Chinese Comedy Troupe Hit With $2.1 Million Penalty Over Military Joke

A Chinese comedy troupe, Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media Co, and comedian Li Haoshi, known as House, have been fined 14.7 million yuan ($2.1 million) following a joke about the military that referenced a slogan coined by President Xi Jinping.

The quip, which compared the behavior of the comedian’s dogs to military conduct, was deemed offensive by authorities who accused the company and Li of “humiliating the people’s army.”

Shanghai Xiaoguo accepted the penalty and terminated Li’s contract in response.

During a stand-up performance in Beijing, Li joked about his two dogs chasing a squirrel, saying, “Other dogs you see would make you think they are adorable. These two dogs only reminded me of… ‘Fight to win, forge exemplary conduct’.”

This punchline includes part of a slogan introduced by President Xi Jinping in 2013 as a goal for the Chinese military. While the audience at the performance reacted with laughter, a complaint was lodged, prompting an investigation by Beijing authorities.

As a result, 1.32 million yuan of alleged illegal income was confiscated, and the company received an additional fine of 13.35 million yuan. Shanghai Xiaoguo’s activities in Beijing have been indefinitely suspended. The Beijing arm of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism Bureau stated, “We will never allow any company or individual to use the Chinese capital as a stage to wantonly slander the glorious image of the PLA [People’s Liberation Army].”

The incident has sparked a debate about the boundaries of humor and political sensitivity.

While some nationalists expressed deep offense, questioning the severity of the reactions, others highlighted the challenging climate for Chinese comedians, who have faced scrutiny from both authorities and netizens.

Comedian Li Haoshi apologized to his more than 136,000 Weibo followers and pledged to reflect on the situation. His Weibo account has since been suspended.