# Who is the President of China? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 21, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057 "2005-11-21T08:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/1 "2005-11-21T08:47:52Z")
Anybody else who can’t help but giggle when listening to the coverage of Bush’s visit to China? **Bud:** They say President Bush is meeting with the President of China. **Lou:** Who? **Bud:** That’s right. The two leaders are meeting. **Lou:** That’s what I’m asking. Who is the President of China? **Bud:** Yes he is. **Lou:** Who is? **Bud:** Yes. **Lou:** The President of China? **Bud:** He’s meeting with President Bush. **Lou:** Who is meeting with President Bush? **Bud:** Yes, the two leaders are talking. **Lou:** O.K. The Chinese people, they have a President? **Bud:** Yes, that’s what I’m saying. **Lou:** And they had an election? **Bud:** Yes. **Lou:** Who won the election? **Bud:** And now he’s President. **Lou:** Who is President? **Bud:** Exactly. **Lou:** Listen, I want you to tell me the name of the President of China. **Bud:** Hu. **Lou:** The leader of the Chinese people. **Bud:** Hu. **Lou:** The Chinese President. **Bud:** Hu. He was elected three years ago. **Lou:** I’m not asking you when! **Bud:** No, Wen is the Premier. That’s a different office. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/2 "2005-11-21T13:18:03Z")
My father-in-law and I went through this same routine when Hu ascended to the presidency. The reason I think it’s funny is because my f-i-l was born in China, and lived there his first 20 years. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/3 "2005-11-21T13:25:14Z")
Long before Hu was president of China, he was still an important official, and Johnny Carson did a routine on **The Tonight Show** very much like you describe, using “Yassir/Yes Sir”, (James) “Watt/What”, and others. It was wonderfully hilarious. This must’ve been about 1982 or so. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/4 "2005-11-21T13:50:53Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Long before Hu was president of China, he was still an important official, and Johnny Carson did a routine on **The Tonight Show** very much like you describe, using “Yassir/Yes Sir”, (James) “Watt/What”, and others. It was wonderfully hilarious. This must’ve been about 1982 or so. That was a wonderful skit. My favorite line: Mr. President, Hu is on the phone. (Followed by puzzled look by Reagan) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/5 "2005-11-21T13:55:55Z")
And don’t forget the Animaniacs sketch where Slappy and Skippy Squirrel go to Woodstock to hear Who, Guess Who, and Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/6 "2005-11-21T17:02:03Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Long before Hu was president of China, he was still an important official, and Johnny Carson did a routine on **The Tonight Show** very much like you describe, using “Yassir/Yes Sir”, (James) “Watt/What”, and others. It was wonderfully hilarious. This must’ve been about 1982 or so. Ah, but that was Hu Yaobang, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1981 to 1987–not to be confused with Hu Jintao, the current President. Leading one to ask: Which Hu? Hu Who? and Wen was it? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/7 "2005-11-22T00:26:15Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And don’t forget the Animaniacs sketch where Slappy and Skippy Squirrel go to Woodstock to hear Who, Guess Who, and Yes. They DID??? That’s a direct cover of the skit by the Credibility Gap, starring Harry Shearer (Spinal Tap, The Simpsons) and David Lander (Squiggy). I used to hear this on the radio in the 80s. I assume that the Animaniacs just paid for the script. You can hear it here: [http://www.harryshearer.com/clips/who.ram](http://www.harryshearer.com/clips/who.ram) ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/8 "2005-11-22T00:29:48Z")
Ok, in the CG didn’t go to Woodstock, but it’s a pretty direct steal no matter how you spin it. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/9 "2005-11-22T00:29:59Z")
Ok, the CG didn’t go to Woodstock, but it’s a pretty direct steal no matter how you spin it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/10 "2005-11-22T21:03:13Z")
Very funny, **Bienville** , except that they didn’t have an “election” as such - more of a Communist Party coronation following much backroom dealing. The People’s Republic is no democracy. Now, Hu did you say is President again? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/11 "2005-11-22T21:05:20Z")
When did General Tso step down? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-president-of-china/332057/12 "2005-11-22T21:08:11Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > When did General Tso step down? When his chicken died of avian influenza.