Toastmasters International at that time. At that time, the concept of "jokes" had not yet emerged. He found that he was very good at humorous speeches and would spend a lot of time studying them in private. "Many people think that I started getting into talk shows when I was studying abroad. In fact, I was a part-time teaching assistant with a busy schedule at that time and had no time to take care of anything else. Two years of graduate school life also made me realize that I am not suitable for scientific research and have no talent or interest. , but I didn’t find what I was good at.”
Yuan Wei participated in the lecture training.Picture/provided by interviewee
In 2021, online talk shows were widely spread across the country. In order to gather fellow actors and better polish their jokes, he created "Learn Comedy". "We didn't have many actors at that time, and the ticket price was about 20 to 30 yuan, and drinks were included. Fortunately, friends from the previous speech association helped promote sales. After paying the venue fee, there was not much profit left, and it lasted for about half a year." A large number of clubs were established in Wuhan, and Yuan Wei began to perform in various clubs. "My friend recommended me to the club owner at that time. After talking about the open mic once, he thought I was pretty good and we cooperated for a long time."
From 2021 to 2023, Yuan Wei used his spare time to perform, and could receive an average of multiple performances per week. From theater performances, plus commercial performances outside the theater, the side income can support himself and gain a large number of fans. "I have been thinking about whether I should choose a stable job or a career I love. I have been oscillating between the moon and sixpence. Personally, I don't like sitting at work. As the number of performances increases, the requirements for polishing jokes become higher. "I don't have enough time left at my job to focus on my side business, and I can't cooperate with many large clubs because of the limited working hours. This may be fate, so I plan to work full-time as a talk show actor." In order to have a long-term and stable career. As for the performance platform, Yuan Wei finally signed a contract with Pinecone Comedy. In addition to local performances in Wuhan, he will also be invited to perform nationwide.
[2] A mature talk show actor’s hard work and talent are indispensable.
In the past year or two, more and more people have poured into the talk show industry, but most of them are just as side jobs. There are very few new members of the mature talk show family. .
Yuan Wei’s original creative inspiration came from the social differences of studying abroad. “Americans’ speaking style is mainly exaggerated, so I expressed this exaggerated art in the form of talk shows. Including some Japanese and Thai classmates When speaking English, they have the pronunciation habits of their native language, which can cause misunderstandings when speaking certain words. It is helpless and fun, so I imitated their accents and brought this difference to the stage. "This is Yuan Wei's unique performance form. , which requires a comprehensive analysis of one's own personality, the ability to accurately imitate various types of English, and the control of the rhythm and atmosphere on the court. "I'm actually very socially anxious in private, but I can completely let go when I'm on stage. I think a mature talk show actor should find his own talent, work hard on his talent, and polish his own style of work. Everyone's personality, The output mode and life experience are all unique talents and cannot be copied. "
With the increase in performances and the increase in popularity, the demand for polishing new jokes is increasing. Yuan Wei's materials come from all aspects of life, including Wuhan aunties arguing on the street, old men buying fruit at roadside stalls, delicacies that are popular on the Internet, etc. "I think the impetuous arguments of the old wives in Wuhan are very interesting, so I use them to imitate them. Not only the audience, but also myself will get bored if I tell a joke for a long time, so I have been polishing new things. Currently, the ones that have taken shape are: The local speaking style in Wuhan, the trivial matters among colleagues in the company, and the differences in food around the world. "
Whenever Yuan Wei writes a new joke, he will practice it in front of the mirror, and then use three to five open mic sessions to experiment and observe the audience. reaction and mobilize the atmosphere of the scene. "I don't get paid for open mics. Generally speaking, if the audience doesn't respond after a few lectures, it means my jokes are not suitable. In fact, it is very difficult to come up with new jokes. Most people find it funny in one sentence, which is already very rare for me. ."
Yuan Wei took a group photo with the audience. Picture/provided by interviewee
For Yuan Wei, the most anxious thing is the lack of inspiration. Too many actors give up because they have no inspiration. At this time, he will let himself go, enjoy the talk shows of outstanding actors, and read a lot without purpose. Books and articles. "It is normal for creators to run out of inspiration. At this time, forcing myself will only be counterproductive. I will be exposed to a large amount of information aimlessly and dabble in more seemingly useless and less utilitarian things. There is no rule for the emergence of inspiration. Yes, when the accumulation reaches a certain level, the material will appear naturally.”
【3】“Talk show is a very simple industry, I can focus on creation”
Yuan Wei’s understanding of talk show is the true self covered with comedy. The creator needs strong empathy ability. The original intention of the creators is to express themselves. "Creators are all happy. They should have a "non-greasy" heart to observe the people and things around them. I think that on the premise of making the audience happy, they can express something profound. I hope people who understand me can discover my inner thoughts through my performance. After deciding to become a stand-up comedian full-time, I will have more time to improve my expressive skills, and more people will watch my performances, which is both a joy and a spur to me. We plan to hold a special event in the second half of this year, and we are also trying to engage in language training. "
The talk show brought Yuan Wei not only the happiness of an extra salary, but also a strong mentality. Some viewers understand talk shows as instant pleasure, and they do not have the patience to savor the foreshadowing before the results. Once the jokes are not polished If it is mature or does not meet the audience's preferences, it will be ignored. The most impressive thing for
was when an audience member thought that the Wuhan dialect-themed joke was offensive to him at the end of the performance. It will be sad at first, but later you will find that there are two sides to any topic. Over time, I discovered that fans and I were on the same page. When facing an audience that I am not their favorite type of audience, I would not let other people’s voices affect me. Over time, my acceptance level also became higher. "
"I feel that I am not good at work that requires strong emotional intelligence, and I cannot handle the worldly ways. This is one of the reasons why I like talk shows. This is a very simple industry, the evaluation is very objective, and the on-site effects are clear at a glance. There is no need to deliberately maintain too many interpersonal relationships outside of work, and you can focus on your creation. "Many people do not understand his journey of pursuing dreams. A stable job seems to be the choice of most people in contemporary mainstream society.
Yuan Wei said that he respects everyone's ideas, but insists on himself, "Everyone has a life that suits them. Law. For me, doing what I like, being able to support myself, and not becoming a burden to my parents or society is enough. I really like the lifestyle of performing everywhere and seeing different lives. To a certain extent, this industry is more suitable for people with personality. Talk shows have allowed me to move towards the stars and the sea, and I can no longer shrink back into the original cave. "
holiday performance. Picture/provided by interviewee
"I believe that every choice in life counts. I also experienced trial and error during my study abroad career before I found the life I wanted. Although I did not love scientific research after graduate school, my insistence on applying has developed my perseverance. Many years of overseas work experience have broadened my horizons and provided inspiration for my current career. Even if the talk show industry declines in the future, humorous language expression skills will be needed in every industry. "
Jiupai News Reporter Zhou Yining
Editor Wu Di
[Source: Jiupai News]
