Deep Dive
Why did the author decide to self-publish part of 'The Chinese Stand-Up Comedy Chronicles'?
The author self-published part of the book because the publisher was concerned about low sales and hesitated to release it. To ensure the book's publication, the author contributed some of the funds, accepting that it would likely result in a financial loss. The decision was driven by a desire to document and preserve the history of Chinese stand-up comedy.
What significant changes have occurred in the Chinese stand-up comedy scene over the past decade?
The Chinese stand-up comedy scene has transformed dramatically from 2009, when the first club 'Takeaway Stand-Up' was founded in Shenzhen, to 2022, when over 200 clubs were active nationwide, hosting over 1,000 commercial shows monthly. Notably, Xiaoguo Culture alone sells 40,000 tickets each month, highlighting the industry's rapid growth and popularity.
Why did the author avoid writing about certain individuals in 'The Chinese Stand-Up Comedy Chronicles'?
The author avoided writing about certain individuals due to concerns over negative reactions or potential legal issues. Some stories were omitted to maintain a positive tone, while others were left out because they involved personal conflicts or were deemed irrelevant to the broader narrative of Chinese stand-up comedy's development.
What role did the national stand-up comedy actors' group play in the industry?
The national stand-up comedy actors' group functioned as an informal guild or online forum where actors could discuss issues like plagiarism or conflicts. It served as a platform for seeking justice or airing grievances within the community, although the author chose not to include detailed stories from this group in the book due to privacy concerns.
What motivated the author to write 'The Chinese Stand-Up Comedy Chronicles'?
The author was motivated to write the book by a desire to document the history and personal experiences within the Chinese stand-up comedy industry over the past decade. The book serves as a record of significant events, relationships, and the evolution of the industry, aiming to preserve these stories for future generations.
Shownotes Transcript
《中国脱口秀演义》这本书讲的是我（洛宾）在中国脱口秀圈里亲身经历的故事：
我从2014年开始在豆瓣阅读上开了一个专栏，取名《中国脱口秀演义》，断断续续地记录我在这个圈子里经历的事情，一直到2023年才算勉强连载完。如果你看过那个专栏，你会发现，这本书里有些故事在那里面出现过，但在这里会写的更客观生动全面。如果你喜欢那个专栏，相信你这本书你也会看得愉快。
我在这个行业十年做过的主要事情，按时间顺序可以用下面几句话概括完，本书的所有故事，都分布在这条时间线里：
2011年，通过豆瓣网认识深圳“外卖脱口秀”俱乐部，并成为会员；
2012年，开始讲脱口秀，五个月后第一次登上商演的舞台；
2013年，与几位演员一起在深圳创办“逗伴脱口秀”俱乐部；
2014年，与程璐和梁海源共同翻译《手把手教你玩脱口秀》；
2015年，和逗伴脱口秀的伙伴一起签约笑果文化，成为笑果的第一批艺人兼编剧；
2016年，逗伴脱口秀10位骨干成员全部迁往上海，7位在笑果，3位在恒顿；
2017年，从笑果辞职，在上海创办木更文化；
2019年，回到深圳，专注音频播客与编剧工作；
2020年，在深圳重新组织脱口秀演出和开放麦，直到现在；
2022年，出版书籍《说的全是梗：你也可以讲脱口秀》
在过去的十多年时间里，中国脱口秀发生了翻天覆地的变化，从2009年全国第一家俱乐部“外卖脱口秀”在深圳成立——那时候全国一个月也没有一场商演，到2022年全国有了超过200家俱乐部，每月过千场商演，光是笑果一家，每个月就能卖4万张门票！这种故事，世界范围内也许只有在中国才能发生。
在从事脱口秀十年的过程中，我认识了很多好朋友，也收获了不少现在“未通过验证”的朋友，其中很多有深度接触的人，我在书里都单独成章地写了我们一起经历的故事，比如和我一起从逗伴脱口秀走出来的几位伙伴；比如几位在中国脱口秀的发展历史中肯定无法绕开的业界名人。还有一些很好的朋友，虽然我和他们的故事无法独立成章，但他们的身影也出现在很多相关的章节里。当然，也有一些虽然有深度接触，但和他们发生的都是些不愉快的故事，那就实在提不起兴趣动笔了。其实，我在这个行业里更多的是一些互相敬重，但相互间的故事略显平淡的朋友，很遗憾无法一一收录到本书中，我希望能把我们之间的故事，写到我的下一本书里。
如果你想大致了解脱口秀在中国的发展，想了解一些现在耳熟能详的脱口秀明星们在成名前的经历，那就开始阅读吧。我把这十几年的历程分成了四个阶段，每阶段从“人物”、“行业”、“节目”和“俱乐部”四个维度讲述中国脱口秀的演义。你可以把这当作一本故事书，脱口秀演员就是story teller——而我，恰巧是一名会讲故事的脱口秀演员。
祝大家阅读（吃瓜）愉快！
