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Looks like mammon does have its way of making people think before they talk. Less than a day after Sharon Stone suggested at the Cannes Film Festival that the Sichuan earthquake was karma for China's treatment of the Tibetans, she has been forced to eat back her words and apologise:
"My erroneous words and deeds angered and saddened the Chinese people, and I sincerely apologise for this. I'm willing to participate in any earthquake relief activity and to do my utmost to help Chinese people affected by the disaster."Christian Dior has sprung to action, pulling Stone from all its ads and stores in China, and said in a Chinese-language statement:
"We don't agree with her hasty, unreflecting remarks and we deeply regret them. Dior was one of the first international brands to enter China and has won the affection and respect of the consuming public. We absolutely do not support any remark that hurts the Chinese people's feelings. We express our sorrow over the compatriots who lost their lives in the earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan, and we extend our sympathy and condolences to the people in the disaster area."In a report we saw on Dragon TV's music entertainment programme, the spokeswoman for Dior China highlighted and emphasised that Sharon Stone will never ever be seen again in its stores and advertising within China. The report ended with the VJ chiming in that Sharon Stone will never ever be heard of on Dragon TV again.
Ng See-Yuen (吴思远), chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers and founder of the UME Cineplex chain which has chains all across China condemned Stone's comments and said UME would not be showing any of her movies in its theatres. The move appeared to be a voluntary one and not ordered by SARFT.
Stone is winning little sympathy for opening her mouth without using her brain. Apart from swift condemnation by the Chinese media (the Information Times called Stone an "enemy of the whole nation"), Facebook users have been quick to voice their displeasure by setting up groups such as Sharon should be stoned, Sharon Stone Needs to Shut the FUCK UP and SHAME ON Sharon Stone!
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sharon stone is such an idiot, she just lost millions because of her little rant.
she should do movies, not talk about politics
Well, as they say, sticks and stones...
Finally the day has arrived when we can all band together and bully people into agreeing with us, no matter how inconsequential or stupid they are. Mob mentality is a glorious contribution to our harmonious global society!
Unfortunately she was reflecting in public what the religioius people have said about the earthquake: "You can go against the God but you bear the consequences". After the Tibet crackdown it is soooo clear message that even the Chinese Government can't ignore it.
I didn't even think about this (in China we live perfectly happy without the church interfering with our lives) until my relative who is a religious leader mentioned it. According to him the cn gov now has to deal with leaders of many countries, organizations, banks etc. who strongly think that way. The gov is already facing uphill battle with the bad publicity about the torch relay. The international media has pretty much ignored everything but the protests, leaving impression in people's heads, that every single torch relay has been a disaster.
Last time when the big one hit China in Tangshan, the same year 3 party leaders died and the 10 year regime collapsed.That has made some people worried.
I have also heard the local Chinses say, the five Olympic mascots each represent one disaster hitting China this year. So where are we now: Big Snow, Tibet, Foot and Mouth Disease, Earthquake, and then what?
Churches still have a lot of power (and even more money), I'm pretty sure they will be using it with this opportunity. I guess we should thank Sharon Stone for bringing it up.
She can say whatever she wants and if she wants to draw a mystical association with the Sichuan tradgedy, that is her right, whether or not you agree with it.
It's remarkable that CCP-style censorship is creeping into the west. Of course, it has everything to do with economic interests and nothing to do with what is actually right, just or fair. Creating internet lynch-mobs and "flesh search engines" to attacked and injure people who say things that are objectionable to Chinese or the Chinese government is an extraordinarily dangerous trend.
Of course, this censorship is the most significant trend surrounding this incident, but obviously, the brains at Shanghaiist are too daft to even mention it.
Really, shame on you guys.
Probably some bursting dams, sadly.
I agree with Vera. Well thought.
Here goes another Shanghaiist "lynch the bitch" attitude.... (sigh) reminds of the poor lil chinese girl who was hunted down and finally taken into custody, for making some stupid comments because "she deserved it"....
Vera, I think of it this way. Sharon Stone can say whatever she wants. The Chinese people don't have to buy her Christian Door stuff because she endorses them and watch her movies.
