Chapter 883: A textbook crosstalk routine!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
There was a continuous wave of applause and cheers!
At the venue of Beijing Television’s Spring Festival Gala, the audience was extremely pumped up!
“How can there be such a great crosstalk routine!”
“So crosstalk can even be done in this way!”
“Zhang Ye!”
“Zhang Ye!”
“Zhang Ye!”
“Zhang Ye!”
There were already people in the audience starting to shout Zhang Ye’s name!
Many of them could no longer control their emotions as a sense of admiration erupted!
There was even a staff member from the production team who secretly took out their phone to call home.
“…Mom.”
“Ah, son? Aren’t you busy at the Spring Festival Gala?”
“Mhm.”
“Hurry up and get back to work then. Why are you calling me at this time?”
“I-I’ve missed you guys.”
“Hur hur, we miss you too. It’s fine at home. Your dad and I are doing fine. We understand that you’re busy with work. Besides, it’s not like this is the first time you couldn’t make it home for the new year, right? It’s alright.”
“I’ll book a ticket home tomorrow!”
His mother was stunned. “Ah? What did you say?”
He wiped away his tears and said firmly, “Don’t worry. This new year…I will definitely spend it at home with you guys!”
“That’s great! That’s really great! I’ll let your dad know! I’ll let your dad know!” His mother choked on her words and also started crying!
A Spring Festival Gala’s live broadcast usually had a seamless continuation between performances without needing the performers to fully exit the stage. They simply cut to the cameras showing the hosts taking over or moved directly to the next performance. Yet at this moment, the production team was unable to do so. As the applause was too overpowering and everyone was standing up and even cheering, if they cut straight to the next shot, the lively atmosphere would suddenly become too quiet. That would be too sudden a change in pace and mood, so they had no choice but to wait until the right time!
They had never encountered such a situation before!
This was something that had never happened at any of the other Spring Festival Galas!
However, the Beijing Television Spring Festival Gala production team did not have any complaints. This was because they knew that the audience was not purposely trying to disrupt the broadcast, but rather their behavior stemmed from the fact that the crosstalk routine was so marvelous!
Applause!
Applause resounded!
On the other stage that was already set up, a magician could only force a smile. His magic show was lined up for the next performance, but at this moment, he felt extremely helpless.
Your sister! Why did I end up going after him?
With the emotions of the audience now, how can I still perform? Who would still care to watch a magic act?
…
On Weibo, there was an explosion of comments!
The netizens came online in a mad dash!
“Fuck! Fuck!”
“Quick, watch Beijing TV!”
“It’s too awesome! It’s just too awesome!”
“Zhang Ye is super charismatic! I love him to death!”
“That was really fucking awesome!”
“I cried!”
“I cried too, how numbing!”
“Even this old bro here has shed a few tears! That song really hit me in the feels!”
“I’m…suddenly missing my mother a lot!”
“At the start, I was laughing until I had stomach cramps. When it ended, tears were streaming down my face. Letting us laugh before making us cry, this is the first time I’ve heard a crosstalk like that! This is truly the first time that something like this has happened!”
“That song came on without any warning. At the beginning, Zhang Ye kept relating about his wondrous job seeking experiences. He shared how difficult it was to find a job in Beijing, and when he found one, he talked about how stressful work was. Then he touched on Beijing’s expensive housing prices and how the so-called ‘experts’ could not be believed. He also shared how jobs were unstable along with other topics. Everything that he mentioned wasn’t great, and when everyone thought that his singing would be a joke like everything else before, he suddenly hit us with a song like that! That ‘I’m in Beijing, it’s pretty good’ really made me tear up! How much bitterness and tough experiences were contained with the phrase ‘it’s pretty good”? Who could know!”
“This is what you call resonance with your audience! God damn! I really love Zhang Ye!”
“This song composed by Zhang Ye was basically a song about himself! He wasn’t performing but just singing it for his parents! He wants to tell them that everything is great!”
