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

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Comedian Li Haoshi is being investigated after he made a joke about the PLA last month. Photo: Weibo

Published: 2:00pm, 25 Jun 2023

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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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

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