Matter of honor and duty to care

It is probably better to let the market decide the exact fallout from celebrity scandals. When a Hong Kong film actor offended a large swathe of mainland netizens, they called a boycott of his new movies, and his two recent releases ended up with dismal box-office grosses.

Had the government stepped in, it would have been apolitical incident with inevitable negative repercussions. Likewise, it would be on shaky legal ground if regulators pushed for a ban, no matter how temporary, on Huang Haibo's film or television work.

However, if producers and couch potatoes decide to reject Huang, it would be a different matter. They represent market forces and who can argue with them in a market economy, even an imperfect one? They may prod him to take on less than positive roles.

They may forget about the incident when news candals break out, as is so often the case. Some cynics have even predicted he may even try to cash in on his newly gained notoriety, although I think that is unlikely.

The incident probably said more about the changing mores of a nation in transition than an individual caught fooling around. As in most countries, China has a wide spectrum of attitudes toward sexual activities such as prostitution, ranging from calling for legalization to utter rejection as moral degradation. Only when a personage like Huang is involved does it turn into a circus act.

Coincidentally, Hugh Grant, who was one of the featured luminaries for this year's Shanghai Film Festival, was caught in a similar act in 1995 while he was in Los Angeles.

Not only did he have a healthy public image, but he had a beautiful partner at home. People simply could not understand his predilection. Yet, after an appearance on a late-night talk show, in which he offered no excuses, he was largely forgiven and his career went on seemingly unaffected by it.

No one knows how long the wind will blow over Huang's head, or if everything will be restored to its original order. We live in a world where pristine views are constantly challenged and uncomfortable realities surface ever so often.

Many have adjusted their attitudes due to multiple factors. The fact that Huang is a popular actor is not the only one, not anymore.