Gao Xiaosong, the most critical judge on 'China's Got Talent', sounds off

Since its launch on July 25, "China’s Got Talent" -- the newest member of the Got Talent franchise -- has been making waves in Shanghai and across China for its contestants as well is its celebrity panel of judges. Dozens of contestants from around the country have demonstrated awe-inspiring and sometimes slightly freakish talents in each episode. More than half a billion viewers are glued to the TV every week, giving the program the number one TV slot in Shanghai and making it one of the three most popular shows nationwide. 

It's not only the contestants that are making people talk though. The judges, from the affable Shanghai native Zhou Libo to the critical -- to say the least -- Gao Xiaosong, are bringing in viewers on their own. 

Gao, regarded as the godfather of China’s contemporary folk music and the most outspoken judge on the three-person panel (the other two judges being comedian Zhou Libo and Taiwanese singer/actress/novelist Yineng Jing), chats about what real talent is in China, and why the original British version of the show just can't keep up with the Chinese one. 

CNNGo: Are you a good judge? 

Gao Xiaosong: Honestly, I have no idea. I think the bosses in Dragon TV have a better idea of what makes a good judge. Of course, I give myself some criteria, but one thing I'm not able to do is to be as good-looking as Simon Cowell.

China is a huge place. People are practicing all kinds of weird skills all over the country. You don’t know what to expect next.-- Gao Xiaosong, judge of China's Got Talent

CNNGo: How did "China’s Got Talent" find you? 

Gao Xiaosong: I’ve always had a good relationship with [the program's importer] Dragon TV and one day I got a call from someone there saying they were planning on a Got Talent show in China. They asked if I would like to be one of the judges. I thought it might be an interesting gig to take since I was already in Shanghai to shoot my new film "Da Wu Sheng." Besides, I thought it might be able to get me some moonlight opportunities in local bars and clubs [laugh]. So I said "Yes."

CNNGo: What would your talent be if you were a contestant?

Gao Xiaosong: I think I would perform stand-up comedy. I’d either do it alone or find a friend to come with me.

(Yineng, who is known to be the most sympathetic judge, pops her head over and says her talent would be weeping.)

CNNGo: Would your act would beat Zhou Libo or Yineng Jing if you were to compete against each other?

Gao Xiaosong: I think my stand-up comedy would beat Yineng Jing, as for Zhou Libo, I can't be sure of that one.

CNNGo: So what is real Chinese talent?

Gao Xiaosong: Real Chinese talent comes from a person who knows how to use his/her skills to produce content. In Chinese, that person needs to have both yi and shu [yi shu is the Chinese for "art"] -- with yi meaning how to perform and shu meaning what to perform. Contestant needs to show his/her value to the world. For example, if an amateur can bring my attention to his/her performance and make it professional, that’s a talent. The same rules apply to a professional. If a professional performs his/her trade but lacks a point or there's little character behind the content, it fails to be a talent.

CNNGo: What’s the biggest difference between "China’s Got Talent" and all the other reality TV shows in China?

Gao Xiaosong: Our director doesn’t and is not able to design or manipulate any contents of this show, which is not common in China’s reality TV show industry.

CNNGo: How is the show different from the original version of "Britain’s Got Talent?"

Gao Xiaosong: China is a huge place. People are practicing all kinds of weird skills all over the country. You don’t know what to expect next. The breadth of what we see on the show would never happen in Britain. 

CNNGo: You also served as the judge for another reality TV show "Super Girl." How would you compare these two programs?

Gao Xiaosong: Although I wasn’t a judge on "Super Girl" until the final show, I had a good time when on it. That said, "China’s Got Talent" is more of an emotional investment for me, and is overall the most pleasant judging experience I've had. I would just sit in my music studio if I only wanted to hear good music, but "China’s Got Talent" offers up skills and performances that won’t be seen anywhere else.

CNNGo: Do you get along with Zhou Libo and Yineng Jing?

Gao Xiaosong: All of us are old hands in the entertainment circle. We all have a good sense of propriety in terms of what to say and what not to. We developed a rapport after only two auditions. These are the advantages. Some say Zhou Libo is dominating the show. Well, he is able to find laughs in all places and turn them into skits. That’s his talent. Zhou Libo and I are very good friends in private. I meet Yineng Jing less often because she lives in Taiwan, but we’re still friends. Often times, we do karaoke when we meet up.

CNNGo: Yineng Jing tends to green light more kiddy contestants. Where’s your soft spot?

Gao Xiaosong: Those whose talent showcases hope and vitality in a normal or even desperate situation.

CNNGo: Who has been the most impressive contestants so far?

Gao Xiaosong: The group from Chengdu that dance like robots. Although many contestants dance, their robotic dance reached beyond being good technical dancers and expressed their own thoughts. Also the b-box duo who play table tennis while singing were great.

CNNGo: Anything that the "China's Got Talent" contestants are lacking?

Gao Xiaosong: What we’ve seen so far is really good. However, Chinese contestants are relatively introverted compared to the rest of the world. For example, American people are extremely outgoing and have a strong desire to perform. I hope one day, even the kids or the old people in China can be that outgoing and have that desire -- and then showcase it on "China's Got Talent."