A Chinese stand-up comedian has been fined more than $2 million and banned from performing in Beijing for making a joke that loosely referenced a slogan used by the country’s military.
Li Haoshi, who goes by the stage name House, made the joke during a comedy concert at Beijing’s Century Theatre over the weekend. He said that his two stray dogs reminded him of eight phrases before saying “Fine style of work, capable of winning battles”, a phrase that was first used by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2013 to describe the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The joke sparked a backlash from authorities and online nationalists, who accused Li of insulting the military and violating a law that prohibits slander and defamation against military personnel. Li cancelled all of his shows and his agency, Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media, issued an apology.
On Wednesday, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism announced that a subsidiary of Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media would be penalized $1.91 million and stripped of $189,000 in “illegal gains” – an apparent reference to Li’s two live events last weekend. The company was also barred from performing in the capital for an undetermined period of time.
On Wednesday evening, Beijing police announced the launch of an investigation into Li, stating that his performance had “seriously insulted” the military and had a “bad social impact”.
The hefty punishment highlights the fine line comedians must walk in China’s increasingly tight and extensively censored social climate, as well as the severe consequences for those in the entertainment business who are perceived to have crossed it.
Last year, a former investigative journalist was sentenced to seven months in prison after questioning China’s role in the Korean War as depicted in a blockbuster patriotic film.
Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media is one of the country’s largest producers of stand-up comedy shows. It has not commented on the latest development. Li has also remained silent on social media since his apology on Monday.