Chinese stand-up comedy reveals she-humor

In recent years, the Chinese stand-up comedy has gained bulks of fans by using brilliant language to cover everyday topics. Focusing on the drift of city life, generation gap, marriage, workplace, and gender issues, the comedy has elicited resonance from the audience.

Industry data reveals the number of female actors increased by nearly 40% from the fourth season to the fifth of the stand-up variety show Rock&Roast in 2022. More women of all ages, identities, and characters are willing to pursue stand-up comedy as a means of self-expression.

According to Fun Factory, a content-driven comedy industry company based in Shanghai, women make up more than 50% in the 2022 Comedian Pro camp (a training program for comedian beginners), a 32% increase from three years ago.

Besides, more than 70% of backstage workers in stand-up comedies are women who have stepped into this emerging industry.
Furthermore, the China Stand-up Comedy Market Analysis Report 2022 suggests that female audiences also outnumber males. Among female viewers, over 60% of them are from first-tier cities, 70% viewers are between the ages of 18 and 24, and 70% have bachelor's degrees or higher.

All of these reflect the modern preferences of Chinese women, who want to push themselves beyond comfort zones, express their individuality, and pursue their dreams.

Source: The Paper; trans-editing by Guo Yao