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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Sorry, not sorry: How China's nationalistic netizens played into Malaysian rapper Namewee's hands
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Namewee is boycotted on the mainland for his 'anti-China stance', after his songs mocked the country's leader and nationalistic netizens. HONG KONG – If a picture speaks a thousand words, a removed picture shouts out even more. Controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee on July 21 took down photos he had earlier posted on Facebook of himself with actor Eric Tsang and singer Kenny Bee. This came after the two veteran Hong Kong celebrities issued formal apologies for their appearance alongside the rapper, for which they caught flak from Chinese netizens. Namewee is boycotted on the mainland for his 'anti-China stance', after his songs mocked the country's leader and nationalistic netizens. In a fresh Facebook post on the same day the pictures were taken down, Namewee shared his latest song, Letter of Apology . He cited the lyrics: 'I'm now ready to admit my mistakes/ Although it's just a small issue/ I'm willing to bow down and admit that I'm weak/ And reflect on all my foolish mistakes.' It was a master stroke: In an instant, he generated free, large-scale publicity for his most recent work, simultaneously putting on display the absurdity of the nationalistic outcry over the photos and the motivation for the artistes' apologies as implied in his new song. Namewee's initial post on July 19 had seemed innocuous enough. It was just pictures of the celebrities smiling for the camera, with his message in Chinese stating merely 'wishing you a successful performance tonight', ahead of a concert taking place that night in Genting, Malaysia. It looked and read like an innocent post from any other delighted supporter of Tsang and Bee who had been lucky enough to meet their idols in person. But it was the Chinese netizens' outrage over the post, and the pandering apologies it immediately elicited from the Hong Kong artistes who quickly sought to distance themselves from the rapper, that made it news. And Namewee cleverly capitalised on that to draw attention to his latest song, which – coincidentally or not – touches on a similar topic and had until now gone largely unnoticed elsewhere, especially on the mainland where his works are banned. With one innocuous post, and then its removal, the singer channelled outcry against him into publicity for his latest satire. The official music video for Letter of Apology shows the rapper at a press conference –speaking in mainland-accented Chinese – stating his desire to 'clarify matters' before breaking down in mock tears, bowing in apparent repentance, and crooning his 'apology' to his audience. A description – in Chinese – of the song on his official YouTube channel reads: 'After (issuing) the letter of apology, you will be propelled to fame and riches, arriving at the zenith of your lifetime… Only after writing my letter of apology, will I achieve prosperity! ' The song satirises the self-criticism and self-censorship demanded by China's hypersensitive, ultranationalistic keyboard warriors from those public figures who inadvertently offend the lucrative mainland market they cater to. Its lyrics also hint at the sense of self that some celebrities sacrifice to stay on the right side of their Chinese audiences, with one stanza stating: 'Can you accept/ That I can now only voicelessly await my fate/ No more need to wonder/ If I can still call this life my own.' Taiwan-based Hong Kong political commentator Sang Pu said he found Namewee's self-censorship of the photos and his subsequent post sharing his music video a 'brilliant' move. 'Namewee's deletion of the pictures caused them to be more widely circulated,' Mr Sang told The Straits Times. 'The photos resulted in the apologies from Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee, which then allowed Namewee to publicly juxtapose the two artistes' letters of repentance against the scenario depicted in his song.' 'From this, we can see how sharp-witted and humorous Namewee is,' he added. Muar-born Namewee, 42, also known as Wee Meng Chee or Huang Mingzhi, made his name producing songs that poke fun at sensitive political issues . He has been blacklisted in China since 2021, after the release of his ballad single Fragile, which contains barbed references to President Xi Jinping and issues including the country's tight censorship . In 2023, Namewee revealed that he was banned from performing in Hong Kong as well. Tsang's July 21 apology on Weibo, while not directly naming Namewee, expressed regret over the 'unintentional mistake' of having taken a photo with 'a certain person' whose background he had been 'unaware of'. 'As a Chinese citizen, I've always been committed to safeguarding our country's dignity and national sentiment,' Tsang wrote in Chinese. 'If I had known (his background), I would never have had any contact with him.' Bee issued an almost-identical apology on his own Weibo account. Tsang, 72, who has been in the show business since the 1980s, is general manager of Hong Kong's biggest television broadcaster TVB, which is expanding significantly in mainland China. Bee, also 72, was lead vocalist of Hong Kong 1970s pop group The Wynners and has in recent years taken on several minor acting gigs produced in mainland China. The two artistes' grovelling apologies are just the latest illustration of the pressures that celebrities can face even when they are not major players in the mainland market. But their eagerness to clarify the matter could also be linked in part to the additional spectre of a national security law over Hong Kong society. Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 after mass anti-government protests in 2019 and early 2020. Hong Kong subsequently introduced its own such legislation in 2024. The emphasis on national security in the city since then has resulted in its people increasingly policing their opinions made in public. Under Hong Kong law, sedition can also cover anything that incites 'hatred, contempt, dissatisfaction or disaffection' with the authorities. While it is clear that Tsang and Bee have not contravened any law, appearing to be aligned with Namewee whose work mocks China – however tenuous the link – could still potentially cause a rift not just with their mainland business partners and supporters, but also among those in Hong Kong. Ultimately, though, the artistes' main motivation for their apology is essentially 'greed', according to Mr Sang. 'The reason (Tsang and Bee) allowed themselves to be controlled by their entertainment companies and to publish the formal apologies scripted for them, is because of the money they still hope to make off their mainland audiences,' he said. 'This is a choice they must make: Would they prefer to eat standing (by their own principles), or do they want to eat on their knees (at the mercy of others).'
