Say it ain't so: Super Voice Boys gets axed

Following the sensational success of Super Voice Girls (Chaoji Nu Sheng or 超级女声), Hunan Province Satellite Television Station planned to organize another American Idol-style TV program called -- surprise, surprise -- Super Voice Boys (Chaoji Nan Sheng or 超级男声), the TV station announced the news to media cheerfully in early September. However, Xinhua reports (in Chinese) the plan was called off by The Central Propaganda Department and The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. (Whew.) The official line is Super Voice Girls had a lot of "negative" inside stories involved with both the judges and the candidates when it started to become popular. Rumors of blackmail swirled while contestants were labeled concubines and, of course, lesbians (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Hunan TV couldn't control any of this public scrutiny, obviously. And officials doubted the ability of the television station to organize a "scandal"-free Super Voice Boys. The director of the TV station gave a vague answer during an interview with one local media outlet: “It’s confirmed Super Voice Boys will not be held this year, next year … maybe.”

Some say Hunan TV was asking for trouble -- it just got too damn popular. In addition to Super Voice Girls, the station also airs the highly successful Korean drama series Da Chang Jin and Taiwanese drama Dynasty of Kang Xi. Other stations were simply jealous. While Shanghaiist may pout about no longer being able to make fun of Super Voice Boys, we can think of one group of people that won't be shedding any tears over the cancellation -- CCTV, which had no slice of the lucrative Super Voice Girls pie.

Photo from Hunan Province Satellite Television Station.

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