Actors put reputations at risk
On Oct. 5, President William Lai (賴清德) said in his Double Ten National Day gala address at the Taipei Dome that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had just passed its 75th anniversary, while the Republic of China (ROC) was celebrating its 113th anniversary.
In terms of age, “it is impossible for the PRC to be the motherland of the ROC,” Lai said.
Following the ceremony, Taiwanese Internet discourse for the most part consisted of a single chorus of approval and support, but there were also “little pink” Chinese Communist Party sympathizers who launched a commenting crusade, calling Lai’s actions a “provocation.”
The president’s address was not at all a “provocation” — it was a clarification. He was clearly and firmly telling Taiwanese that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation.
In the Netflix series Seqalu: Formosa 1867 (斯卡羅號), Golden Bell and Golden Horse television and film awards recipient and veteran actor Wu Kang-ren (吳慷仁) played the role of Tsui-a (水仔), a mixed-heritage, ethnic Han born and raised in Taiwan. In the series, Tsui-a tried to navigate and assuage the conflicts between the Hoklo, Hakka, highland indigenous groups and foreigners.
He did not hesitate to bark like a dog if it meant his own survival. He even used the seasonal changes of the Taiwan mulberry tree as a metaphor to explain how the fates of Taiwanese would change after foreign invaders arrived.
It appears Wu completely forgot his lines from the show after taking his awards home, as he seems to have thrown his lot in with the Chinese entertainment industry.
Chen Mu-yi (陳慕義) is also an actor, and Golden Bell and Golden Horse awards recipient. Chen has long been blacklisted for his clear support and love for Taiwan, which led to him losing acting deals and landing him in dire financial straits.
However, “even though I’m living on skid row, I would not change loyalties,” he said of his experience.
“I would not even sell out for a bowl of rice. If I did, I would have a burdened conscience,” he said.
Chen has received a lot of praise and support from Taiwanese for such patriotic sentiment and spirit. There are many patriotic artists and performers within Taiwan who love their country, such as singer Bobby Chen (陳昇).
Despite being blacklisted from the entertainment industry in China, they have won the eternal admiration of many fellow Taiwanese.
These days many of Wu’s former fans are likely having similar thoughts. They used to have a lot of hope that he could elevate his performances to the next level, but today, they must be feeling dejected from what he has said and done. Perhaps they are hoping they could forget about him.
Long ago, people used to say that “copper coins and possessions are not worth much more than dirt, but one’s reputation is worth a fortune.”
Well-known artists should keep this saying in mind.
Views and thoughts might differ from person to person, but artists and performers who do not have their own thoughts do not endure. Indeed, they are so-called heroes who lose heart and give up. Times and trends create heroes and idols, but sometimes they can break them.
Chen Hsueh-chiang
Taipei
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