Copyright not an issue for fake CCTV gala show

By Hu Deman (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-19 18:02

Organizers of the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala are in a quandary this year as lip-synching has been banned and stars are struggling to find their voices - if they ever had them.

The situation has come to a head because of a culture ministry directive last year ruling that professional performers who pretend to sing or play their instruments will have their licenses revoked.

This puts CCTV in the onerous position of having to make the most of "talent" that previously merely had to smile and mime, like mutes. According to Sohu reports, rehearsals were a "headache" as performers experienced stage fright, forgot the lyrics to songs, or sang the wrong melody.

The gala is such a big deal that just about every Chinese entertainment website has some gossip about it. Among blogs, the most interesting is one from "Xiao Hong", who purports to deliver food to the CCTV set and reveals the identity of "surprise" big-name stars. Her latest scoop suggests top model and Red Cliff actress Lin Chi-ling (pictured) will be making an appearance.

The gala director is said to be furious about the leaks that suggest the following treats in store: Lots of folk dancing, a bit of ballet, xiangsheng and various patriotic odes, including the Olympic-themed Beijing Welcomes You.

With such fare on offer it's no wonder the knock-off or "shanzhai" versions of the show are so popular. For the uninitiated, the CCTV gala is such a turn-off for so many viewers it has spawned tongue-in-cheek imitators. The best known of these is the Shanzhai Spring Festival Gala Party on "CCSTV", or China Country Side TV, featuring nobodies trying to be somebodies, novelty acts and imitators of the major stars.

The shanzhai gala idea is so popular it nearly went mainstream when Guizhou TV offered to broadcast it. In mid-December it was reported there were even discussions within CCTV of broadcasting "shanzhai stars" who imitate the likes of Andy Lau or Jay Chou (shanzhai Jay Chou pictured below). Currently, the plan is for the shanzhai gala to stream free online Jan 25.

It's ironical. CCTV will have genuine stars that really sing, but the public is more interested in shanzhai imitators. It's a trend.

Direct flights to Taiwan are not necessarily faster, a host of stars found on Tuesday as they boarded their EVA aircraft to the province. Among the 230 passengers were SHE, Wang Lee-hom, Mayday and a baby, according to the online Nownews and daqi.com blogs.

A hoax bomb threat held the flight up for two hours, extending the overall traveling time to about five hours, the same time it used to take to travel via Hong Kong in the recent bad old days of indirect flights.