Why a joke about the PLA has got China’s stand-up comics worried

Performers say they are steering clear of ‘sensitive matters’ and fear the censors are clamping down
Last month a comedian was placed under investigation and his company fined for mocking a military slogan

Comedians and comedy

Amber Wangin Beijing

Published: 2:00pm, 25 Jun 2023

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Stand-up comedians in China are facing a tough crowd. Many say they are sticking to safe topics and avoiding anything remotely sensitive, fearing that the censors are clamping down.

The comedy scene has become popular among young Chinese in recent years. But there is growing uncertainty over how far performers can go after a comedian was placed under investigation by police last month. He had made a joke at the expense of the People’s Liberation Army.

“There are fewer shows, and we’ve had to step further back from the boundaries – so just talk about stuff to do with daily life,” one comedian, who declined to be identified, said after his late-night show in Beijing.

China’s comedy scene has grown in popularity in recent years. Photo: AFP

Speaking on a podcast, another comic said many performers were now self-censoring. “After the incident, many began to feel confused and lost, and deleted the sensitive [content from their shows],” the comedian said.

That incident was a show in Beijing in the middle of May. Li Haoshi, better known by his stage name House, won laughs when he joked about his two dogs, praising their “excellent conduct and ability to win battles” – a slogan President Xi Jinping has used for the PLA.

Li is now under investigation for “severely insulting the PLA”, according to a statement from Beijing police. His whereabouts are unknown.

The company he works for – Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media – was fined 13.35 million yuan (US$1.9 million), while 1.33 million yuan in “illegal gains” was confiscated. The stand-up comedy company has been banned indefinitely from putting on performances.

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Censorship has long been a factor in stand-up comedy in China, as it has for any form of public expression – from films to the media.

Comedians have for years been required to submit a script of their shows to the censors, who check for material related to taboo topics such as politics, religion or drugs. Some are cautious about tackling controversial subjects such as gender issues.

Still, there are comedy shows on every night in Beijing. Work, love and marriage are all in the firing line, along with hobbies, the pension system, and even the “crackdown on American imperialism” – all topics that are considered “kind of safe”, according to one comic.

Coming off stage after his show, another comedian in Beijing said he did not think Li had meant to insult the military.

“I don’t think anyone has the need to deliberately do such a dangerous thing,” he said.

“There are red lines, the sensitive matters – those guys in uniforms … politics is absolutely forbidden … you could say this is a tradition in this country,” the comedian said. “I won’t touch any of these matters.”

Stand-up comedy has been thriving in recent years. One industry report estimated there were some 18,500 shows in 2021 and total revenue of 391 million yuan – up more than 50 per cent from 2019.

After Li was placed under investigation and his company punished, other shows were temporarily suspended, according to several comedians.

Now, some say the censors have gone into overdrive.

“The relevant departments more strictly review the scripts now,” one comedian said, adding that the shows were back on and he did not think Li’s case would affect the whole industry.

Comedians are required to submit a script of their shows to the censors. Photo: Handout

For others, the situation is a new source for material.

“You all know that our industry is no longer prosperous,” one comic quipped at a packed show in Beijing this week.

“But if we comedians work hard enough, we may get some exposure in the legal channel,” he said, referring to a state-run television channel that covers crime for public education.