The Colbert Report and 3 Other Productions Blatantly Copied in China

Interestingly, Chinese internet users, fed up with widespread plagiarism in China, were often the first ones to point out the ripped off content.
The Colbert Report and 3 Other Productions Blatantly Copied in China
This Sept. 8, 2010 publicity photo released by Comedy Central shows host Stephen Colbert on "The Colbert Report," in New York. AP Photo/Comedy Central, Scott Gries
Irene Luo
Updated:

China hasn’t only created knockoff versions of iPhones and Coach bags. They’ve also stolen ideas from popular TV shows and films to create substandard rip-offs riding on the success of their American counterparts. 

A week ago, the Copyright Society of China admitted that plagiarism, unauthorized broadcasting, and other forms of copyright theft frequently occur in China’s film and TV industries, according to Xinhua, a state-run newspaper.

Interestingly, Chinese internet users, fed up with widespread plagiarism in China, were often the first ones to point out the ripped off content. Some people blame the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television—though quick to censor anything “dangerous” or “subversive,” they do little to combat proliferant copyright theft in China.

1. A Colbert Report Knockoff

In January 2014, The Banquet, a Chinese show broadcasted by Ningxia Satellite TV, was found to have plagiarized the popular American late-night talk show, the Colbert Report. The opening theme song and video footage were almost identical.

Courtesy of Sina Weibo, here are some side-by-side video snapshot comparisons of the two openings.

A comparison of The Banquet's introduction (left) and The Colbert Report's introduction (right). (Xu Mengge/Sina Weibo)
A comparison of The Banquet's introduction (left) and The Colbert Report's introduction (right). Xu Mengge/Sina Weibo

Irene Luo
Irene Luo
Author
Irene is the assistant producer for American Thought Leaders. She previously interned for the China News team at the Epoch Times. She is a graduate of Columbia University with a degree in Political Science and East Asian Languages and Cultures.
Related Topics