She can say whatever she wants, because that's her right, I fully support the freedom of speech, and that's what China lacks and what China needs.
By the same token, other people also have the right to express their anger towards her comment; people have the right to watch,or not to watch,her movies; Christian Dior has the right to pull, or not to pull, her from its ads and stores; And Sharon Stone has the right to apologize,or not to apologize, for her comment. She doesn't have to agree with those angry people, she can still stick to her own opinion, it's also her right. it's just whatever you say, there could be repercussion, especially as a celebrity, so you can't just say something very offensive and not expect people to get angry with you.
just stumbled upon a poll done by a U.S website:
http://www.citizensugar.com/1662097
seems most people are not happy with what she said.
I agree that internet lynch-mobs and "flesh search engines" is an extraordinarily dangerous trend. Considering how huge the Chinese netizen population is, it only takes a tiny portion of it to form a mob.
@ Username 21
"You can go against the God but you bear the consequences"
what did 68,000 quake victims do to go against the God? living?
If religious people and Churches think this is karma, then I'd like to ask them why the earthquake happened in Sichuan,rather than Beijing?
why did God want to kill tens of thousands of innocent people,instead of a few government officials/policy makers?
and I believe there's a difference between religion and superstition.
"we should thank Sharon Stone for bringing it up"
I hope you are just kidding.
Vera,
I don't understand your logic. Sharon has the right to draw whatever conclusions she wants.
She wasn't censored by anyone to apologize, hence realizing that she made a mistake after thinking more clearly about the situation. Maybe after thinking more clearly about her own commercial interests? Who knows, but it was her choice.
Dior didn't drop Stone because of the gov. They dropped her because she's a babbling movie star that could seriously affect sales.
Western companies do this all the time in the US, UK, etc when their 'faces' or icons of a product say or do stupid things. Kate Moss is a recent example.
It's much less to do with political ideology and much more to do with money. Madonna had it right in the 80s, cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always Mister Right.
And why should anyone really care what Sharon Stone has to say?
Now they have banned her films, which is not a great loss, but an over reaction.
But then again, if the Chinese government does not believe in karma, it does show it is superstitious.
Why else are the Olympics kicking off at 8pm on the 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year?
So, maybe Sharon was right after all.
totally agree with cankles!!!
Sharon stone is such an idiot and talking like she's some god
" dalai lama is a good friend of mine" nananana, who friggin cares!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? just because you're friends with him, what makes you sooo friggin special that you can say in public to millions of ppl about your stupid thought
GAAAAAAAAAAH, stupid cow. If the US doesn't drop her ads I will never buy Dior again. I don't want to use products that are represented by her. eugh.
Really, my criticism is mostly reserved for Shanghaiist's brainless, pro-censorhip, anti-democratic, truth-be-damned, pump-the-ratings, tabloid style.
Personally, I will donate to the earthquake relief effort. They have my deepest sympathy as well as my money inspite of my many deep disagreements with elelments of China. For example, I donate in spite of an event that is still quite painful to me: the fact that many
CHINESE CELEBRATED IN THE STREETS ON 9/11.
This is well documented and I have numerous first-hand accounts from Chinese friends.
For those of you who need documentation, see this speech by George Yeo, Singapore's Minister of Foreign Affairs:
When Sep 11 happened, many young Chinese cheered that America had its come-uppance until the Central Government intervened to stop it. From the global Muslim perspective, the Chinese world is not viewed negatively at all.
Or this from another source:
Though Beijing has denied supporting al-Qaeda forces, reports indicate that Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin was so impressed with bin Laden's 9-11 attack that he sanctioned a domestic propaganda effort suggesting the U.S. got what it deserved.
Maybe some Chinese can be a little more open-minded and less petty, childish, and nationalistic and ignore the next internet/PR mania that that infects your brain via the TV or internet.
When you have a tragedy, you are more than happy to accept aid (money) from foreign sources, but any semblance of questioning or dissent against your own eccentric belief system is dealt with foolish, vengeful hatred.
The Chinese have a long, long, long way to go before they can rightfully aspire to be a "da ren."