“Teacher Zhang has sung what we all wish to say!”
“How touching!”
“Who still dares to claim that Teacher Zhang does not know how to do a gala crosstalk?”
“Who? Step forward!”
“The other provincial stations’ Spring Festival Galas now pale in comparison!”
“Yeah, which other gala crosstalk can be compared to Zhang Ye’s ‘Everything is Great’? They’re way off! They can’t even be mentioned in the same breath!”
“I’ve been working away from home in a first-tier city for over a decade now. Through the years, I’ve gone through all kinds of suffering and done all sorts of jobs, but I’ve never once wept. However, today, Zhang Ye’s crosstalk has made me cry! Thank you, Zhang Ye. No matter what others think of you, no matter how many people hate and dislike you, you’re still the one who excels and stands out in the arts! Your position in the entertainment circle can never be replaced by anyone! This is the first time I’ve come across a celebrity like you. You’re amazing! Truly! You’re amazing!”
“Teacher Zhang, there are people who like you!”
“You still have us!”
“Right, there’s still us!”
“Rain or shine, we’re by your side!”
“Rain or shine, we’re by your side!”
“Rain or shine, we’re by your side!”
Some of Zhang Ye’s fans were even crying as they typed out those words!
There were positive cheers online!
Praise was going around!
Perhaps not even praise was enough to describe all that was going on!
…
At present, the crosstalk world was silent.
As Zhang Ye’s old rival, the crosstalk world had been at war with Zhang Ye for a very long time now. They’d gotten into far too many conflicts and had practically not won a single one of them. But even so, even though they were slightly prepared for this outcome, they could not have expected that Zhang Ye would beat them so convincingly this time!
There were no faults with the crosstalk routine this time!
Crude?
He did not even use one-liners like “I am your father” or “your wife is my wife”!
Vulgar?
The entire crosstalk had satirically pointed out many uncivilized behaviors in society!
Tasteless?
That last twist of a song was something that the crosstalk world had never done or attempted as well as Zhang Ye had!
This was a textbook crosstalk routine!
When several younger crosstalk comedians who had always disliked Zhang Ye heard that song, they did not say anything more as they felt that they had lost. That foundation displayed in the speed recital, that talent exhibited through all those exciting bits, and that final song that made the entire audience cry. Other than Zhang Ye, there seemingly wasn’t another who could do it as well as he did! Even though they insulted him from the sidelines, they couldn’t help but admit that this person was…far too formidable!
Tang Dazhang, who was at home with his wife, said to her, “Change the channel.”
His wife carefully ran her eyes over him and said, “OK.”
On this night, after this crosstalk, the crosstalk world turned especially quiet.
…
Similarly quiet were the staff of Central TV’s Spring Festival Gala.
An assistant director said while watching Beijing Television, “This…”
Xu Yipeng’s expression had changed too!
And those who had previously scolded Zhang Ye on Weibo and questioned the mismatch between the content and title of the crosstalk were speechless. They did not know what else they could say anymore!
How could this be?
How did Zhang Ye manage to create such a crosstalk routine?!
Those who were itching to throw insults back at Zhang Ye’s crosstalk were all silenced!
Even the executive director of Central TV’s Spring Festival Gala and the Central TV executives were lost in thought. They were forced to admit that Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai’s “Everything is Great” was truly a once-in-a-lifetime routine! They couldn’t help but think of how if they had invited Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai to appear on Central TV’s Spring Festival Gala, then they probably wouldn’t have invited so much ridicule had this crosstalk performance gotten broadcast on their Central TV’s Spring Festival Gala stage instead.
But that was just a passing thought.
With Central TV and Zhang Ye’s current relationship, that was clearly impossible!
…
Beijing Television.
After leaving the stage, Zhang Ye saw Chang Xiaoliang waiting for him with the assistant directors of the production team quite a distance away. They were probably waiting for him on purpose.
“Director Chang.” Zhang Ye smiled as he greeted him.
