Christmas arrived a few days late for the paparazzi tailing lady killer-turned-boozehound David Tao (陶吉吉) - but it was worth the wait.
Much to the delight of the nation's tabloid journalists, the pop idol has been lighting it up with great frequency ever since last year's string of widely reported flings with mixed-race models. It was only a matter of time before the handsome barfly got caught making a fool out of himself.
That came sooner than expected. Last Friday night, after a bender at the uber-trendy Barcode lounge in Taipei's Xinyi District, Tao's taxi driver dropped him off at a nearby police station because the booze-addled star was unable to recall where he lived.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
Obviously more than a few sheets to the wind, Tao became a little too friendly with local law enforcement, engaging in amiable antics like high-fiving, incessant small talk, and fawning over officers who just wanted the inebriated star to stand still. Tao's lively display of drunkenness even included calling the Next magazine paparazzo who had been called to record the silly scene his "bro."
The late-night farce ended with an unexpected grand finale when Tao tried to show his gratitude by planting a kiss on a woman who had been dispatched to escort him home.
In a more touching turn of events, Selina - she of girl band S.H.E - is said to have found herself a new Prince Charming after years of failed romances with showbiz peers such as Alan Luo (羅志祥), Mickey Huang (黃子佼), the aforementioned David Tao and Wang Lee-hom (王力宏).
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
The 26-year-old starlet's marriage prospects look to have improved greatly ever since the arrival of square-looking, suit-wearing lawyer boyfriend Chang Cheng-chung (張承中), who won the star's affection after two years of persistent wooing.
Selina is evidently a cheap date, at least that's the conclusion drawn by Next's first expose on their until-now well-hidden relationship. Evidently, a plebian dinner with her 37-year-old beau at a Formosa Chang's (鬍鬚張) franchise - they had minced fatty pork over rice (魯肉飯) - was romantic enough for the pop idol.
Moving on now to news about intellectual property, no sooner did the crooners of boy band Lollipop (棒棒堂) release their first album than they were exposed as a (boy) band of copycats. The guys from the Channel V variety show had plagiarized around 90 percent of their lyrics and music video content, it seems, from Japanese acts News and Hey! Say! Jump.
Then again, who expected originality from a bunch of pretty faces with voice coaches whose only talents are knowing how to grin deliciously and act cute?
This week's New Year Eve's celebrations once again saw a legion of stars answering the call to see off the old year. Hard-working rockers Champion (強辯) topped the rest, rushing to five concerts across the nation on the night of Dec. 31, 2007. ABT idol Wang Lee-hom earned second place with three performances, from Tainan to Kaohsiung.
However Wang had it easy. He only had to take the High Speed Rail to his shows. Shin (信), of Shin Band (信樂團), however, took a much more circuitous route involving a scooter, Taipei's MRT, the High Speed Rail and, finally, a car to travel from Taipei to Yunlin.
Seeing idols cash in on publicly-funded New Year's bashes is all very well and good, but Pop Stop can't help but wonder just when our city and county governments will come up with a year-end celebration that's more inspiring than a litany of sickly sweet pop tunes.
Next week, candidates will officially register to run for chair of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). By the end of Friday, we will know who has registered for the Oct. 18 election. The number of declared candidates has been fluctuating daily. Some candidates registering may be disqualified, so the final list may be in flux for weeks. The list of likely candidates ranges from deep blue to deeper blue to deepest blue, bordering on red (pro-Chinese Communist Party, CCP). Unless current Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) can be convinced to run for re-election, the party looks likely to shift towards more hardline
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Last week the story of the giant illegal crater dug in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District (美濃) emerged into the public consciousness. The site was used for sand and gravel extraction, and then filled with construction waste. Locals referred to it sardonically as the “Meinong Grand Canyon,” according to media reports, because it was 2 hectares in length and 10 meters deep. The land involved included both state-owned and local farm land. Local media said that the site had generated NT$300 million in profits, against fines of a few million and the loss of some excavators. OFFICIAL CORRUPTION? The site had been seized
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