Rebuke for comedian Papi Jiang stifles creativity

I remember the day I first swore in front of my mother. I can't have been older than 8, and she stood in the kitchen when I shouted, "What's for f-ing dinner?" My legs were stinging when I went to bed that night, and I certainly didn't get any dinner.

Honestly, I felt fairly hard done by. All my friends were using such words, and I'd heard my dad and older brother use them often enough. So why was I getting punished, I thought.

That experience did ultimately change my behavior, though. While it didn't stop me using bad language, it did teach me that using it at the wrong time can land you in a heap of trouble.

But the fact is, these words are out there, and have been for many years. Every language has them, and every adult knows them, even if they choose not to use them.

Yes, for some people, hearing a curse word is the equivalent of nails being dragged down a chalkboard. And yes, there is little use for them in most polite social situations, especially in the presence of children. But they're not illegal.

So I was interested to see the response to the State media regulator's censure of Jiang Yilei, one of China's hottest internet stars, who was told in April to curb the use of "swear words and insulting language" in the short comedy skits she produces under the name Papi Jiang.

Unsurprising, many people came out in support of the official rebuke, including some who rolled out the tired, old reasoning that her behavior is a threat to the innocent minds of our children.

True, minors shouldn't be exposed to such things - but whose job is it to prevent that? I'd argue that it certainly isn't Jiang's.

When I was growing up, and I believe it's still the case today, parents were the ones responsible for what their children consumed, mentally and physically. If you give a child access to a computer or mobile device, you should be responsible for what they see and do.

Fair enough, it's impossible to watch them 24 hours a day, but to demand that Jiang - or any other comedian who writes material for an adult audience - change their content because a child might see it is ludicrous, not least because it discourages creativity and innovation.

Jiang's series of online videos have earned her countless fans, not to mention 12 million yuan ($1.85 million) in angel investment. What this says to me is that she is actually catering to an audience that wants her no-nonsense, bad-mouthed style of comedy.

Also, it may not be a good thing, but most pre-teens - especially those who are like me at that age - will know a plethora of bad words well before they ever hear them on television or online.

To stop that from happening, schools would need to ban students from chatting in the schoolyard. Good luck with that.

craig@chinadaily.com.cn