To demonstrate the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's sincerity in promoting political and ethnic reconciliation after the divisive presidential election, the Presidential Office yesterday announced that many famous entertainers who had campaigned for the pan-blue camp had promised to perform in a presidential inauguration rally on May 19.
One of them is Kao Ling-feng (
PHOTO: CNA
Kao will be the closing act at the rally and will do an imitation of Chen and DPP General-Secretary Chang Chun-hsiung (
"The election is over. All society should return to normalcy and ethnic rifts should be mended," Kao said. "Artists and entertainers should play a conciliatory role as non-partisan figures.
"Times have changed, and the post-election furor should end on May 20," Kao said, referring to the date of the presidential inauguration.
"Politics should return to politics, and culture to culture," he said. "We need to focus on ethnic reconciliation, without regard for one's color as either green or blue.
"All entertainers should play a reconciliatory role; all are responsible for mending the rifts in our society. Artists should exert their influence in this direction," he said
In the past four years, Kao has gained fame for his political mimicry.
During the press conference yesterday, Kao did an impression of Chen complete with accent, saying, "Some say Kao opposes A-bian. I don't care if he supports or opposes A-bian; what's most important is how exciting the show is!"
When Chen was Taipei mayor between 1994 and 1998, the city government cracked down on the sex industry, including a hostess bar owned by Kao. The move prompted Kao to become the leader of protests by sex industry workers against Chen.
During the presidential election campaigning, Kao acted as an anti-Chen activist.
Yesterday, Kao brought up his history and thanked Chen, mimicking Chen's voice and saying, "Kao was meant for show-biz. A-bian's shutting down of Kao's bar actually helped Kao."
Before the election, many entertainers chose sides in the race. Yesterday, Kao represented pro-blue entertainers in saying that he hoped there would more opportunities to perform in Mandarin dramas.
KMT leaders from the previous era that the pro-blue entertainers once supported should stop their protests now the election is over, he said.
His performance at the inauguration rally, he added, is a show of support for the new Chen administration by pro-blue entertainers.
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