A few days ago, I overheard a fascinating discussion about Chinese and American sense of humor. While many concur that comparing the two are like comparing apples to oranges, there seems to be an amazing convergence, that of the Rust Belt, the Northeastern parts of both countries. They have produced the nations’ most celebrated comedians and helped shape the nation’s sense of humor. In China, the undisputed king of comedy is Zhao Benshan/赵本山 (pictured above with his disciple and sidekick) who has the noble task of entertaining the entire country on CCTV’s Spring Festival gala. He hails from a small town in China’s Rust Belt. Originally a local 二人转/errenzhuan performer ( a local comedy style that features 2 comedians performing), he exploded on the national stage with his comedy rooted in blue-collar and peasant wholesomeness but galvanized by sharp sarcasm directed at inequities in the society, a sentiment widely shared by China’s masses.

More on China’s Rust Belt. It refers to the region once known as Manchuria which now includes the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jiling and Liaoning. These places are marked by vast wilderness and punishing climate. They were also China’s heavy industry hub after the founding of the P.R.C. However, similar to the fate of America’s Rust Belt, China’s Dongbei (meaning Northeast) was in the doldrums in the early 90′s when large state owned firms underwent restructuring, throwing a large portion of the population out of work. However, the courageous people of Dongbei, with “their rustic manners and boisterous camaraderie—washed down with 120-proof grain alcohol—adapted the spirit to the 21st Century with new ways of thinking” (quote from the Nine Nations of China, the Atlantic).  And many of them turned to the grass root 二人转/errenzhuan comedy for inspiration. Song Xiaojun, China’s prominent cultural and military commentator (yes, that’s right) has said that unemployment and 二人转/errenzhuan performances peaked at the same time in Dongbei. His analysis was that comedy helped people get through the harsh times and also offered an idea for entrepreneurial attempts. Many who were blessed with the talent became amateur 二人转/errenzhuan performers, while others opened performance venues, now an important part of the region’s economy and cultural identity.

Would the same happen in America’s Rust Belt?