A private detective firm yesterday apologized for a controversial advertisement for its services to uncover adultery featuring six-year old actor Benny Wen (小小彬).
The advertisement for the Fu You Detective Co, with the word lia gao (抓猴) printed next to Wen’s picture, has been seen on buses in Greater Taichung recenty before they were removed following a public outcry.
The word lia gao in Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese) means “to track a cheating partner.” The literal translation is “to catch a monkey,” an extended metaphor in which “monkey” is used with the connotation of being adulterous in Chinese.
Wen’s agent, Yan Chia-cheng (嚴家正) and Wen’s father, Wen Chao-yu (溫兆宇), told a press conference yesterday afternoon that the theme of the advertisement had originally been aimed at persuading parents to think twice about their children before divorcing.
Yan said he accepted the agency’s advertisement offer for Benny Wen because of the original family-centric theme.
The agency’s public relations manager Peng Hsiang-chun (彭湘君) said there were two versions of the advertisement, and a previously televised version had a family-centric message.
As for the version on the bus, Peng said the advertising agency felt that the word lia gao would appeal more to people in central and southern Taiwan.
Peng said the agency later felt that the bus ad was inappropriate and had recalled the ads. However, the agency has failed to ensure that all the advertisements were recalled, so some buses are still carrying them.
“The company is deeply sorry if we have offended anybody,” Peng said.
Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) has said Wen Chao-yu should be fined. The Taipei Bureau of Social Affairs also requires that Wen Chao-yu and Yan attend eight to 50 hours of parental assistance classes.
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