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kenny Bee and Eric Tsang distance themselves from Namewee to avoid China's wrath
22 Jul - Kenny Bee and Eric Tsang are not very subtle when it comes to freeing themselves from the wrath of mainland netizens, as they swiftly apologise for taking photos with controversial performer Namewee. The singer and the producer, who were spotted in a photo shared by Namewee after he met them prior to their Malaysian "Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years" concert at Resorts World Genting on 19 July, released their individual statements, with Kenny saying that he was not aware of Namewee's controversies. Stating that the photo was just purely a courtesy interaction, he added, "If I had known his position earlier, there would have never been any contact." He then took a photo holding the statement to show his sincerity and clear position, and signed his name in the blank space of the statement to show that he agreed with the content. Eric Tsang also echoed similar sentiment on Weibo, saying, "If I had known about the relevant situation in advance, I would never have had any contact. This incident was purely an unintentional mistake, and in no way does it mean that I have any support or agreement with that person's views. Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone." It is noted that Namewee has been banned in China after releasing a song called "Fragile", which went viral in 2021. The song satirises the social issues in China, the political status of Taiwan, as well as many other issues. (Photo Source: SCMP, HK01)
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Namewee uses group photo scandal to publicise his work
22 Jul - Controversial Malaysian entertainer Namewee didn't seem to be bothered by Kenny Bee and Eric Tsang distancing themselves from him following the recent backlash over their photo together. The singer, whose photo with the two Hong Kong legends sparked the wrath of Chinese netizens and prompted both Hong Kong icons to issue a statement denouncing any involvement with him, revealed on social media that he has already deleted the said photo. He expressed, "To avoid affecting the 'Motherland's' peace and stability, and for the safety of our comrades in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong, we have deleted the previous group photo post... Please, I sincerely ask all netizens not to question me about why I did this. If you want to ask someone, go ask your boss." He then said, "To the netizens in Hong Kong: You guys are seriously f****ing amazing," and added a slew of laughing-crying emoji. He later used the attention from the media and public alike to promote his song "Letter of Apology" on Instagram Story and wrote, "And now, I've decided to admit my fault. This was nothing more than a minor storm. I lower my head, bravely show vulnerability, and harshly criticise my own foolishness..." It was earlier this week that Kenny Bee and Eric Tsang decided to release their statement of apology to mainland netizens, after they were criticised for having a picture of them taken with the singer, who is known to be a big critic of China's policies. (Photo Source: Namewee FB, HK01, SCMP)
South China Morning Post
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How 1982 Hong Kong action comedy Aces Go Places hit on the right formula for success
The five Aces Go Places action comedies shot by production company Cinema City in the 1980s represent one of Hong Kong's most successful film series. The first film, directed by Eric Tsang Chi-wai and starring Karl Maka, Sam Hui Koon-kit and Sylvia Chang Ai-chia , took a massive HK$27 million at the box office in 1982. A record number of people, equivalent to 40 per cent of Hong Kong's population, bought tickets to see it. The film's contemporary milieu and mix of dangerous stunts, action, slapstick, James Bond -like gadgets and goofy sitcom humour were new, and viewers loved its exaggerated characterisations. Maka's fumbling but good-natured detective, Baldy, was especially popular, and he became a pop-culture icon as the series progressed. Play 'Set against the backdrop of Hong Kong's then-economic boom, the abundance of exhilarating action scenes, in particular the deadly stunts by Ko Shou-liang in flying his motorbike through the windows of a skyscraper, thrilled movie-goers,' noted May Ng Kwan-yuk of the Hong Kong Film Archive.
The Star
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Eric Tsang, Chin Ka-lok & more to hold concert in Genting Highlands on July 19
Hong Kong actors Eric Tsang (left), Chin Ka-lok and more are set to perform in Genting Highlands on July 19. Photos: China Press, Chin Ka-lok/Instagram Hong Kong variety show Super Trio is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special live concert on July 19 at the Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting. Leading the milestone event is none other than the show's original host Eric Tsang, who will also be joined on stage by fellow actors Chin Ka-lok, Louis Yuen, Mayanne Mak and Kirby Lam. Fans can look forward to a night filled with laughter, nostalgia and surprises as the cast brings back some of the show's most memorable game segments, alongside exciting new ones. Attendees also stand a chance at receiving exclusive 30th anniversary memorabilia to commemorate the occasion. Since its debut in 1995, Super Trio quickly rose to become one of the most beloved variety programmes in both Malaysia and Hong Kong. The show initially ended its run with the airing of the final episode on Jan 12, 2014, but was revived eight years later in 2022 with the new series Super Trio Returns . Tickets for Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years, priced between RM388 and RM1,068, are now available for GRC Gold Members and above, as well as Visa cardholders. Public sale will be available via on from June 3, noon onwards.
