MooPig Humor Detection Agency :: "China -- Straight Man or Funny Man?"

Chinese Government killed Humor with its Bowdlerizing
Captured by Pat Darnell | May 12, 2013 | Bryan TX "

[Picture LINK]

... One is reminded of the classic American comedy duos like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, George Burns and Gracie Allen, or 60s TV acts like Rowan and Martin and the Smothers Brothers. The Chinese art is called xiangsheng (literally, “face and voice”), which is usually translated into English as “crosstalk”, and for most of the twentieth century this performance form was virtually synonymous with humor in China. (Jeremy Goldkorn. November 16, 2004. LINK) ...  "

How ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ Blew Up in China : The New Yorker: "He’s right, but there is something at work that runs even deeper: the popularity of Stewart and “The Daily Show” among the urbane crowd offers a good measure of how China is changing. And it bodes well for the future of satire in China."

So just what does China think of “The Daily Show”? Max Fisher, the Washington Post’s foreign affairs blogger, first noticed that a segment on North Korea, entitled “Nuke Kid on the Block,” had been subtitled in Chinese and racked up two million eight hundred thousand views in China. He wondered if “the voraciousness with which Chinese viewers are watching the segment suggests that their appetite for such coverage, for publicly criticizing an ally that has become something of an embarrassment, far exceeds what they’re getting.”

So we at MooPig Humor Detection Agency delve a bit deeper -- "... Crosstalk used to be phenomenally popular in China. Teahouses and auditoriums were packed each night with enthusiastic audiences, every theatrical troupe had a stable of crosstalk performers, and crosstalk was an essential part of every Chinese New Year variety show...

" ... Similar humor forms remain wildly popular in the States and in other countries. Stand-up humor is easily staged, quickly produced, and has an immediacy and topicality that no other form of humor can have. All people, including Chinese people, crave the cathartic release that laughter provides. If done right, there is no reason to think crosstalk would not enjoy the same popularity as its foreign counterparts. The real cause of crosstalk’s decline is painfully obvious, though no one dares to publicly acknowledge the truth: the Communist Party killed it. (Jeremy Goldkorn. November 16, 2004. LINK) ... "

'via Blog this'

In 1949 came the Chinese Communist Government. It imposed its dullness on Chinese CrossTalk because CrossTalk lampooned everything from poor people to efficacious, though impotent, elite. It satirized "pompous social elites, corrupt officials, country bumpkins, the handicapped, prostitutes, the effete intelligentsia, and even the KMT leaders in power at the time. It is difficult to convey the culturally-embedded style and content of crosstalk humor in a brief article such as this, but suffice to say, the form was every bit as rich and varied as the traditions of American Vaudeville and stand-up comedy. (David Moser. Posted by Jeremy Goldkorn on Tuesday, November 16, 2004. LINK) ... "

" ... Posted on May 10, 2008 by porfiriy
So what do you do if you’re interested in ascertaining how a nation’s social imagination classifies and categorizes a particular subset of its citizens?

Ask the Internet, of course!

This time, John Pasden of Sinosplice is our kindly intermediary. A few days ago he posted links to two humorous maps making rounds as jokes among Chinese netizens: China as seen by Beijingers and China as seen by Shanghainese. The concept is really quite simple: take a map of China, divide it into regional categories, then write in what a Beijinger or Shanghainese generally thinks of that area – so a Beijinger calls Beijing “Grandpa’s Home,” simple enough, but then we find out that Beijingers think prostitutes come from Manchuria, that Yunnan is a place of drug peddlers, and that the south coast is all about making money – oh, and hilariously, Taiwan – “Bitch at grandpa from not going here back then.” Obviously, it’s meant to be that type of rowdy, in-your-face, non-PC type of humor. Which is exactly why its such a good place to mine for info about mutual perceptions among peoples of China. Xinjiang in the eyes of Beijingers? (porifiy. May 10, 2008. LINK) ... "

CONCLUSION
Our humor detection agents found that 'China is too big to not be funny.'

[Picture LINK]




___________________Reference
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2013/04/jon-stewart-daily-show-china-north-korea.html?intcid=obnetwork
http://www.danwei.org/tv/stifled_laughter_how_the_commu.php
http://www.thenewdominion.net/2008/05/10/online-humor-affirms-xinjiang-stereotypes/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ROC_PRC_comparison_eng.jpg
http://www.littleredbook.cn/2009/08/17/tiantian-fart-jokes-air-freshner-classic-chinese-humor/

NFL Football Season Opened... yawn

Ten, HUBBA HUBBA, burning Questions for the 2008 NFL Football Season,
reveiw of Friedman, by Pat Darnell

Wow, did you see that ending ceremony of the Beijing Olympics? I can't get that firework show out of my head.

