The winner of this four-episode exchange? Conan, for now having his videos all over Youku, Tudou, Chinese blogs, etc.

Also, Da Peng… for not getting called out (again) for being a defensive and unfunny nit in his first response. Go watch it again if you can bear it. I described it as “go[ing] on the offensive,” but I didn’t think Conan would shy away like he did… though he probably made the right choice, because his standing among Chinese viewers is now higher.

Conan O’Brien isn’t the only showman who knows the entertainment value in a good cross-ocean rivalry. Via Tea Leaf Nation, which has a very good recap of the show, Da Peng goes on the offensive. 56.com video (sans English subtitles) for those in China after the jump.

Tea Leaf Nation’s David Wertime writes:

Was Da Peng’s response just the right way to bridge the culture gap, or a bridge too far? So far, most netizens seem unimpressed by the response. Commenting via Sohu Weibo, a Twitter-like platform, @简见-卢瑟星人complained that Da Peng’s apology was “obviously insincere,” to which @月冷星沉 added, “brazen.” @路人甲的甲人 asked, “You’re notorious, and you’re happy about it?” @辉姑娘S added, “I really don’t like this host’s character.” But Da Peng had his defenders; @下一站pipiending praised him for “admitting [he] made a mistake, [but] with an attitude that was neither haughty nor humble.”

The Chinese show in question, which Conan calls “really weird,” is Da Peng Debade《大鹏嘚吧嘚》, hosted by Dong Chengpeng (董成鹏 [born Jan. 12, 1982, 176 cm, blood type AB...]). It is weird, but at least it’s different, a fun variety show featuring crosstalk, magic acts, theater, colorful characters, funny graphics – a victory for Chinese programming, trust me. And at least it tries to be creative, albeit creativity in its opening credits manifests itself in the form of copying an American show that is actually creative. But it’s trying! And it has been, according to Baidu Baike, one of the most popular shows on the Internet ever since Dong (Da Peng) launched it in 2007.

Anyway, the top comments on Da Peng’s site (the first segment of his most recent show was the one excerpted by Conan’s producers) are mostly people calling him out, saying he’s lost face to the Americans, ha ha ha, etc., etc. People seem to think it’s amusing he got found out — he, this innovator, of all people — so they rib him a little. It’s generally not too harsh. But then there’s Renren, who — out of the 1,772 commenters as of this writing — might have posted the angriest response: “傻逼抄袭狗” — stupid cunt plagiarizing dog.

Alrighty then.

The Conan video was posted on Team Coco at 7:55 am Beijing time yesterday.

UPDATE, 3/2: Da Peng responds.