Pop Stop

Amid all the buzz surrounding the term taike (台客), once a derogative appellation used to refer to someone with a low-class attitude or style but which has now been subverted and has gained street credibility over the years, the Taike Rock Streetvoice Festival (台客搖滾嘉年華) drew an estimated 30,000 people in Taichung over the weekend.

At the bash, excitable youths cheered the quinte-ssentially taike MC Hotdog who during his set bashed Mando-pop king Jay Chou (周杰倫), and underground-turned-mainstream rock act Clipper Too Hard's (夾子太硬啦) lead singer who had a dildo stuck to his shirt.

In its second year, the taike festival has quickly evolved and replaced the orthodox taimei (台妹) girl band 3 Shining Sisters (閃亮三姊妹) with Australia-educated singer Faith Yang (楊乃文) for a more cosmopolitan look.

Determined to show the many facets of the taike phenomenon, the organizers included pole-dancing girls on the bill to show the less-refined face of local cultural practices. The girls exhibited all their charms onstage to entertain visitors: a sight which would undoubtedly enrage conservative feminists.

As Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) works his fingers to the bone trying to promote the city as a capital of arts and culture, the in-your-face pole-dancers struck a blow to Hu's unlikely dream.

As for the week's break-up news: Asian megastar Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) has reportedly drifted away from Huo Qi-shan (霍啟山), the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. The two-year romance ended just as a Hong Kong fortuneteller had predicted it would.

But Zhang shouldn't worry about being single for too long as her beauty and fame not only bewitch 20-somethings like Huo but also septuagenarians like fashion guru Giorgio Armani. While attending a fashion show in Shanghai last week, members of the local press asked the svelte star if she was too flat-chested to wear Armani dresses. A devoted fan of Zhang, Armani wasted no time showing off his chivalry by saying, "If you like big breasts, you won't be looking at her."

Another hot shot Hong Kong director, Andrew Lau (劉偉強), is scheduled to come to Taiwan this Sunday to promote his latest film Daisy (愛無間), but is reportedly feeling out of sorts. Lau is irritated by the Chinese title of his film that places a rather meaningless spin on Infernal Affairs (無間道), the film that brought Lau fame and wealth.

"The story of the film is totally different from Infernal Affair," Lau repeatedly told the local press.

Local film distributors should take note next time they make up silly Chinese names for foreign movies that have nothing to do with either the original titles or the stories.

Local TV actor Lee Wei (李威) is said to be back with ex-lover Xu Wei-lun (許瑋倫), who dumped him two years ago for Tsai Tsai (仔仔) of F4, who in turn, dropped Xu for Big S (大S). Meanwhile, Lee's actress girlfriend Chen Yi-rong (陳怡蓉) was reported to have remained alarmingly silent after finding out she was being two-timed in the press.

Hopefully, the bevy of young stars can still find their way in this complex maze of amour.