Brickbat: Seeing Red
(Lightkeeper/Dreamstime/photomall/Xinhua News Agency/Newscom. Illustration: Fatima Ruiz)
Authorities in China are investigating comedian Guo Degang for changing the lyrics of a famous revolutionary song during a performance in Wuhan. Guo sang "Playing My Beloved Pipa," a song connected to China's revolutionary history, but changed the lyrics to mention Buddha, the Forbidden City, and his "mummy." An audience member complained that Guo had disrespected an important "red" song, and the city's Culture and Tourism Bureau launched an investigation, saying the alterations were not included in the material approved for the show and may have violated rules about public performances.