You know when they gave the stage to Obama, Barack right after his nomidi-nation? They were shooting off flares and little Roman candles.... like Kiss pyrotechnic stuff. I was embarrassed to watch it. It was the most childish thing I had ever seen televised. After witnessing the Beijing summation's and celebrations, I never want to see fireworks on television again.

I felt bad for Obama as he traipsed around the cheesy stage waving his hand high, confused and dazed from the phosphorous retina burns, looking for his family who were to come up with him, as the congregated 65,000 DNC delegates went ticker tape wild.

Obama's littlest daughter leaps into his arms, terrified. The little Obama family dwarfed in its precarious stumbling around during protocol slip ups and malfunctions, looked a bit dysfunctional themselves.

It was like when the child steps up to the can toss game on Bozo, and it goes badly for him. The little tyke needs encouragement even though he throws like a girl... WHAT? oh, sorry.... like an Orangutan; and his toss of the ball bounces off camera, and he is out on the first bucket miss. Boo hoo, makes me very sad. And the vacant, stubborn glare of the child's stage mother.

What is this blog about, Levon? What? Oh, yeah:

(JON FRIEDMAN'S MEDIA WEB 2008 NFL season preview: 10 burning questions Commentary: Look for Chargers-Cowboys in the Super Bowl) September 4, 2008

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah... the NFL Football Season has opened in the past week or ten days, and Brett Favre is in New York. Here's the ten most important pressing questions at NFL opening date, whenever it was:

1) Can the "Jints" repeat?
2) Will the Patriots suffer a post-Super Bowl hangover?
3) So, then, if the Pats and the Giants won't make it to the promised land, which teams will?
[SOURCE]
4) Will Favre lift the Jets to glory?
5) How will Aaron Rodgers do as Favre's replacement in Green Bay?
6) Can Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson supplant San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson this season as the best running back in the league?

7) Can Romo shake his label as an immature choke artist?
8) Can Bill Parcells work his magic in Miami?
9) Who will emerge as the most overrated player in the league?

10) Who is the best quarterback in his family, Eli Manning of the Giants or his older brother, Peyton Manning, of the Indianapolis Colts?

Go to Jon Friedman's Media Web article to see his take on his own questions... eh?

Providing Images for Olympic Fans... You will not be Disappointed

AP and Getty Images...
[Source: clik Title]
Beijing 2008 -- It's a Wrap -- The Big Picture -- Boston.com

More links and information
It will be a tough act to follow - boston.com 8/25
Olympics Coverage - Boston.com
Official Site Beijing 2008 Games
2008 Olympics - NYT Topics page

Shawna Johnson Wins Gold at Beam

Little Girls Grow up in the Most Mysterious Ways




Beam Routine of Nastia Liukin

Gymnasts Liukin, Johnson end with eight medals 01:19 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
by Kate Hairpoulos

BEIJING – Olympic competition ended appropriately Tuesday for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson – on the medal stand, together, one last time.

Johnson, finally, took her first gold of the Games – to go with her three silvers – in the balance beam final at National Indoor Stadium. Liukin earned silver, raising her medal count to five and tying her with Shannon Miller and Mary Lou Retton as the most decorated American gymnasts in a single Olympics.

"I think Nastia is gorgeous," said Martha Karolyi, the U.S. national team coordinator. "She's probably one of the greatest gymnasts [ever] for USA."

Johnson scored 16.225 on the beam, the class of the field. Liukin, from Parker, scored 16.025 and China's Cheng Fei took bronze at 15.950.

Liukin and Johnson – rivals, roommates and friends – came to Beijing with grand expectations and lived up to them. Their order of finish in the all-around, Liukin No. 1 and Johnson No. 2, surprised some, but they made history. For the first time, the U.S. placed more than one gymnast in the all-around and on balance beam.

Opposites in style but equally stunning, Liukin and Johnson accounted for eight of USA Gymnastics' 10 medals, the most for the U.S. in a non-boycotted Olympics.

Not bad at all, especially considering the American women's rocky start, when mistakes helped give China – despite questions regarding the eligibility of half of its team – the team gold. On the men's side, the Chinese flat-out dominated, winning every gold but one.

Liukin said Monday night she and Johnson crossed off another day of the calendar they keep in their Olympic Village room, intent on finishing strong.

"We thought, 'Wow, this is the last day, so let's really try to enjoy it and have the time of our life,' " said Liukin, 18. "And I think we did."

Liukin's fifth medal meant she topped her father and coach Valeri's four medals from the Seoul Games in 1988.

