Chinese comedy company had to face the music after it allegedly made a joke on military.
According to the Reuters report, China’s best-known comedy companies had to face the wrath of a dictatorial regime after it slapped a fine of 14.7 million yuan ($2.13 million) penalty on it.
The company, as per the report, has been accused of "harming society" after a military joke made by one of its comedians.
“The Beijing arm of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism Bureau said it would fine Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media Co 13.35 million yuan and confiscate 1.35 million yuan in ‘illegal gains’ from the firm after finding that a recent show by Li Haoshi, who performs under the name House, had breached rules,” the report said.
“The incident has strongly divided the Chinese public over what sort of jokes are inappropriate as performances such as stand-up comedy become increasingly popular and also highlighted the limits of appropriate content in China where authorities say it must promote core socialist values,” it said.
It added Li went viral on Chinese social media earlier this week after an audience member posted online a description of a joke he had made at a live stand-up set in Beijing on May 13, describing it as demeaning to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).
“In the joke, Li recounted seeing two stray dogs he had adopted chase a squirrel and said it had reminded him of the phrase ‘have a good work style, be able to fight and win battles’, a slogan Chinese President Xi Jinping used in 2013 to praise the PLA's work ethic,” it said.
"We will never allow any company or individual use the Chinese capital as a stage to wantonly slander the glorious image of the PLA," it added.
