Here's a bit from Conan last night that takes a serious look at the issue of outsourcing. Andy Richter's actions may seem appealing, but contracting a third party from overseas to take a nap for you really hurts the U.S. economy.
The Chinese have no sense of humor. At least that’s what the title of a recent study published in the October 2011 issue of HUMOR would have you believe. “The Chinese Ambivalence to Humor: Views from undergraduates in Hong Kong and China” postulates that Chinese (1) “tend to value humor but consider themselves to lack humor,” (2) do not associate being humorous “with being orthodox Chinese” and (3) “humor is important but not for everyone.” In actuality, it is not so much that the Chinese are a humorless people, but rather they do not necessarily aspire to be funny.
According to Xiao Dong Yue’s study, their Taoist roots influence [...]
New today from the Onion News Network, "Chinese Gossip Blogger Fights For Freedom To Post Celebrity Up-Skirt Photos." Freedom is a beautiful thing!
That Conan O'Brien is one forgiving redhead. After calling out a Chinese online talk show for ripping off his opening animation, he's accepted Da Peng's apology and provided the show with an opening of its own, courtesy of the Conan graphics department. And no apology acceptance would be complete without a There Was No Need to Apologize, Sorry For Making You Feel Bad Dance. (I do one every time someone bumps into me on the street.)
Adult Swim's new series were announced at their upfronts last night. Premiering this fall, The Heart, She Holler stars Patton Oswalt and Heather Lawless in a satirical hillbilly soap opera, which takes place "in a town so inbred, the folks have become almost supernaturally wrong." Also debuting this fall, China, IL follows Frank and Steve Smith, brothers teaching history at a state university who frequently change their lesson plan to emphasize their own amazing accomplishments. Joining the schedule in spring 2012, Tight Bros stars a pair of hard-partying "clerybros" out to spread the word of God, when they aren't trying to get some strange. Adult Swim also detailed [...]
So, Conan discovered earlier this week that its opening animation had been completely ripped off by a Chinese online talk show called Da Pang Debade. Now, host Da Peng has issued an on-air apology and promises to stop using the animation. "At this point I want to the time to say sorry to Mr. Conan on behalf of myself, my show, and our staff," he said. You can watch his apology here, but be warned that aside from the "sorry dance" at 3:16, it is in Chinese. Those spring sound effects do sound remorseful, though.
What is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and traditions of how the rest of the world makes funny in their respective native tongues. Don’t forget your passports! Just kidding, you don’t need your passport. Or do you? (You don’t.)
For a culture that generally believes the sum is greater than its individual parts, stand-up comedy seems doomed to fail in China. And yet, xiangsheng is one of the oldest comedic traditions in the People’s Republic, dating back to the Qing dynasty (for all you non-history buffs, it collapsed in 1912).
Translated [...]