"I'm glad she did," Valeri said.

Liukin, artistic and clean on the beam as usual Tuesday, finished with one gold, three silvers and a bronze. She tied for first in the uneven bars final Monday, but took silver because of the the International Gymnastics Federation's tiebreaker.

"It was really great to be able to spend it with my dad," Liukin said of her Olympic experience. "This whole trip has been harder and longer than any other trip we've been on, but it's also been so much better.

"It's definitely been more than a dream come true. ... To say we have nine medals combined – Olympic medals, not just any medals – it's amazing."

Johnson, the world all-around champion, was thrilled to win gold in her last opportunity. Especially after a shaky day in which Johnson, 16, dealt with a headache and wasn't her normal self in warmups.

But Johnson hit each of her difficult tumbling passes on the four-inch wide beam. As Karolyi said, Johnson tumbles on the beam like other gymnasts do on the floor.

"For the first time, I really just let everything go," said Johnson, who bit her lip to fight back tears and then beamed her trademark smile on the medal podium. "I didn't think about what other girls had gotten or what the judges were going to give me. It's the Olympics. I wanted to finish up the best I can."

Johnson came to Beijing as the favorite to win all-around gold. And she admitted Tuesday being bothered by not receiving scores as high as she'd become accustomed to. But with a gold finally around her neck, she said she is at peace with the outcome.

"At first it did upset me a little, and I thought about it, and I didn't care," Johnson said. "I was at the Olympics, having the time of my life."Coming out here today, whether [I won], I didn't care. I knew in my heart what I deserved."

Top honors

There are three American gymnasts who have won five medals in an Olympic Games:

Nastia Liukin: 2008 (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)

Shannon Miller: 1992 (2 silver, 3 bronze)

Mary Lou Retton: 1984 (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)

Gold

All Round Champion Women's Gymnastics -- GOLD 2008 Olympics in Beijing

Liukin took first all-around in the Tyson American Cup and Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships earlier this year. She comes from parents who are former gymnasts and coaches.

And tonight she is Champion of the Women's Gymnastics in Beijing.

The Birds are in the NEST: Million Points of Light Speech Dusted Off

Just Some little ol' Human Rights Violations, Eh..

© 2008 AFP

03/07/2008 20:38:15 UST

Dubya Bush might have said: "What me Worry?"
"You don't have to love your government to be a good Chinese Citizen.. right?"

Oh Yeah: "Today, the Immigration Bill died in the Senate. The vote wasn’t even close. Thirty-seven Republican lawmakers, including the Senate minority leader, voted to kill it." (HERE and Hat tip to Ridiculopathy for the graphic.)

Finding NEMO-esque, Lame Duck President and his Vigilante Pappy-- Comes as no surprise that the Deciders have Decided to attend?

US President George W. Bush will attend the August 8 opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games despite appeals from human rights activists that he boycott the gala, the White House said Thursday.

Bush, who had always said he would go to the Olympics to encourage US athletes and did not want to use the competition to make a political statement, will first travel to South Korea and Thailand, said spokeswoman Dana Perino.

"The president and Mrs Bush will travel to the Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Thailand, and People's Republic of China in August," she said in a statement that did not say when he would depart Washington or return.

Perino said earlier that Bush was "pleased" that Beijing was holding talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, but stressed that his attendance at the opening ceremonies did not depend on the outcome.

"That's what the president has said before, which is he believes he's going to China to support, first and foremost, our athletes. He sees this as sporting competition," she said.

"But at the same time, just as he will this week when he sees President Hu, he'll talk to him about these important issues of human rights and especially religious freedom," said Perino.

"And every time he talks to President Hu, he talks to him about the importance of having a good relationship there with a peaceful man, of the Dalai Lama, but also, for all of China, that it's good to open up and to have better relations and to

improve human rights there," she said.

The ceremonies are due to be held in the 80,000-seat National Stadium in Beijing -- nicknamed the Bird's Nest because of the intricate lattice work on its outer core.

"Mrs Barbara Bush, I know who does your hair!!" might have screamed out MooPig correspondent Phil Donahue, also OPRAH's mentor, at the Games '08. She

probably would not have heard him

through

his gas

masking daily-wearables.

Bush will attend Beijing Olympics opening ceremony

WASHINGTON (AFP)

US President George W. Bush arrives to speak in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC on July 2. Bush will attend the August 8 opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino announced Thursday.

Meanwhile the Nuns were in the drawing room documenting the games with their sketch books and measure sticks...

UPDATE: An estimated 200 Beijing families report their cats stolen a month. Mostly, the missing kitties are sold to wholesale markets for about $3 each. To eat. (HERE)