China’s cancel culture is nationalist, not woke
One comedian finds himself unwittingly on the end of it
Dog jokes are usually fairly inoffensive. The audience laughed when Li Haoshi, a Beijing-based comedian, wisecracked at a show on May 13th about seeing his two dogs chasing a squirrel. The dogs’ zeal, he said, reminded him of military slogans associated with the People’s Liberation Army (pla): “Forge exemplary conduct! Fight to win!” The slogans have become something of a motto for the armed forces (and are also favourites of President Xi Jinping). The incident may have ended Mr Li ‘s career.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Dog’s dinner”
From the May 27th 2023 edition
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