Beijing May Hate Steven Spielberg, But What They Hate More Are Children’s Cartoons. I’m Talking to You, Spongebob.
In times like this, it’s comforting to know wisdom can come from the strangest of places. For example, take salt, according to Morton’s, “when it rains it pours.” Such can be said for Hollywood right now. Domestically they have lost millions in the writer’s strike, and, internationally, China has to add insult to injury as not only is Steven Spielberg persona non grata on the mainland, but Beijing’s also gotta lash out at the smallest of victims, the children. In a move that is protectionism at its finest, according to Reuters, “from May 1, foreign cartoons would be prohibited from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on local channels” and stations must also “observe a daily broadcast ratio of 7:3 for Chinese-made cartoons versus foreign cartoons.” Interesting, but did Whitney Houston not teach us that “the children are the future?” How will they get their Foster’s fix now? I guess it will be off to the dvd guy on the street corner.
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Well, there’s not much more to say about this story other than goodbye Edison Chen, we barely knew thee. Yes, the king is dead, long live the king. With the whole sex scandal reaching threat level Severe, or Red, Edison has decided to call it quits “indefinitely”. Oh well, what’s Hong Kong’s loss could be Hollywood’s gain. Edison, do the smart thing, seriously; just pack it all up, head for the West Coast and get your own reality television show on E!, Fox, or, heck, any channel as all the networks love reality TV. It worked for Kim Kardashian, and it could work for you too.
Museums Free to the Public
Come March, not only will the birds be in the air but, hopefully, the public museums will be filled to capacity. In order to further enrich the soul, the government has decided to make all state-owned museums free to the public. According to the Ministry of Culture and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, “seven provinces have been chosen to pilot the program before it is applied nationwide.” That’s pretty sweet, and what’s even sweeter is that the Ministry of Finance will foot the bill for this enrichening initiative.
POST A COMMENT