In part two of our interview with Vickie Wang (王宇平), she talked about how the COVID lockdown of 2022 in Shanghai affected her mental health, her thoughts on the Great Recall movement in Taiwan last year, how she questions her Taiwanese-ness i.e. if she’s Taiwanese enough, generative propaganda, and how she got into stand-up comedy.
Vickie Wang a writer, interpreter, and stand-up comedian born and raised in Taiwan. Now based in New City York she co-produces a monthly stand-up show called Wang’s World Comedy.
Vickie will be emceeing this year’s Talking Taiwan Fundraising Gala on Friday, May 1.
As our emcee Vickie will bring her signature wit and energy to the evening. Purchase tickets to the Talking Taiwan
Fundraising Gala or to make a contribution visit: https://events.humanitix.com/talking-taiwan-2026-fundraising-gala/tickets
Related Links:
Vickie Wang’s website: https://www.vickiew.com/
Happy Medium on Substack: https://vickiewang.substack.com/
@vickiefromtaiwan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickiefromtaiwan/
Shanghai surprise: How I survived 70 days confinement in the world’s strictest Covid lockdown: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/17/asia/shanghai-covid-quarantine-lockdown-experience-dst-intl-hnk
Trapped in lockdown, Shanghai residents turn to WeChat groups for food: https://restofworld.org/2022/shanghai-lockdown-wechat-group-buying/
As Shanghai lockdown continues, residents face food and supply shortages: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/as-shanghai-lockdown-continues-residents-face-food-and-supply-shortages
In Time (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Time
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637688/
The Legacy of the White Paper Protests: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/23/the-legacy-of-the-white-paper-protests
WeChat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WeChat
China: Transnational Repression Origin Country Case Study: https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression/china
Most people in Taiwan see themselves as primarily Taiwanese; few say they’re primarily Chinese: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/16/most-people-in-taiwan-see-themselves-as-primarily-taiwanese-few-say-theyre-primarily-chinese/
From Pew Research
Who Gets to be Taiwanese?: https://www.taiwaneseamerican.org/2025/08/who-gets-to-be-taiwanese-vickie-wang/
Chinese Nationalist Party aka Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang
Chinese Communist Party (CCP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Communist_Party
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party
Reporter (Taiwan news source): https://www.twreporter.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reporter_(Taiwan)
Deepfake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepfake
Rage Bait: https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang/rage-bait
Ground News app: https://ground.news/app
Generative Propaganda Explained: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/generative-propaganda-explained-vickie-wang-qjwwe/
Male loneliness and isolation: What the data shows: https://aibm.org/research/male-loneliness-and-isolation-what-the-data-shows/
Zohran Mamdani: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani
https://www.zohranfornyc.com/platform
Group Therapy (film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32146333/
Atsuko Okatsuka: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atsuko_Okatsu
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3373248/?ref_=ttfc_fcr_4_11
Suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_Jimmy_Kimmel_Live!
Kimmel’s suspension for Kirk comments sparks furor over free speech and censorship: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-5545671/kimmel-suspension-charlie-kirk-death-free-speech-censorship
President Trump wants Seth Meyers fired: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/17/nx-s1-5610501/trump-seth-meyers-fired
Detention of Mahmoud Khalil: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detention_of_Mahmoud_Khalil
The Case of Columbia ‘Activist’ Mahmoud Khalil Gets Caught in the ‘Zipper Clause’: https://cis.org/Arthur/Case-Columbia-Activist-Mahmoud-Khalil-Gets-Caught-Zipper-Clause
Mario Guevara reported on immigration. After he was deported, he became the story.
How an Atlanta journalist’s deportation to El Salvador turned him into an international voice for press freedom: https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/mario-guevara-reported-on-immigration-after-he-was-deported-he-became-the-story/
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me
The Great Recall Movement in Taiwan: A Historic Unprecedented Boots on the Ground Exercise in Democracy: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-great-recall-movement-effort-in-taiwan-boots-on-the-ground-ep-316/
The Great Recall Explained by Courtney Donovan Smith: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-great-recall-explained-by-courtney-donovan-smith-ep-317/
Day After Recall Analysis with Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo: https://talkingtaiwan.com/day-after-recall-analysis-with-dr-linda-gail-arrigo-ep-322/
Jiho Chang: Why Did the Recall Fail, and How Can the DPP Do Better?: https://talkingtaiwan.com/jiho-chang-why-did-the-recall-fail-and-how-can-the-dpp-do-better-ep-323/
Dr. Bonny Ling Discusses the Challenges Taiwan Faces Dealing with Migrant Workers: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dr-bonny-ling-discusses-the-challenges-taiwan-faces-dealing-with-migrant-workers-ep-215/
Dual Nationality for Long-Term Foreign Permanent Residents of Taiwan: Our Discussion with Michael Fahey: https://talkingtaiwan.com/dual-nationality-for-long-term-permanent-residents-of-taiwan-discussion-with-michael-fahey-ep-293/
What Led to Taiwan’s Same Sex Marriage? Ep 83: https://talkingtaiwan.com/what-led-to-taiwans-same-sex-marriage-ep-83/