Once upon a time, stand-up comedy in China was gaining popularity! Even though the country had strict rules about what could be said. People enjoyed these performances that walked a fine line, but everything changed with one joke.

A Chinese comedian made a joke about the military, and it caused a huge uproar online. The joke caused so much trouble that the comedian was fined a whopping $2 million. Plus, the police got involved, and many comedy shows were cancelled.

People started worrying that this could be the end of stand-up comedy in China! This was one of the few places where people could freely express themselves.

Important Details

• Before this incident, stand-up comedy was a place where people could talk about public life in an entertaining way. But now, experts fear that the space for stand-up comedy and public expression will continue to shrink.
• During the Covid-19 pandemic, people in China turned to comedy for some laughs. They watched online comedy shows. A company called Xiaoguo Culture Media Co became very popular.
• However, there were reports that these shows were being censored. Especially when it came to sensitive topics like Shanghai’s lockdown. People started organizing offline shows because they believed comedians could speak more freely in front of small groups.
• One comedian, who lives in the United States and goes by the name Kite, is worried that the whole industry will be affected. She believes that stand-up comedy brings joy in difficult times. And thinks people should resist any attempts to limit it. She fears that if they don’t do anything, they won’t even have the freedom to joke in the future.
• Many comedians have had their shows cancelled after this incident. Audiences are usually asked not to record the performances because jokes can be easily taken out of context on social media.
• Experts say that China’s leadership has created an atmosphere of fear and paranoia around national security. They treat a joke as seriously as a real attack on the nation. This situation has made people worried about the future of comedy in China.
• So, it seems like stand-up comedy in China is facing a tough time. People are concerned that more restrictions will be put in place. And the space for free expression will keep shrinking. It remains to be seen what the future holds for comedy in China, but for now, the laughter has been stifled.

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