Print

Mail

wiki links

Pop Stop

Acting like a sore loser, Jay Chou attacks this year's Golden Melody Awards for not knowing what the good music is. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES

The ongoing brawl between Jay Chou (周杰倫) and his former record company, Alfa Music (阿爾發), over the copyright to the Mando-pop king's catalog, turned into open warfare last week when the record label confirmed it had applied to have a portion of Chou's property, some NT$50 million worth, seized by authorities. The company claims it owns the copyright to many of Chou's popular songs.

Not a scaredy-cat to be messed with, Chou and his JVR Music (杰威爾音樂) allies counter-attacked and assured Chou's fans the greedy, evil music empire won't get its mitts on his moola since the self-proclaimed music genius claims sole ownership of all his songs.

Compared to the legal quarrel, Chou's mere three nominations for this years' Golden Melody Awards (金曲獎) seem to agitate the Chairman still more, leading to his decision to withdraw from the award ceremony on June 16 as a form of protest against the jury's "dilettante" taste.

Interviewed by Chinese media last week, the pop idol made no effort to hide his loathing for the Golden Melody and said he didn't have time for the event anyway since he would be a guest at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Yuki Hsu is back with a temptress look designed for a cheap fix of seduction. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SKY HIGH ENTERTAINMENT

"Can you believe what I am nominated for? The best single producer! It's like saying I am only good for making one song. Well, I will no longer trouble myself with the award since it is just one big game," Chou was quoted as saying.

Another sore loser who lost her title of Killer of Teenage Boys (少男殺手) to Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) a few years ago is former pop idol Yuki Hsu (徐懷鈺), who has returned to the spotlight after a five-year hiatus, decked out in a cheap black-leathered temptress look, clearly catering to her older male fans.

As the old saying goes "a gentleman can wait three years to take his revenge" (君子報仇，三年不晚), and Yuki successfully made the gossip headlines with insinuations her old foe is just a copycat of Japan's pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki, appropriating her look, dance steps, music video and crystal nails.

Whether or not the copycat accusation will stick remains highly questionable, but a catfight is clearly brewing.

Cannes is basking in the annual global spotlight, filled as it is with celebrities and megastars this month. Not to be left out, celebrity shows starring high-society dames have become all the rage in Taipei, imitating Hong Kong's fashion-party culture, which has been nurtured by Next Magazine (壹週刊). It is now bringing out a new generation of a well-bred, spotlight-hogging celebrities made up of wealthy, influential and beautiful young women.

Currently under the leadership of actress Terri Kwan (關穎), daughter of chairman of the Jih Sun Group (日盛集團) and Amy Sun (孫芸芸), daughter of Jack Sun (孫道存), the former chairman of Pacific Electric Wire and Cable, the gang never fail to make the weekly fashion headlines, and reports detail the price of their Cartier diamond watches and Hermes bags sported at weekend parties and fashion shows.

Having both looks and academic qualifications from celebrated universities are indispensable for membership of this exclusive club, and these high-society belles serve as a source of prince and princess fairy tales for those less fortunate and less wealthy.

This story has been viewed 2172 times.