The world is one giant clown show (世界是一个巨大的草台班子). It’s a poetic way of putting it that no one really knows what on earth they’re doing, that we’re all just making it up as we go along. It’s also a defining phrase of Chinese internet life, one that pokes cynical fun at institutions and bosses, and one that’s been given a new spin by Rednote in collaboration with famed Chinese author Yu Hua. The partnership sets out to answer the question what is a clown show?
An answer and the reason why
The answer, according to Rednote, might well be its creators. Or that’s how the campaign film would have you understand it. But the term isn’t meant in the pejorative. A 16-year-old documentary filmmaker, a delivery rider and poet, and a DIY inventor – all successful Rednote creators – are highlighted in a short feature that ties neatly into the platform’s RED New Generation Creator Awards (RED 新生代创作盛典).
These awards are for those who built audiences without traditional recourses or a professional background. As we’ll see below, Yu Hua makes a good spokesperson for this crowd, but first, some numbers for context.
Rednote has been investing heavily in long-form video and creator development. It offered massive traffic support and creator funding through the RED competition, while revealing that more than 42 million users are now creating medium- and long-form video content on the platform.
Users spend nearly 100 million daily viewing sessions watching longer videos. Notably, watch time on videos longer than two minutes has grown 43% year-on-year. None of this is flashy, highly produced content. True to Rednote’s brand – and the question this film sets out to answer – it’s grassroots and authentic.
A touch of controversy
Not everyone agrees with the celebration of the clown show. Screenwriter Yu Zheng publicly pushed back, arguing that there are only good works and bad works, not ‘clown show’ works.
His argument went on to damn the campaign, saying it celebrates and romanticises amateurism. To stick the point home, he added that the audience judge output on results, not intention.
Really, it’s a condemnation that falls short. What Rednote is doing here is celebrating those who take the first step. We’re often put off starting something because we don’t want to make a fool of ourselves, but we’re all going to be amateurs when we start out. The point of the campaign isn’t to stay amateur forever, but to not let inexperience prevent you from getting started.
Yu Hua is a face that aligns tightly with this message. The author fell into writing. This was mainly because – in his own admission – he didn’t want to become a dentist. His voice is well and truly in camp.
Why this internet phrase matters
What Rednote have done here boils down to several things. The obvious, and least brilliant, is that they’ve tacked themselves onto a hot net-native trend. It gets smart with the celebration of their clown show.
While competing platforms increasingly reward professionalisation, Rednote has built its identity around creators who are still figuring things out. The teenage filmmaker, delivery rider-poet and self-taught inventor featured in the campaign represent an ideal, almost archetypal Rednote creator – a figure for new, aspiring creators to rally around.
By claiming the clown show as their own, Rednote turns a popular internet phrase into a creator philosophy. It comes with a nice endorsement: you don’t need perfect credentials, equipment or expertise to begin. Start now and work it out along the way.
