Chinese comedian Guo Degang investigated after patriotic song gag

Chinese comedian Guo Degang is currently under investigation by local authorities after allegedly mocking a patriotic song during a performance in Wuhan, according to reports. The 53-year-old comedian, known for his rapid comic dialogue style, improvised part of a 1956 tune about Chinese soldiers defeating Japanese forces during World War II in July, The Paper reported.

The Wuhan culture and tourism bureau confirmed to AFP that an investigation into Guo was ongoing, though the investigation's progress was unclear. Guo, originally from Tianjin, is famous for reviving crosstalk, a rapid Chinese comedic style, in the 2000s and 2010s and has performed on China's state broadcaster CCTV and at the Great Hall of the People.

Several Chinese cities have postponed performances or offered refunds for those featuring Guo this month. The patriotic song, "Playing My Beloved Pipa," was recognized in 2019 as an outstanding song celebrating the founding of the People's Republic of China. Authorities claim that Guo altered the lyric "quiet on Weishan Lake" to "quiet in the Forbidden City" during his performance, a change not previously approved by authorities, according to Wuhan's culture bureau.

The government has recently tightened oversight of arts performances, including comedy shows, and in 2023, fined a performing group and suspended its shows over a joke deemed to cause a "bad social impact."