My comment:
(1) In Taiwan I was 下放ed for a year in early 1980s, when I read Time magazine to improve English. After a couple of months, unfamiliar words decreased dramatically (which I attributed to the same set of words are used again and again by the same reporters within Time). So after I came to US, I could understand Johnny Carson show (unlike other Taiwanese--and foreign--students). I did not think it funny, and Americans around me were like-minded (so few of them watched it). The same can be said about Saturday Night Live.
(2) Beijing is her-sensitive, and over-reactive, in most aspects. Of they relax, I bet few Chinese will watch these programs, either.