China investigates top comedian Guo Degang over communist song joke

Guo Degang, one of China’s most influential comedians, has been placed under investigation and had performances cancelled after he improvised his own lyrics to a revolutionary communist song during a Wuhan performance in late July.

He was reported to the city’s Culture and Tourism Bureau over accusations of distorting the classic work and violating public morals. The bureau confirmed the investigation is ongoing, with no timeline for results.

Some of Guo’s later tour dates have since been cancelled, with ticket holders automatically refunded, according to CNN.