Media regulation

Tang Wei too hot for TV

Posted by Joel Martinsen on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 6:38 PM

Someone has to take the fall

Last month Tang Wei shot a 30-second TV commercial for Ponds for which she was reportedly paid 6 million yuan. That's not looking like such a smart investment now that the commercial has been pulled from television and the Lust, Caution star is said to be banned from the mainland media.

According to the Beijing Morning Post:

This reporter made calls to a number of major TV stations in Beijing and Shanghai, whose employees confirmed that they had pulled the Tang Wei advertisements. However, they said that they were only acting at SARFT's request. Reportedly, the stations received an order yesterday banning them from promoting Tang Wei in any form, including commercials featuring her as a spokesperson. However, most of the employees said that they had only heard about the ban from their leaders at staff meetings; they had not seen the document with their own eyes.

No reason was given, nor was Tang Wei's manager Cindy able to provide any information, so the Internet and print media were free to speculate on just what it was about Tang Wei that had upset the authorities.

The film itself had been the subject of controversy, with some critics accusing it of glorifying traitors. But it would be odd—even for SARFT—to punish an actor for that complaint. Speaking about the recent ban on Lost in Beijing, film censor Zheng Dongtian said: "When punishing a film, we'll never punish the actors."

Netizen dlm7882, who noticed that all Lust, Caution videos had been pulled from Youku (the title also pulls up zero results on Tudou and nothing relevant on 6 Rooms), wrote the following (taken from a Tianya repost):

I just learned that SARFT has issued a notice banning any form of promotion, including print news, photos, and video, for Tang Wei, with the threat of severe punishment. I don't know what you all think of this action by SARFT, but I am truly mystified.

I don't like Tang Wei at all, but I'll grant that her performance in that movie deserves affirmation. Overseas actors wouldn't give a second thought to that sort of thing, but because all kinds of problems in China, including the lack of a ratings system, Tang Wei has become a magnet for criticism. This is not fair at all. Look at how SARFT leader explain why they won't set up a ratings system—what ludicrous idiocy! The art of cinema is castrated once it arrives in China.

Coincidentally, I just watched Lou Ye's Summer Palace and saw Hao Lei's performance, which exceeded Tang Wei's in every way. This too was a shock: it's not easy for a Chinese actress to be so open. I don't say this to encourage actresses to shed their clothes, but rather because I think we ought to learn how to appreciate the performances they offer from the perspective of pure cinema rather than through dirty thoughts.

Reportedly, Ang Lee has turned up in Xinhua's Internal Reference and is now on the blacklist. To some degree, one could explain a ban on Ang Lee through his lack of concern for China's moral boundaries, but what's the point of banning Tang Wei? Are people jealous of her popularity? Those jealous people should go strip then, if they've got the guts.

Under this kind of ban, will the people took part in the filming of Lust, Caution be banned as well? If they aren't, then was an actress banned simply because she dared to shed her clothes on screen? If it comes out that this is the reason, what a disgrace it will be for both SARFT and Chinese cinema! When the shooting and screening of a film becomes solely a matter of politics, when it is nothing more than a tool in the hands of people trading money for power, is there any way for such a county's film industry to move forward?

On the other hand, from Tang Wei's perspective, it's all good: at least she can rest a little. No one will come to interview her now, I'd guess—they won't be able to publish anything, anyway.

Coincidentally, just yesterday the mainland media reported that viewers were complaining about a shampoo ad campaign featuring Cecilia Cheung, the Hong Kong actress who was a major figure in Edison Chen's pornographic photo scandal. According to the Chongqing Economic Times, viewers were concerned that Cheung's reputation would cause undue harm to children who happened to see the commercial.

Links and Sources

Beijing Morning Post (Chinese): Commercial pulled; Tang Wei may be banned from TV
Beijing Evening News via Beijing WW (Chinese): Tang Wei ad plays for a few days and then pulled
Chongqing Economic Times via Xinhuanet (Chinese): Audience complains about Cecilia Cheung commercial
Tianya movie forum (Chinese): dlm7882 on Lust, Caution ban
Earlier on Danwei: Lost in Beijing finally gets killed

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There are currently 16 Comments for Tang Wei too hot for TV.

Comments on Tang Wei too hot for TV

Wonder if this has anything to do with SARFT's rumored suspension of Tudou - were the porn clips in question from Lust, Caution?

Posted by: Joel | March 7, 2008 7:20 PM

The netizen said: it's not easy for a Chinese actress to be so open.

statements like this always amuse me as they presume both (a) that Chinese women are in every instance more chaste than non-Chinese women, and (b) that this "chastity" colors Chinese actresses' professional abilities as well, thereby inhibiting their ability to perform.

