Stand-up comedians can often use a variety of witty and humorous passages to make people lean forward and backward, so that the audience can forget their troubles for a while.
However, this does not mean that the passages used for amusement can be taboo.
Recently, an American comedian made headlines for insulting China.
American talk show actor Shane Gillis. Image from the web
Using racial discrimination as a "terrier" = broadening the boundaries of the performance?
The man, Shane Gillis, had just joined the famous comedy show Saturday Night Live about a week ago.
However, Gillis's joy did not last long, and a few hours later a video spread on the Internet, exposing Gillis's disgraceful past.
In the video, Gillis and a partner host a so-called hilarious radio talk show. The two ridicule Chinese culture and ethnic Chinese, which is mixed with discriminatory language and foul language against Ethnic Chinese, which is shocking.
Screenshot of Shane Gillis show video. Image from the web
"What a rotten place Chinatown is, let the Chinese go and live there, but can you throw away all the ducks in the window?" Gillis said on the show.
This unfunny line exposes Gillis's racist views. As soon as the video was released, it caused an uproar. Public opinion in the United States condemned it one after another.
However, Instead of showing sincere apologies, Gillis made excuses. He claimed in a statement that he was a comedian who was used to "widening boundaries" and was willing to apologize if "someone was offended."
Netizens questioned Gillis's remarks, saying: "Using racial discrimination is not widening the boundaries. It's trying to go backwards and solidify boundaries, like 150 years ago. ”
Netizens questioned Gillis's remarks, saying: "Joking about the way other people talk is not widening the boundaries. ”
The statement was immediately questioned by many netizens, saying that his behavior was not "widening the borders" at all, but naked racial discrimination.
A netizen named Dangko Ramon said that he is also a comedian, but he will never use discriminatory language as a so-called joke, let alone glorify discrimination.
Chinese U.S. presidential candidate Yang Anze responded on social media that he had been hurt by the discriminatory language he had often heard from Gillis before.
Andrew Yang, a Chinese-American presidential candidate, was interviewed by the media. Image from the web.
"I've tried many times to widen the boundaries and often tell bad jokes that aren't funny, but not once have I used stereotypes about a race and discriminatory language for no reason as a 'stem.'" Yang Anze said.
Immediately after, more and more black material about Gillis was pulled out. In Gillis' hometown, at least two comedy clubs in Gillis' hometown have terminated contracts with him for repeatedly using "racially discriminatory, female-hating, and alien-hating language, according to the New York Times."
Faced with tremendous pressure from public opinion, the Saturday Night Live column group issued a statement admitting that it had not fulfilled its obligation to conduct background checks on the actors and terminated its contract with Gillis.
There are also good role models among American comedians
Trevor Noah, a comedian from South Africa, is a television and radio show host. His late-night American political spit show "Triwa Daily Show" was well received.
Video screenshot of Trevor Noah's show.
This year, he complained in the program that the United States used national power to suppress the Chinese company Huawei, with objective and fair views and countless fans.
The same is a talk show star, the acting skills may have different levels, but some people choose to work hard and continue to shine, and some people use depreciation and insults to "personality".
Standing at the same starting point, how long each actor's road really depends on their pattern.