Media personality Sisy Chen (陳文茜) yesterday called on the public not to take her interview on Monday with director Hou Hsiao-Hsien (侯孝賢) out of context amid criticism that Chen was making the filmmaker’s humble background and appearance an object of ridicule.
Chen said her seemingly cutting remarks on Hou’s background and juvenile misconduct were an attempt to heap praise on Hou by invoking a contrast between his former obscurity and the international renown he now has.
The interview, part of a forum targeting young people, sparked public contention after a transcript of the interview by film critic Weng Huang-te (翁煌德) went viral, with Chen’s off-the-cuff remarks perceived as disrespectful of Hou.
Chen focused the interview on Hou’s delinquent teenage life, digging up the director’s gambling habit, poor education and academic performance, before discussing Hou’s award-winning film The Assassin at the end of the interview.
Chen said on Tuesday on Facebook that all she wanted to do was emphasize how a naughty boy like Hou could win the best director award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival — the holy grail of directorship.
Chen’s efforts apparently misfired. Hou did not use the occasion to boast about his success, but instead spoke modestly and factually, critics said.
When Chen asked Hou if he was worried about not winning an award at the festival, he said that he was not, because he knew his work was not mature enough and that it usually depends on luck to bring home such awards.
Chen then asked Hou if he read the film reviews after it was screened at the festival and Hou said: “No. The papers were in French.”
Chen said: “Hou spoiled all my punchlines, making it seem like I ruined the interview.”
Writer Chang Da-chun (張大春) said Chen “made a massive faux pas without even knowing it,” adding that she is “an incurable snob,” and was exploiting Hou’s gentle nature and tolerance.
Screenwriter and author Neil Peng (馮光遠) said that he burst out laughing when he saw the interview, adding that “Chen should be the first when it comes to Taiwanese women who feign friendship [with celebrities],” a reference to Chen’s interview with two-time Oscar-winning Taiwanese director Ang Lee (李安).
Peng said Chen claimed to have a friendship with Lee, who barely knew her.
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