That’s Number One, Wang

Cambridge’s Phil Wang recently beat off the rest of the competition to win a national student comedy award and book himself ten top gigs.

cambridge students Cambridge University comedy central comedy store Footlights Fred Brewin King's College Phil Wang

Cambridge funny-man Phil Wang has earned ten top gigs after recently being crowned Comedy Central Live Funniest Student for 2011.

The King’s student has firmly made a name for himself on the Cambridge comedy scene at various smokers and events across the uni.

In a gag-filled national competition on Monday at the renowned Comedy Store in London, Wang laughed away the rest of the competition to pick up the award with a routine including “sausage lols” and cross-dressing.

But the Footlights favourite told The Tab that it just felt good to be there. He said, “It felt great to win… It was anyone’s game. The best part of the evening was just performing on stage at the Comedy Store.

I thought it would be years before I’d be able to play it, yet there I was, and I was doing well! That was lovely.”

Photo by Fred Brewin

As well as the prize, Wang, a third year engineer, will now get mentoring from Comedy Central, and ten guaranteed gigs with Off The Kerb Productions – who represent stars including Michael McIntyre and Lee Evans.

On the prize gigs, Wang said: “I haven’t heard much information but I imagine they’re of very high quality, as Off The Kerb is a big player in the comedy industry.”

Cambridge was well represented in the final of five, with New Hall girl Emerald Paston also performing and winning praise from Rick Hughes, one of the judges.

King’s also has a rich tradition of comedians, ranging from alumni such as David Baddiel to current undergraduates in the form of ‘Kings of Banter’ KCLU.