乔恩•斯图尔特式幽默在大陆受热捧

    Humor may not always translate well, but Jon Stewart is picking up millions of fans in China, where his political satire* is refreshing for many in a country where such criticism is a rarity.

    A recent segment on North Korea scored over 4 million views on Sina Weibo, and even stodgy State broadcaster CCTV has used Stewart’s “The Daily Show” in a report.

    CCTV even used one of his sequences on Guantanamo Bay* to criticize Obama in a regular broadcast — a move widely derided* by netizens.

    Though the exact timing of Stewart’s entrance to China is unclear, many have been watching him for four or five years, mainly through the Internet and Weibo.

    Part of Stewart’s popularity is that he seems cool to young people in love with all things foreign, but a thirst for satire that is not afraid to show its face contributes too, said David Moses who studies and writes about Chinese humor.

    “That’s just shooting a finger at the government. But this is full-fledged* jokes and routines about North Korea or about China and trade...It’s just what they wish they could do here,” Moses said.

    Free translations into Chinese by Stewart’s fans have boosted his popularity. In fact, one — known as Gu Da Bai Hua — now even has his own fan base.

    China’s thirst for foreign satire is so great that Stewart is not the only popular U.S. comic. Some Chinese say they prefer rival television satirist Stephen Colbert — although humor may not be the only issue at stake.

    “I think I like Stephen Colbert’s pronunciation more because it’s much clearer for me,” said Shanghai student Peng Cheng.(SD-Agencies)