It's no joke as comic defends beating up
Source: Xinhua |
August 6, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ONE of China's most famous stand-up comedians, Guo Degang, is under fire for labeling one of his apprentices a "national hero" for beating up a Beijing Television reporter.
Guo has also been criticized for calling BTV - which broadcast many of Guo's shows and was a major promoter of Guo's career - "dirty" in the middle of a show on Sunday.
"Guo may have the advantage verbally, but he has crossed the line of civility and morality. When he shows no respect, he also loses respect from the public," a commentary in the Xinhua Daily Telegraph said yesterday.
The commentary went on to say that using the stage to vent one's personal rage is "a very improper behavior."
Similar commentaries were run in other Chinese newspapers.
According to a senior official with BTV who asked to remain anonymous, BTV had been "exercising restraint" over Guo's performance, lest the comedian "take advantage of the incident to gain more fame."
Zhou Wenfu, a BTV reporter, was repeatedly punched on Sunday when attempting to interview Guo's family, according to clips of the beating that have circulated on the Internet and been broadcast on BTV.
Zhou was trying to verify reports that Guo had illegally extended his property on to public green space.
Guo published a blog posting in bitter and sarcastic language early yesterday that Zhou deserved to be beaten up for entering his home without permission, despite footage showing Zhou's colleague had knocked at the door and identified themselves as BTV reporters.
The blog had attracted more than 827,000 hits as of 5pm yesterday and triggered widespread criticism, even from Guo's fans.
An online survey conducted by Sina.com.cn last night showed that 30,647 of the 45,649 respondents, or 67.1 percent, believed Guo should apologize to the reporter for the beating by his apprentice. Just over a quarter of respondents said he should not apologize and the rest were undecided.
'Vulgar and ugly'
State broadcaster China Central Television also criticized Guo in stern terms. Without mentioning him by name, a news presenter said: "Some public figure shouts abuse to support his pupil who beats up people. How vulgar and ugly the public figure's acts are."
The apprentice, Li Guoyong, was detained by Beijing police yesterday for a week for assault and battery and fined 200 yuan (US$29).
Li had been taken on by Guo to learn the traditional Chinese comedy art of "cross-talk."
Guo said Zhou, who was slightly injured, had demanded compensation of 50,000 yuan, a demand he had rejected.
Guo is no stranger to controversy.
In 2007, he featured in an advertisement promoting a fake Tibetan diet tea as a health food.
Guo has also been criticized for calling BTV - which broadcast many of Guo's shows and was a major promoter of Guo's career - "dirty" in the middle of a show on Sunday.
"Guo may have the advantage verbally, but he has crossed the line of civility and morality. When he shows no respect, he also loses respect from the public," a commentary in the Xinhua Daily Telegraph said yesterday.
The commentary went on to say that using the stage to vent one's personal rage is "a very improper behavior."
Similar commentaries were run in other Chinese newspapers.
According to a senior official with BTV who asked to remain anonymous, BTV had been "exercising restraint" over Guo's performance, lest the comedian "take advantage of the incident to gain more fame."
Zhou Wenfu, a BTV reporter, was repeatedly punched on Sunday when attempting to interview Guo's family, according to clips of the beating that have circulated on the Internet and been broadcast on BTV.
Zhou was trying to verify reports that Guo had illegally extended his property on to public green space.
Guo published a blog posting in bitter and sarcastic language early yesterday that Zhou deserved to be beaten up for entering his home without permission, despite footage showing Zhou's colleague had knocked at the door and identified themselves as BTV reporters.
The blog had attracted more than 827,000 hits as of 5pm yesterday and triggered widespread criticism, even from Guo's fans.
An online survey conducted by Sina.com.cn last night showed that 30,647 of the 45,649 respondents, or 67.1 percent, believed Guo should apologize to the reporter for the beating by his apprentice. Just over a quarter of respondents said he should not apologize and the rest were undecided.
'Vulgar and ugly'
State broadcaster China Central Television also criticized Guo in stern terms. Without mentioning him by name, a news presenter said: "Some public figure shouts abuse to support his pupil who beats up people. How vulgar and ugly the public figure's acts are."
The apprentice, Li Guoyong, was detained by Beijing police yesterday for a week for assault and battery and fined 200 yuan (US$29).
Li had been taken on by Guo to learn the traditional Chinese comedy art of "cross-talk."
Guo said Zhou, who was slightly injured, had demanded compensation of 50,000 yuan, a demand he had rejected.
Guo is no stranger to controversy.
In 2007, he featured in an advertisement promoting a fake Tibetan diet tea as a health food.
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