272 - Dawn Wong

·1 hr 36 min·5 clips

A comedian from Shanghai explains why Irish people smile at strangers, but in her city, you avoid eye contact to dodge scams.

Tom O'Mahony opens with announcements about his tour 'Take Enough' and other podcasts before introducing guest Dawn Wong, a comedian based in Shanghai. Dawn explains she was born and raised in China, not Singapore as Tom initially thought. She married an Irish farmer from Galway, leading to discussions about cultural shocks, such as Irish friendliness versus Chinese urban anonymity where eye contact is avoided. Dawn describes the strict comedy scene in China, where comedians must submit scripts to a government bureau for vetting, banning cursing and sensitive topics. She contrasts this with Ireland's free comedy environment. The conversation shifts to attitudes toward wealth: Dawn notes Irish humility about money, possibly rooted in historical British rule, while Chinese culture openly celebrates materialism, even having a money god. Dawn's comedy career began when her funny wedding speech went viral, prompting a friend to sign her up for an open mic. She talks about performing in Ireland, aiming to gig at The Crack Den in Dublin. They discuss the challenges of performing for Chinese audiences with limited English, referencing Dylan Moran's confusing Shanghai show. Tom shares anecdotes about Irish culture, like the lack of a class system and the post-recession rejection of flashy consumerism. Dawn highlights Irish people's retention of their culture abroad, and Tom reflects on how the pandemic made people less judgmental. The episode concludes with Dawn planning to return to Ireland at Christmas for comedy and more cultural sketches.

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