Vera-Using the well known US right wing online forum Free Republic to bolster your dubious claims is no proof of anything and makes your own political orientation very apparent. If there was there anything in a reputable news source about Chinese people celebrating 9/11 I'd be interested in seeing it.
Shanghaiist is pro-censorship and anti-democratic? Wow, that is new to me.
There is no god. Get over it.
@Les Izmore
are you selectively or generally stupid? Did you read the preceding quote directly from the government of Singapore?
@Kenneth T
Ok that wasn't fair. You guys have the single best popular layman's China blog. But pls don't get caught-up in Chinese group-think or believe that you are immune to propaganda just because you are a laowai/huaren. It's more subtle than you may think. Anyway, good work and thanks for lending Shanghai life some semblance of real urban sophistication!
whoever celebrated on 9/11 is relentless and stupid. Maybe because 9/11 was a man-made disaster, so some people thought it's because people were not happy with US's foreign policy, so they plotted the attack to give U.S a lesson, hence it's U.S's karma. But I totally disagree with this stupid thought, because those 9/11 victims didn't do anything to deserve that, they were innocent. Bad things happened to innocent people, that's not karma. The same logic applies to Sichuan earthquake as well.
If you've noticed, some Americans celebrated this earthquake too. I've seen comments from Americans like "brain-washed chinks deserved this, the more they die, the less polluted the world would be" or "what's the big deal? they got 1.3 billion stinky ppl anyway"... But I know these are not reflective of all American opinions. I believe stupid people exist in every country, and as a Chinese, I was very ashamed by my compatriot who celebrated on 9/11. But please believe most Chinese people are not that ruthless, and I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping we Chinese in this disaster.
whoever celebrated on 9/11 is relentless and stupid. Maybe because 9/11 was a man-made disaster, so some people thought it's because people were not happy with US's foreign policy, so they plotted the attack to give U.S a lesson, hence it's U.S's karma. But I totally disagree with this stupid thought, because those 9/11 victims didn't do anything to deserve that, they were innocent. Bad things happened to innocent people, that's not karma. The same logic applies to Sichuan earthquake as well.
If you've noticed, some Americans celebrated this earthquake too. I've seen comments from Americans like "brain-washed chinks deserved this, the more they die, the less polluted the world would be" or "what's the big deal? they got 1.3 billion stinky ppl anyway"... But I know these are not reflective of all American opinions. I believe stupid people exist in every country, and as a Chinese, I was very ashamed by my compatriot who celebrated on 9/11. But please believe most Chinese people are not that ruthless, and I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping we Chinese in this disaster.
@ paullewis
Her films are not exactly banned in China, it's only banned in UME Cineplex chain, as indicated in this post, the UME's decision "appeared to be a voluntary one and not ordered by SARFT ". Maybe UME is overreacting, but it's their choice.
8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture, because it sounds like "发（fa）" (meaning prosperous), so 8 is just a symbol of prosper, like a word association. The number resonates with the good wishes of the Chinese, but no one seriously thinks just using 8 would literally bring you wealth and fortune, it only represents good wishes of people, not superstition. However, there are stupid people who seriously think the earthquake was literally brought by karma.
If you think Sharon was right, then do you think 9/11, Katrina and Myanmar cyclone were karma too?
I didn't say Sharon was right and that it was karma.
No such thing. It's mother nature. There is no god either.
Yes, yes I know what 8 sounds like, and I suppose red is supposed to be a lucky colour as well?
It still all fits under superstition.
Natural disasters happen, it's no one's fault.
But if peoppe choose to live in places where there will be a big quake one day, like Tokyo or LA, then when it hits, I won't be too sympathetic. (assuming it happens in my lifetime that is)
Does Sharon Stone realize that her comment was right up there with the Reverend jerry Falwell saying Hurricane Katrina was "God's judgement against America over gay marriage"? I know she thought he was an idiot so what does she think now?
And there were some people here in America that cheered (or felt gratified)when they saw 9-11 on the news. Like Sharon Stone, they didn't care about the lives of the people affected, they just enjoyed their own conceited, twisted idea of "karma" or "justice". If there was any real karma or justice in this world, Dick Cheney would be buried under a mountain of earthquake rubble.