China

Chinese sportscaster shrugs off online rumors and pranks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-09-09 10:35

Huang Jianxiang, one of the most famous voices to Chinese youths and the country's top sportscaster, has become a bull's-eye of online rumors and pranks since he caused a nation-wide uproar for his Forza Italia outburst during the World Cup soccer finals.

The search engine of popular Chinese Internet portal Sina.com registers over one million items on the China Central Television (CCTV) commentator, including fabricated news on his private life and a dozen of short films mocking at his passionate, straight-talking style which has won him as many detractors as supporters.

One short film, "China Wins the World Cup!", parodied Jackie Chan, the Chinese team and Huang's overzealous rant during Italy's victory over Australia in a World Cup knock-out match.

"I really don't care about these Web rumors and spoofs," Huang told the Xinhua reporter in a dimly-lit, no-smoking cafe in east Beijing. "What is really annoying me is that a lot of print newspapers carry fake news about me. They have never interviewed or called me. Where did my quotes come from?"

"I am just paying the price of being famous," he added.

Huang isn't the only celebrity victim of Internet mockery.

Web spoofs have become so popular that Chinese have even coined a new slang term, "e-gao," to describe the act of using real film and sound clips to create mocking send-ups.

Among recent spoofs was a 20-minute short titled "The Bloody Case of the Steamed Bun," using clips from director Chen Kaige's big-budget epic "The Promise." Chen has filed a court complaint against spoof author Hu Ge.

As one of the best-known TV hosts and the most knowledgeable and passionate soccer commentator in China, Huang still can't hide his preference while going on air.

While commentating the Italy-Australia game in June, Huang was unable to control his enthusiasm when Italian Fabio Grosso went down in a challenge and a last-minute penalty was converted.

"Goooooal! Game over! Italy win! Beat the Australians!" he shouted. "Italy the great! Left back the great! Happy birthday to (Paulo) Maldini! Forza Italia!

"(Guus) Hiddink ...lost all his courage faced with Italian history and traditions... He finally reaped fruits which he had sown! They should go home. They don't need to go as far away as Australia as most of them are living in Europe. Farewell!"

The overzealous comments immediately drove his audience to two rivaling camps - one rooting for his passion and the other demanding his resignation.

Huang, who next day apologized for "inappropriate comments which upset and hurt the audience", said on Friday that the hoarse outburst was just "a technical mistake".

"If I hadn't shouted in a hoarse voice, the problem wouldn't have been so serious. Reviewing the recording, I don't think I stepped over the line too much," Huang said.

"Having commuted among seven out of 12 World Cup venues and live broadcasted 20 games, I was tired and lost my voice. I shouted because the broadcast seats were too noisy and my Spanish and Brazilian counterparts were all screaming, making me hardly able to hear my own voice."