A studio co-founded by Sung Shao-ching (???) has severed ties with the comedian after he was arrested for driving while nearly four times over the legal blood alcohol limit Tuesday.

Sung was taken into custody and bailed after questioning following a collision with a taxi in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Following his arrest, the comedian alleged he had been out drinking with friends and had only been driving his car out of a parking lot while awaiting the arrival of a designated driver.

Sung failed a police breathalyzer test at the scene, registering 0.95 milligrams per liter — well above the legal limit of 0.25 mg.

Tuesday’s incident marks his third arrest for drunk driving, including once in 2004 when police pulled a sleeping Sung out of a burning car.

Following his first two arrests, Sung had publicly stated that he was now using paid designated driver services so as to prevent himself from repeating his mistakes.

However, local media had previously accused him of taking over from his hired designated driver and completing the journey himself on two occasions, once in 2018 and again in 2020.

Responding to the reports at the time, Sung admitted to dispensing with the services of the designated drivers in order to keep the location of his residence private.

The comedian’s latest infraction sparked a degree of public backlash, particularly as Sung had made public appearances denouncing drink driving and presenting himself as a reformed offender after his first two arrests.

In the wake of the backlash, Feng Yi-kang (???), Sung’s performance partner of over 30 years and co-founder with Sung of the Comedians Workshop (????) studio, announced Sung’s immediate removal from all current and future projects.

In a public social media post, Feng criticized his longtime friend’s character and promised that the studio would “not allow a repeat drunk driver on stage.”

Feng also stated the Comedians Workshop would accept ticket cancellations that people wished to make in light of Sung’s most recent arrest.

Speaking with local media after making bail, Sung apologized for his behavior and said that it had been a mistake to think that it was not a big deal to drive a short distance to meet his designated driver.

Both Sung and Feng are stage artists known for writing, directing, and performing a modernized version of the traditional Chinese art of Xiangsheng (??), which consists of comic dialogue between two actors with only two foldable fans as props.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel