A Chinese comedian walks into a political storm after army joke falls flat

Ad-libbing during a stand-up routine is second nature for a comedian. But when Li Haoshi wandered off script in a Beijing gig last Saturday, it led to a police investigation, millions of dollars in fines and a renewed sense of gloom over free expression in China.

Li, performing under his stage name House, riffed that watching his dogs chasing squirrels reminded him of the People’s Liberation Army motto that has also been cited by President Xi Jinping: “Fight and win, and maintain excellent conduct.”