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/

Today's Non-syndicated FUNNIES

Snipped from the Social Network by Pat Darnell | Feb 11, 2012 | Bryan TX

Laurie Plumridge ::
Mahatma Ghandi was a vegetarian. His meager diet caused him to become very thin and weak with terrible breath. And his constant wearing of sandals took a toll on his feet with bad calluses and such. That made him a...wait for it... super calloused, fragile mystic, hexed by halitosis!
Unlike · · Unfollow Post · 14 hours ago near Grande Prairie, Alberta



Susan Drangstveit :: The Sesame Street bus had a new driver and he asked the kids to introduce themselves as they got on. The first two girls were really huge and both of them were named Patty. The next student said "Hi. I'm Ross and I'm special." The last kid said, "I'm Lester Peas." He promptlly sat down and began picking at his feet. Dispatch called and asked the driver how it was going. His reply? I've got two all beef Pattys, Special Ross, Lester Peas picking bunions on the Sesame Street bus.
14 hours ago


John Evans :: An African chief was feeling very sick, so he summoned the witch doctor to his hut. After a brief examination, the medicine man cut off a thong of antelope hide from his belt and gave it to the chief, instructing him to bite off, chew, and swallow one inch of leather every day. After one month, the witch doctor returned, and asked how the chief was feeling. The chief answered, "The thong is ended, but the malady lingers on."
13 hours ago


Kevin Head :: I saw a reference to lemon party on the show 30 rock the other night. Alec Baldwin said to Tina Fey's character (Liz Lemon) "so you are are going to have your own private Lemon Party" and I laughed my ass off.
13 hours ago via mobile
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sites/lemon-party

___________________________________________________
Susan Drangstveit :: It's very hard to type with both of my middle fingers frozen at attention....
13 hours ago


Rebecca Boyer :: I read that in a Monster Truck commercial voice! Televangelists: the Pro (pro pro pro) Wrestlers (wrestlers wrestlers) of Religion (religion religion)!
Thursday at 5:32pm


Mike Adkins ::
A robber bursts into the bank and yells "Give me the money!" A brave customer runs over and pulls his mask off. "You can't rob the bank now. I've seen your face!" The robber thinks about it for a moment and then shoots him. "Anyone else see my face?" he asked menacingly. After a few moments silence, a man shouts up "I think my wife had a look!"
Like · · Follow Post · Thursday at 5:03pm


_________________________________________________

Wall Photos
Republican Bigotry Hate Fear Lies And Distortion's Collection Of Political Pictures...
By: Republican Bigotry Hate Fear Lies and Distortion
Unlike · · Follow Post · Wednesday at 6:40pm
You, John Evans and 5 others like this.

Elliot Bronstein ‎"I do not like brown poop and cum; I do not like it, San-Tor-Um"
Wednesday at 6:43pm · Unlike · 6

Rebecca Boyer ‎^^^Elliot= Lord of the Quips!
Wednesday at 6:46pm · Unlike · 3

Elliot Bronstein ‎"Would You have it in your ass? Would you, could you take a pass?"
Wednesday at 6:46pm · Unlike · 4

Marcel Sebo Elliot, that's hilarious!
Wednesday at 6:46pm · Unlike · 2

Elliot Bronstein ‎"Would you take it from a sloth? Would you take it with some froth?"
Wednesday at 6:47pm · Unlike · 4

Rebecca Boyer Elliot is the ghostwriter! :)
Wednesday at 6:48pm · Like

Elliot Bronstein ‎"Would you have some in a boat? Would you have sex with a goat?"
Wednesday at 6:50pm · Like · 3

Elliot Bronstein ‎"You may like it--you will see! Let me squirt you.....woops, that's pee!"
Wednesday at 6:52pm · Like · 5

Marcel Sebo Holy crap, Elliot! I am laughing so hard right now!!!!
Wednesday at 6:53pm · Like · 1

Paula Fluharty Elliot, please do the whole book. Too funny!
Thursday at 12:04am ·
_________________________________________________

Today's Irony :: "Working people are Poor people!"

