Cross-talker Guo Degang reignites feud with BTV

Some 400 TV stations may impose a ban on controversial cross-talk performer Guo Degang, after representatives of television workers gathered Sunday at an awards ceremony and issued a statement condemning him.

The Television Arts Working Committee of China Radio and Television Association called for the boycott after Guo is alleged to have insulted the former head of Beijing Television Station (BTV), Wang Xiaodong, who died at the age of 51 from liver cancer on November 19.

The following day, Guo posted a limerick and a Chinese character, xi, or happiness, on his Sina Weibo account. The post, which attracted online criticism, was soon deleted.

Guo's behavior disrespects life, disregards humanity and has subverted public morals, said the committee.

"We, the public, have the right to repudiate him … and not to have what happened to Wang occur to thousands of TV workers," the statement said.

The statement comes after BTV sent an appeal to the committee on December 2.

This follows a feud between Guo, 40, and BTV in 2010, when reporter Zhou Wenfu investigated if Guo's Beijing villa had been illegally extended. One of Guo's protégés was accused of assaulting Zhou. Guo later insulted BTV during a television appearance, but denied the assault allegations.

According to an online poll on sina.com Sunday of over 17,000 respondents, 53.4 percent of participants opposed the committee's action.

Guo apologized for insulting others via Weibo on Saturday.