April 8th, 2009
News Links: April 8th, 2009
Before we begin, a little reader interaction. I’m going to try to respond to past comments and questions in a future post but I want to get at this one today while it’s fresh in my mind …
From the comments on News Links: Ching Ming Festival 2009
Glenn writes: I saw those Rainie shots the other day and thought they were pretty offensive; who dresses up like an American Indian anymore like that? I’m old enough to remember how dumb it was when Cher did it for her “Half Breed” song.
Again, it’s probably because I’ve watched way too much LAW & ORDER over the years but I find it hard to get worked up about the photos because there is no mens rea (guilty mind) behind it. They are more stupid than they are offensive. It’s more a reflection of ignorance than it is a reflection of racism. The people behind those photos just aren’t aware enough of the cultural significance of an 
image of that sort. It’s probably just someone’s misguided idea of something that looks “cool”. It’s happened before — Vicki Zhao modeling that Rising Sun dress and Shawn Yue posing in Nazi-themed clothing — and it’ll happen again.
Plain and simple, some people are just ignorant. It’s a worldwide phenomenon that isn’t just limited to the East. People in the West have had their boneheaded moments too. Take, for instance, the recent “Asian eyes” controversies involving the Spanish Olympic basketball team and Miley Cyrus. Ignorance and stupidity are just as much a part of the human condition as racism. So, in all of the above cases, I pity the stupidity rather than abhor the prejudice.
Here’s hoping that with increasing globalization, more and more people become enlightened about racial and cultural issues. It might take a while to get there because it seems to me that, running opposite of increasing globalization, there is an increase in niche communities where people who have similar interests form insular communities. More and more, it’s possible to live your life in a bubble and not be aware of anything outside of your little niche. I am not talking just of nerds on the Internet, I’m also talking about CEOs who take private jets to Washington to ask for bailout money.
OK, I’ll shut up now, you’ve come here for HK entertainment circle news not a discussion of modern society from a Tocquevillean perspective.
Just one more thing, back to the Rainie Yang photos, I honestly believe there’s no malice behind it because parts of the Chinese community (the parts that have limited contact outside of the Chinese community) have yet to evolve to the point where they are aware that these issues even exist. The notion that they may be offending some people probably hasn’t even crossed their minds. Walk into the health care section of a Chinese grocery store and you’ll probably find bottles of Hak Gwai Yau (Black Man Oil) for sale on the shelf. The pain relief/massage oil has been around for decades and the reason behind the name is likely due to the fact that some Chinese people associate black men with physical prowess. They simply aren’t aware of issues like slavery or the civil rights struggle. To them, it’s “if black guys use this to relieve muscle aches and pains, then it must be good”. Again, here’s hoping time and increasing global awareness will rid society of these ills.
Speaking of stupidity …
EDISON CHEN LINKS:
SNIPER reviews: Hollywood Reporter, bc Magazine
Electric New Paper report of Edison Chen’s SNIPER press conference
Edison Chen: “If I made a mistake …”
Edison Chen: Stayin’ alive
Yahoo! Singapore reports: Edison Chen raises voice at reporter, Edison’s PR: Hand over that tape!, Asia’s “most secured” entertainment event?, Richie Ren prepared to be neglected
Straits Times: Drill and grill for Edison
Sina.com photo gallery of press event
Edison Chen braves death threat to promote movie in Singapore
SEXY PHOTOS GATE:
Edison driver tells of 3-hour laptop lapse
Court hears of Edison Chen sex photos
HK Techie Denies He Stole Edison Chen’s Pics
Charlene Choi releases solo album
On Monday, EEG held a press event celebrating the release of Charlene Choi Cheuk-Yin’s solo album 二缺一 (Two Missing One). Fellow EEG labelmates Kenny Kwan Chi-Ban and William Chan Wai-Ting were at the event to support Ah Sa. Gillian Chung Yan-Tung was not present because she did not want to draw attention away from her Twins bandmate. She did, however, make a phone call to show her support.
Talking about her new album, Choi said that the title “Two Missing One” represents her feelings as it felt strange to perform and shoot music videos without Ah Gil. Asked if the solo release means Twins has now disbanded, Choi answered: “Twins hasn’t disbanded. Twins is the brand I share with Ah Sa. There will come a day when we perform together again.”
IN PRODUCTION:
Jackie Chan Goes Big on ‘Soldier’
GENERAL NEWS:
Andy Lau wedding rumours: No signs of wedding at Carol Chu’s
Gigi Leung: Charity Is like a Present
Karen Mok: Mok run for soul singer in Shanghai
Coco Lee: What an April Fools’ joke!
Jill Vidal: Pop idol had heroin in her belongings
Taiwan Singer A Sun Dies of Breast Cancer
MOVIE REVIEWS:
bc Magazine reviews SHINJUKU INCIDENT
FEATURES:
SNIPER director Dante Lam: Sniping at The Snipers
SHINJUKU INCIDENT cast: Survival Tactics
bc Magazine reveals its annual Golden Durian awards
PHOTO GALLERYS:
Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Li Bingbing: Acting Stars Honored
To the delight of shoe fetishists everywhere, Lin Chi-Ling shoots ads for a shoe company
“Shinjuku Incident” Fan Bingbing Covers HK Magazine
Happy Vivian Chow on ‘Cosmopolitan’
Leehom Wang, Jolin Tsai Play Snooker in TV Ad
Fan Bingbing attends ForeverMark event
OTHER NEWS:
Film critic fired for reviewing illegally downloaded movie
Image credits: China Post (Rainie Yang), Koong Yick Medical Factory (Hak Kwai oil)
April 8th, 2009 at 5:28 am
Point taken on Rainie, Sanney. As for Miley, I can’t say I’m ever surprised when some hillbilly superstar does something like that.
I think someone should start up a blog/site just for links to the Edison scandal stuff. The site would still probably get a lot of hits too. Personally, I was seek of the guy long before the scandal.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
The Native American images are relatively inconsequential as most better educated people in more diverse societies and cultures are nowadays aware that is not being an racist stereotyype but sort of a archetype for North American indigenous people — after all didn’t The Village People and the guys in the movie The Heavenly Kings do that getup too? Also if you look at Halloween costume offerings, this American Indian costuming as squaw, chief, papoose, medicine man or whatever shows up every season, among many other similar outfits. BTW, it is amazing that Hak Gwai liquor is still available in this day and age…but then to a Chinese consumer it probably is no different than Uncle Ben’s, Aunt Jemima, or that guy on the Cream of Wheat Box, all who have persisted as brands for decades. Hell, if I was a white woman out to get riled up over trivialities, I could probably get really upset for the “stereotyped” image of Betty Crocker as not being representative of a 21st Century Caucasian female homemaker.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
I can’t believe that jill vidal is taking such hard drugs… recreation drugs maybe, but heroin?