Hou Yaowen's sudden death from a heart attack has led many to lament the seeming unfairness that good people die young while bad people live long lives. Naturally, the "good person" refers to Hou Yaowen, but who is the "bad person"? You guessed it—none other than the big rogue Guo Degang. Simply put, it shouldn't have been Hou Yaowen who left us—it should have been the scoundrel Guo Degang.
The contributions of Old Hou to the art of crosstalk are well-known by all, and there’s no need for further elaboration. What stands out is that Hou Yaowen never thought of himself as some kind of mafia boss in the entertainment world. He was humble, low-key, honest, and dedicated his life to the crosstalk industry. Despite growing older, he remained passionate about crosstalk, such as serving as a judge for several consecutive sessions of CCTV’s Crosstalk Competition, supporting new talent, and teaching through words and actions. The day before he passed away, he still went to Tianjin to participate in a crosstalk selection program, where he gave serious feedback and returned to Beijing that same night. According to relevant departments, he had previously scheduled a comprehensive medical examination with a doctor, but due to his busy work schedule, he kept postponing it. As a result, this unfinished examination became an eternal regret. Hou Yaowen truly worked tirelessly until his last breath—a diligent, hardworking, and down-to-earth person like him, how could he not be favored by heaven? How could he just leave so suddenly?