Chinese actresses who "transcend" (read "overstep") this "moral boundary," such as Tang Wei, are condemned as sluts and/or harlots. those actresses who, by contrast, struggle with or reject portrayals of female sexuality affirm the subordinate sexuality of the Chinese woman and thereby affirm the dominant-received narrative of cultural virtue.

the obverse myths of Orientalism have deep roots in China.

Posted by: b. | March 7, 2008 7:43 PM

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_cl00XMTk1NTYyNjg=.html

这是汤唯的广告！（优酷）

这则广告的逻辑是这样；

要拍片，先美白，那好，就用我这个产品。

所以让广电总局很不满。哈哈

The url above is the adrees of Tangwei'S ad show。

Posted by: hah | March 7, 2008 7:53 PM

笑的样子好奇怪。。。

Posted by: Anonymous | March 7, 2008 11:05 PM

Hmm.. Tang Wei was SARFTed....

Posted by: Jung | March 8, 2008 12:15 AM

What we really need is for those supposed real nationalist Chinese patriots on this site to get off their Tibet train and do something about the stupid SARFT. SARFT is destroying Chinese culture!!!

Jihad on SARFT!

Posted by: Arlight | March 8, 2008 12:59 AM

Joel, I really like the article. Off topic but I'm also interested in the Chinese equivalent of popular US websites and I had to go check out youku, tudou, and 6 rooms after you mentioned them. Thanks.

Posted by: Jon Pape | March 8, 2008 2:06 AM

Does this mean Tony Leung Chiu Wai is banned also? Just asking...........

Posted by: K Koerner | March 8, 2008 5:43 AM

No new developments today. Yangtse Evening News suggests that the ad may have been banned because it is modeled on Tang Wei's performance in Lust, Caution. Even though it's still a substantial overreaction, that would at least be somewhat understandable, given how SARFT operates.

But other reports say that TV stations have been instructed to pull anything pertaining to Tang Wei.

Jon Pape: there are tons of similar video websites; check out the links in this list for more information.

Posted by: Joel Martinsen

| March 8, 2008 9:55 PM

I'm female, it seems to me that how male react to this movie is completely different from female, based on the discussions, what I saw on the web.

Now, males were discussing "does love exist" on the internet after they watched Lust,Caution. It seems to them that Tang Wei's character in the movie taught them that only sex and money are important to female. Therefore, unless they got a big penis and a huge diamond ring, they can't get girls. Some of them said, all females are slut, fcuk them hard!

I guess what people say, man only think with dickhead is true?

Anyway, hope that helps some people here to understand why SARFT so hyped up against her.

PS,
I don't think Tang Wei is good looking or hot. Her smile is really weird. -.-

Posted by: Xanax | March 10, 2008 7:21 AM

"PS,
I don't think Tang Wei is good looking or hot. Her smile is really weird. -.-"---Xanax

Ni chi cu le ma?

She is hotter than a fried egg on my '77 Chevy pickup engine sweetheart.

She is so sweet I bet when she spits its pure sugar, and when she has a cold honey comes out her nose.

Long story short...those are some borderline disgusting assumptions but she is for sure kind of perty.

Posted by: FRITZ | March 10, 2008 11:42 PM

FRITZ：

没有男人，哪来的醋啊？*yawn*

Posted by: Xanax | March 11, 2008 7:33 AM

"FRITZ:
没有男人，哪来的醋啊？*yawn*"---XANAX

Oh, you speak Chinese? That's sooooo cool.
You are totally rad and tubular and awesome.

You don't need vinegar if you ain't got a man...just go to WUDAOKOU's CLub propaganda...there are plenty of meatheads there.

Posted by: FRITZ | March 11, 2008 7:09 PM

I was lucky enough to see Tang Wei in person at Beijing airport about 3 weeks ago, while we both were waiting for baggages. I am a male and I must admit that I could not move my eyes away from her for several long seconds, until I was sure that that was her. She was more than pretty.

Posted by: hf | March 11, 2008 10:04 PM

I saw Tang Wei's Ponds ad on my way home. It was shown on the huge e-board hanging outside one the commercial buildings in Tianhe district in Guangzhou. Who says that her ad has been banned? Is there anyone who can update this news?

Posted by: lilith | March 17, 2008 7:43 PM

every knows she was approached by certain male figures that have power and authority within the industry to make a starlets star shine if they were to conform to certain favours - quite frankly its disgusting - it happens in the Indian fim industry, the HK film industry and definately the chinese film industry - Tang wei declined and consequently she was punished - there are many female actresses who suffer such poor behaviour and their careers are crushed - Tang Wei is lucky because she has allread gained some fame through lust caution - thats my 2 cents

Posted by: KmanRockStar | May 7, 2009 8:51 AM

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