Stand-up comedy hits new heights

Early origins

The origins of stand-up comedy can be traced to England during the 18th century, but with the emergence of radio, it flourished in the United States in the 20th century.

However, the genre lacked audience participation and was only performed by those wanting to express their views. Since the mid-1930s, many new forms of stand-up have appeared, audiences now play their part in performances, and the topics used for material focus widely on social issues.

Since the 1980s, stand-up comedy shows have accounted for 40 percent of the television programs in the US, chronicling significant changes in culture and society, with content focusing on political, economic, cultural and social development.

In China, stand-up comedy began with a TV variety program broadcast in 2012-the '80s Talkshow－which centered on the lives of young people and mirrored those of their counterparts in the US.

A leading domestic stand-up comedy enterprise, Shanghai Xiaoguo Culture Media Co, was established in 2014. The company's co-founder Li Ruichao, also known as Li Dan, was a scriptwriter for the '80s Talkshow.

In his book, Li Dan's Stand-up Comedy Manual, he writes that when he received a fee of more than 7,000 yuan as a scriptwriter for the '80s Talkshow for the first time, he thought, "If this show can make money, I may not starve for the rest of my life."

Li also states in the book: "There used to be no stand-up comedy scriptwriters in China. But the team for the '80s Talkshow set a standard fee for a script. Since then, many of our friends have been recruited by the company. Gradually, it has created positions that were not available in China before, such as stand-up comedy actor, content director, theater manager and research institute director."