Thu, Oct 21, 2004 page8

• Editorial: Pop loyalties are disgusting

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  The latest issue of the China Times Weekly reported that Warner Music Taiwan allegedly suggested pop singer Chang Hui-mei (張惠妹), also known as A-mei (阿妹), take a year off due to the poor sales of her new album, Maybe Tomorrow. The record company immediately denied the rumor. But the report nonetheless unleashed a flood of ridicule from some local "netizens" who support the green camp, saying that the rumored suspension was in fact her punishment for "embracing China's lam pa" ("testicles" in Taiwanese).

  Hoping to get around China's boycott, Chang indirectly expressed regret for singing Taiwan's national anthem during President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) 2000 inauguration ceremony. The pop singer also said that she was just doing what her record company told her to do.

  It is a unique phenomenon that local singers are purposely distancing themselves from the government to expand their exposure in the foreign market. During the days of Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) rule, Taiwan's entertainers usually made every effort to curry favor in order to gain benefits from those in power. Political events were the best channel for them to gain access to political resources. The late singer Teresa Teng (鄧麗君) serves as a good example. Her sweet voice not only captured the hearts of countless soldiers on the front line, it also conquered China. The superstar had numerous fans on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese people even compared her to their former leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), calling the latter the "older Deng," and the former the "younger Teng."

  Teng was a darling of the KMT authorities for her performances for the troops and national celebrations. Her close cooperation with the powerful also won her generous government assistance and earned her the title of "the military's sweetheart." She was also a model "patriotic entertainer."

  Teng was a second-generation Mainlander from Hebei Province. When cross-strait relations began to thaw in the 1990s, rumor has it that the Chinese government invited her to sing in China -- an offer she refused due to her personal political beliefs. Depriving her fans in China the chance to see her perform was a conscious decision to ignore the growing China market.

  But that was then, and this is now. These days, major and minor musicians and entertainers view the Democratic Progressive Party as a curse which they can't do enough to avoid. Their greatest fear is that any taint of association will deny them the yellow brick road to riches offered by China.

  There was an absence of entertainers at the Double Ten National Day celebrations. Both Jay Chou (周杰倫) and Jolin Tsai (蔡依琳) rejected invitations by the event's organizers. At a recent concert in China, singer Luo Da-you (羅大佑), a singer now well past his prime, said that he came from "Chinese Taipei," hoping his sycophantic behavior would win recognition in China.

  Luo should not seek to revive his fading career in China. He is no longer popular in Taiwan, so why should the people of China spend money to watch his shows? Our experience has shown that incidents such as these only strengthen the growth of Taiwanese consciousness. Every time Beijing chuckles with delight over the ridiculous antics of Taiwanese performers, the people here realize that theirs is the laughter of a foreign regime.

  This dynamic gives us further assurances of a green camp victory in December's legislative elections. The absurd performances put on by Beijing -- with the help of some Taiwanese performers -- disgust the Taiwanese people.
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