Jackie Chan
But I always found Mr. Chan entertaining enough in a lighthearted way, although not nearly as much as my younger daughter. Not any more.
Last month in a Chinese TV interview only now seeing wider circulation Chan called the United States "the most corrupt (country) in the world."
Although statistics tell a different story: The Corruption Perception Index ranks China 80th with the US coming in far better at #19 among 174 countries (with No. #1 being the country with the least perception of corruption.)
Sure Jackie has a First Amendment right to say whatever he wants. Well, in the United States anyway. In China, branding that nation as "most corrupt" will get you jail time -- or run over by a tank.
He's a martial arts comedian, which was how he made his fame. I am always surprised when people compare him to Bruce Lee. It's like comparing the Harlem Globetrotters to the Celtics.
ReplyDeleteFWIW: No need to post this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mml.org/resources/information/interim/interim-results.php?nameid=114
Shaffer said he doesn't know what he will do next. "For now, I want to reassess where I am," he said. Perhaps he will do some consulting work through his company, Larry Shaffer Municipal Associates, he said.
Guess it depends on who you ask.
ReplyDeleteOf course one might fail to see just how corrupt their country is either because of nationalism or ignorance. I'd say Chan probably isn't far off. Maybe not the most but certainly up there as I see it. Of course it also depends on what you call corruption. Is getting money and favors by Congressman corruption? That doesn't make the definition so it seems but I'd say it is. Money has always caused corruption. The bankers run the world and everyone else is just a pawn to money.
I guess what bugs me the most about it is Jackie Chan has been on a few American TV talk shows and never said any such thing.
ReplyDeleteHe launches his attack from the comfort of a home court so to speak.
Kind of like that UMass professor at an Amherst Select Board meeting branding the American flag "a symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction and repression," on the night of 9/10/01.
We can take criticism. Besides, actors are not usually known for their knowledge of the world -- they are known for their acting ability. It seems to me that Mr. Chan was playing to his audience and telling them what they wanted to hear. He may indeed feel that way, but he has no problem taking the corrupt American money.
ReplyDeleteUmmmmm...Jet Li?!
ReplyDeleteKind of like that UMass professor at an Amherst Select Board meeting branding the American flag "a symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction and repression," on the night of 9/10/01.
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget that -- I seem to also remember something about the red of the flag representing the blood of oppressed peoples and the white representing white supremacy or some such thing.
I drew the line with just printing her picture but maybe we ought to have printed her home address, phone number & salary as well. Memory is that she was doing quite well on the public payroll.
As to Jackie Chan, one should ask him would he prefer to live in a country where a woman is forcibly strapped down to a table (very much against her will) and the baby inside her womb is so brutally ripped out of her that it is not uncommon for her to suffer lifelong physical consequences as a result -- or in a country where a woman can say something truly offensive knowing that no matter how much she has upset the guys in the room, we aren't just going to start pounding on her for it.
Now as to the ChiComs....
Not to veer to far off the subject, but I can't even think about the comment University of Massachusetts physics professor Jennie Traschen made that night without cringing. The worst part is she may have some good points to make, but any opinion she has now will be forever tainted because of her inability to articulate her thoughts in a productive manner.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Jackie Chan, I agree with the comments made previously. When you start gathering or taking your political advise from a comedian actor it might be time to stop watching so much TV.
I can't help but think that Jennie Traschen articulated her thoughts quite effectively and eloquently.
ReplyDeleteI just disagree with them.
Ed,
ReplyDeletewith you being fellow educator at UMass I can see why you would feel that way. Roll up your sleeves do some hard work for a living. Once you do that you will have a whole new respect for the people that built this country and the flag that it represents. Till then keep your finally educated mind stuffed in a textbook where it belongs.
In response to the person posting January 16, 2013 at 8:14 AM ---
ReplyDeleteDid you bother to read the second line, i.e. that I disagree with what Jennie Traschen said?
No, I didn't think you had....
And for the record, the MMan wrote a rather critical article of what she had said, complete with a quite unflattering picture of her.