Chang Xiaoliang said rather excitedly, “I kept wondering to myself just then about how it would turn out!”
Yao Jiancai laughed. “Surely it’s not that suspenseful. Little Zhang and I are both professionals and would only ask to change the content if we were sure of it.”
Chang Xiaoliang shook his head and said, “It’s not that. What I was wondering about was what if I had not approved of adding this song segment and stuck to the previous plan, how different it would have turned out. It should still be good, but it would definitely not be as shocking as now! Both of you are amazing! Legendary! Truly legendary!”
The assistant director in charge of the narration also said in a convinced manner, “With tonight’s performance, the two of you will surely take the highest spot in the crosstalk world now!”
Zhang Ye quickly waved it off. “Please don’t say that.”
Yao Jiancai agreed, “Right, we don’t deserve that.”
Chang Xiaoliang asked, “A lot of people are asking: What’s the song’s title?”
Zhang Ye replied, “Hur hur, it’s called ‘A Letter to Home.'”[1.]
This was an old song by Li Chunbo, a master of ballads from his previous world.
“Inviting you and Teacher Yao to our Spring Festival Gala this time,” Chang Xiaoliang said with a sigh, “Could be the most correct decision that we’ve made in all these years! Thank you! You both have worked hard!”
Zhang Ye waved it off and smiled. “Come on, it’s not that exaggerated, Director Chang. You only invited us because you saw something in us. Since I promised to appear on the Gala, then I’d definitely do my best to put on the greatest show. This is how I’ve always done things. As long as I’ve promised, I’ll do it to the best of my abilities!”
Yao Jiancai also smiled and said, “In our line of work, putting on a show is more important than anything, so it’s really nothing at all.”
Chang Xiaoliang replied, “Alright, I need to get back to work. Why don’t you two rest backstage. Oh right, go online and have a look too, haha.”
That assistant director also said happily, “It’s total chaos online!”
…
Backstage.
In the waiting room.
Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai had just come back. When they took out their cell phones and went online to have a look, they were shocked. They did not expect everyone to be so supportive as well as crazy and passionate over their crosstalk!
“Ahhh!”
“I’m not gonna watch the other channels anymore!”
“The crosstalk and skit routines on the other provincial channels aren’t even worth watching! They’re too boring!”
“I’ll just stick to watching Beijing TV’s Spring Festival Gala!”
“I’ve never heard a better crosstalk than that in my life!”
“Zhang Ye, I have decided that I will be your brain-dead fan for life from now on!”
“Teacher Yao, you’re so cool!”
“I recorded that song earlier. I just listened to it again and started crying again!”
“Thank you, Zhang Ye. I’ve decided that no matter what happens this Spring Festival, even if the sky should fall, I’ll definitely rush home to have a reunion dinner with my parents!”
Yao Jiancai was very happy and satisfied. “The audience are recognizing our work.”
Zhang Ye breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to calm his mind. “That’s good. This is the first time I’ve done a crosstalk like that. I wasn’t too sure how it would turn out.”
“You weren’t sure? Oh, come on!” Yao Jiancai laughed and said, “To change half the agreed content of the crosstalk an hour before the live broadcast, adding in jokes, creating a melody and song, then, without any rehearsal or time to do a quick run-through of our lines, you still had the courage to go on stage for the live broadcast! I must take my hat off to that courage of yours! In the entire crosstalk world, the entire literary circle, and entertainment industry, who else besides you would dare to do something like that? If you can find me another person like that, I will kneel to you! This was a truly frightening experience for me today!”
Zhang Ye flattered, “Didn’t I make it through the routine because of you, Teacher Yao? Without you as my partner, if I were to work with anyone else on this? I wouldn’t have dared to take such a risk either!”
Yao Jiancai laughed. “I like what you’re saying!”
Zhang Ye said, “You mean you’re taking me seriously?”
“Ah? You mean you’re not?” Yao Jiancai saw red.
