Political In Between: Streaming Stand-Up Comedy and Feminist Reckoning in Contemporary Mainland China

Abstract

China’s strict censorship not only depoliticizes stand-up comedy but creates obstacles for feminist activities. With an experimental approach that compares comedy shows online and offline, this paper asks in which ways comedy and feminism can gesture the political critique and resistance around public culture. Based on seven-month participant observation in comedy clubs in mainland China, I analyze comments and criticism toward women stand-up comedians and offer textual analyses of comedians’ performances in a popular online variety show, Roast & Rock. Beginning with an issue that a woman professional comedian’s performances received laughter and applause offline but criticisms online, I reveal the twisted joking and laughing relationships in women’s stand-up comedy and in turn argue that the debates over “what is the proper women’s voice in public culture,” or what I call feminist reckoning, have become politicized feminist expression that is performed and embodied in-between online streaming and live club comedies. Revealing the (re)politicization of stand-up comedy, I envision possibilities that make feminist media practices visible in mainland China’s public culture.