________________Reference
http://readersupportednews.org/video/4-video/9767-bill-moyers-makes-newt-gingrich-look-like-an-idiot

*

*

*

MooPig Site Reviews :: "A word from IndyStar Funnies Man Gary Varvel"

Clip Retrieved by Pat Darnell [HERE]

Friday, in the Indianapolis Star, ... [Gary Varvel] will have a full page graphic novel on the Super Bowl-bound Colts. It is called, "Ava-Star."

On personal note [from Gary Varvel]: "I've been a victim of identity-theft. I got a voice mail message from someone who said that he met Gary Varvel in a bar and spent several hours thinking he was talking to the Star cartoonist. When he saw my photo on my blog, he realized that it wasn't me. For the record: I don't frequent bars. So if some guy in a bar claims to be me, ask him to draw your caricature, then tell him that Varvel doesn't go to bars."

The Colts won the AFC Championship and ... week's "Caption This" contest was won by David Clements, New Whiteland, IN - "The easiest way I knew to get us to Miami was by going to the air."
Runners up: Pam Summers, Greenwood, IN - "Aw, shucks, any NFL MVP could do what I'm doing."
Paul Walorski, Columbus, IN - "I'm excited...Polian said he'd let me play in the next game."
Rick Abbott, Indianapolis - "Look its a "Jumbo Jet" flying Rex Ryan back home to New York !!"
William Billings, Indianapolis - "Saints fan, President Obama, will be adding our Super Bowl victory to his list of lost causes." [SOURCE]


Mr Varvel holds these cute "Captions Contests" for us all to behold. I like it. It fits my bombastic nature. [pd]

Here was this Week's --

Apple unveiled their latest gadget this week. What do you think this kid's response is to the new Apple iPad. If you have a humorous retort, send it in the "Caption This."
Just post your caption on the comments link above the cartoon. Keep it clean (this is a family newspaper). Keep it brief (brevity is the soul of wit). And if you can't do those two things, keep it to yourself. When you write, include YOUR NAME and the name of the CITY WHERE YOU LIVE. Your deadline is noon Thursday.
The winning caption will be printed in the cartoon along with runners-up captions in next Sunday's Indianapolis Star print edition as well as posted online at garyvarvel.com. [SOURCE]

Print on Demand goes to Press

Retrieved by Pat Darnell

PC Magazine Goes 100% Digital | 11.19.08
by Lance Ulanoff [SOURCE]

An Open letter to PC Magazine (Print) Readers,

The January 2009 issue (Volume 28, Issue 1) of PC Magazine will mark a monumental transition for the publication. It is the last printed edition of this venerable publication. Of course, as with any technology-related enterprise, this is not the end, but the beginning of something exciting and new.

...



This open letter a few weeks ago from PC Magazine announced it ceased publishing its print magazine, after 27 years of covering the technology industry. These days it simply doesn't make economic or environmental sense for us to print a magazine, load it on trucks, and send it across the country when the same information can be delivered instantly online via PCMag.com. At about the same time, my girlfriend gave me a love letter: a paperback book she made herself with glossy pages, full-color photos, and a production quality that would make any magazine art director salivate. How can she afford to print a single book when big publishing companies lose money selling hundreds of thousands of copies? Welcome to the world of print on demand.

How publishing-on-demand will transform the publishing industry.
by Dan Costa
(1996-2008 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.)

I suppose we all knew this would someday be our unfortunate condition. I had a PC Magazine subscription in the '80's. It helped me to find a niche in the burgeoning PC\IT surge...

Will there always be a need for printing? And now that it is over, no more magazines laying about the doctors' office... no more books in libraries... only books to hold down the picnic blanket... books for boll weevils to eat...?

NO more Web Presses?
Hey Warren,
[SOURCE]
Speaking of paper rolls being dropped, here's a story you might not have heard. Before I came to Bethel, the night watchmen in the factory used to carry guns. You probably know that much of the paper the Society bought came from Canada in boxcars. It was often quite cold when it was unloaded, so they would stack it up on end, several rolls high (20'-30', depending on the ceiling height) and leave it there to reach room temperature so it could be run through the presses. As the paper would warm up, it often made cracking noises.

One night a particularly skittish watchman was walking through one of the storage floors at night. It was dark, and the rolls were warming up and making noise. I am not quite sure just how it happened, but shots were fired into the paper rolls. That was the end of the guns.

Tom