Eshin Direct

I sometimes wonder whether Hong Kong celebrities find themselves trapped within the plotlines of Moulin Rouge and Kidman’s Chanel No. 5 ad. Over at Spirit Fingers, my post on Joey’s Chihuahua sparked some interest and generated a post on Hobo Chic. More interestingly, she’s got a link to this HKVP article on celebrity company for sale.

I don’t suppose one could be shocked about these sorts of revelations. It probably has been going on for time immemorial in both Western and Asian entertainment circles. In the West, we seem to have done a better job of hiding all the nasty stuff, while in Asia it tends to be more open.

I think it’s sad though that Hong Kong’s entertainment industry and celebrity stratosphere have such a high exposure of what passes as news. With all the sleeping around, cash exchanges and endorsements going around, how can one take any of these people all that seriously? Even if you aren’t part of it all, by taking down the overall integrity of the industry down, everyone suffers.

The most important casualty is perhaps Hong Kong’s own image as an entertainment cultural centre for Chinese in other countries. And some of Hong Kong’s own offerings are even praiseworthy on the broader world stage. How can the country’s exported films and celebrities enjoy any sense of integrity when the assumption is they are allegedly either super deluxe courtesans or high-class rent boys?

It comes at a fragile time when the whole celebrity endorsements trend is going to implode on itself. The celebrity and advertising industry might not realise it but with the number of times they are wheeling out their celebrities to endorse this and that, the universe will only tolerate so much. The whole point is to make people believe in the fantasy of the celebrity and that they genuinely believe tha the brand is part of their lifestyle.

When I was at the True Star launch party, they wheeled in the poor celebrity model, whisked her off to the VIP section, rolled her out for the prize draw, after which she promptly buggered off. Indeed, she really stood behind this product. If they’re not whoring themselves in the bed, then it would seem they’re turning tricks as brand courtesans.

Of course, one of my friends assures me that it wasn’t always so. Ten years ago things happened but it was more discreet. Ten years ago, we didn’t have digital technology to print low-cost newspapers. Nor did we have the camera technology we have now. Or the information based culture we have today. Or indeed EEG and it’s bevy of beauties for mass consumption. Makes you wonder, it does.

Makes you also wonder why Michelle Ries Lee Ka-Yan looks so tired.

Tags: Random Thoughts