In late November, Chinese crosstalk actor Guo Degang’s performance of “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” was accused of smearing state-owned artistic troupes, leading to Guo Degang being summoned by the authorities, sparking controversy.
On November 26, Guo Degang and Yu Qian held a special performance at the Beijing Exhibition Center Theatre. During the performance, their crosstalk piece “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” was reported for allegedly using smashing and pun-based gags, some of which were deemed to contain vulgar elements, as well as engaging in acts of what was called “forced consolation” and “anonymous defamation” to smear state-owned artistic troupes.
On December 5, screenshots shared by some self-media showed that the Beijing Xicheng District Cultural Tourism Bureau officially summoned De Yun She, stating that Guo Degang and Yu Qian’s crosstalk performance of “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” at the theater contained vulgar content and inappropriate allusions to state-owned troupes, demanding immediate rectification.
This incident immediately drew attention on the internet.
Netizens remarked, “Many times, it’s not the issue with the thing itself, but with our mindset. When your mind is dirty, everything beautiful you see becomes filthy… In the development of crosstalk, satire has always played a major role. Traditional crosstalk ridicules and criticizes to reflect social issues, which is one of the reasons why the common people appreciate it.”
“So low-key and still summoned, feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve seen anyone from De Yun She.” “This just proves that Lao Guo’s words are true, there are indeed people taking notes and reporting while listening to crosstalk.” “It’s all pieced together from old jokes, why report it now?”
“In the future, it will be difficult to listen to anything natural, as one misstep could cross the line. Let’s sing praises for this awesome era, shall we, brothers? We’ve pushed things to the extreme for our own ‘good’.” “Is alluding not allowed now?” “Sure enough, (Cultural Revolution) 2.0 has begun, why did our generation have to encounter this?”
“Haven’t heard of De Yun She’s crosstalk before, I’ll check it out.” “Wasn’t going to watch it before, but now I’m curious.”
In the sports field, self-media figure “An Hai Ke” wrote that as 2025 approaches its end, Beijing De Yun She is also experiencing mixed emotions. The upcoming Ganshi Festival brings anticipation to De Yun She’s fans, creating hopeful expectations. However, being summoned by the Cultural Tourism Bureau afterward has left many feeling disheartened.
It is reported that the summon by the Cultural Tourism Department this time was mainly related to a report about “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” being submitted to the relevant management authorities, leading to the subsequent summon. From a pure artistic perspective, “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” is a witty and humorous crosstalk piece, indicating that the author must have put in considerable effort.
The article mentioned that after listening to the crosstalk piece “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice,” one cannot help but admire the creativity of the creators. This work is so close to reality. Listening to “Artistic Mastery, Cowardice” is like hearing a new version of “Menu Reporting” in crosstalk because the dish names in this crosstalk piece are truly unheard and unseen before.