In the Spring Festival of 2024, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala will once again become the focus of attention of people across the country. According to CCTV News, the ratings of this year's Spring Festival Gala reached 295%, with a market share of 73%, the highest in nearly six years. However, such achievements are not the credit of language programs, but the wonderful performance of singing and dancing programs and branch programs.
In contrast, the traditional highlight of the Spring Festival Gala is disappointing, not only has no laughs, but also is full of advertisements and bad stalks, which has aroused complaints and questions from netizens. Why are cross talk sketches getting less and less funny? Is it a change of time or a degradation of aesthetics? This article will analyze the following aspects.
1. The cross talk sketch lacks innovation and breakthroughs
As a major feature of the Spring Festival Gala, cross talk sketches have always attracted the audience's love with their humorous and satirical style. From the older generation of comedy masters such as Zhao Benshan, Song Dandan, and Feng Gong, to the new generation of comedy stars such as Shen Teng, Ma Li, and Yue Yunpeng, cross talk sketches have given birth to countless classic works and triggered countless laughter.
However, in recent years, cross talk sketches have fallen into a creative dilemma, lacking innovation and breakthroughs, reusing clichéd themes, bridges and jokes, and even borrowing hot events and Internet buzzwords to win attention, but the effect is counterproductive, making people feel bored and embarrassed. For example, this year's cross talk sketches "The Director's "Heart" and "I Want to Be Different" were criticized by netizens as "boring", "boring", "no stalk", "no product", etc., and were considered "the worst cross talk sketches in the history of the Spring Festival Gala".
2. Crosstalk sketches are subject to censorship and restrictions
Another problem with cross talk sketches is that they are affected by censorship and restrictions, resulting in too bland and conservative content, and losing the edge of satire and criticism. It is reported that the language programs of the Spring Festival Gala will go through multiple rounds of review and revision, and may even be temporarily adjusted or canceled during the rehearsal and live broadcast. Such a system makes it difficult for the creators and actors of cross talk sketches to have enough freedom and space, and they can only create and perform within the prescribed range, and it is difficult to show their true personality and style.
Moreover, the standards of censorship and restriction are not static, and sometimes they become more strict and harsh due to some unexpected events or sensitive topics, which catches the creators and actors of cross talk sketches off guard, and even affects the quality and effect of the show. For example, this year's cross talk sketch "Our Family Has Visitor" was considered to be suspected of regional discrimination because it involved the comparison between the Northeast dialect and the Southern dialect, and was boycotted and ** by netizens.
3. Cross talk sketches are facing changes in the audience's aesthetics and preferences
The cross talk sketch also faces changes in the audience's aesthetics and preferences, resulting in the original jokes and stalks no longer being popular, and even causing disgust and boredom. With the progress and development of society, the cultural literacy and aesthetic level of the audience are also constantly improving, and the requirements and expectations for cross talk sketches are getting higher and higher.
Moreover, the audience's preferences are also constantly changing, with the rise of the Internet and the new **, the audience has more choices and channels, and can ** various types and styles of comedy programs, no longer limited to the cross talk sketches of the Spring Festival Gala. Such changes make cross talk sketches face greater competition and challenges, and if they can't keep up with the pace of the times, it will be difficult to attract and retain the audience's attention and interest.
Summary
To sum up, cross talk sketches are getting less and less funny, is it a change of the times or a degradation of aesthetics? The obvious answer is that times have changed. As a comedy art form, if cross talk sketches want to shine on a big stage like the Spring Festival Gala, they must continue to innovate and break through, adapt to the audience's aesthetics and preferences, and reflect the spirit and style of the times, rather than stagnation and immerse themselves in the glory of the past.
The cross talk sketch is not funny, not because the cross talk sketch itself has no value and significance, but because the creators and actors of the cross talk sketch have not kept up with the pace of the times and have not brought new surprises and touches to the audience. If the cross talk sketch wants to return to the peak of the Spring Festival Gala, it is necessary to find its soul and charm, and use the real art of comedy to move the hearts of the audience.