Political Satire and Collective Reproduction: The Power of Political Nicknames in Hong Kong

The existing literature on political satire has focused primarily on the effects on audiences and their responses to satirical messages, neglecting the exploration of the implications of these effects. This article takes a reproduction perspective and argues that audiences regenerate and spread satirical messages to continuously denounce a political figure. By examining the circulation of "689," the humorous nickname of former chief executive C. Y. Leung in Hong Kong, this article introduces a new conceptual framework called the "collective reproduction" process, which includes three processes: (1) production, (2) circulation, and (3) reproduction. This framework is used to analyze how the opposition effectively utilized this nickname to criticize the leader throughout his term of office. Theoretical contributions include providing political satire with an ongoing approach that facilitates its circulation. Empirically, the case of Hong Kong enriches the understanding of opposition movements within the context of political satire.