This "China Replaced Opening Ceremony Singer With Cuter Mime Girl" thing is cruel and sucks ASS.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Cruelty is universal, I know...it happened in Beijing but it could have happened anywhere, including the U.S...

Every once in a while, though, a story like this pops up and reminds me of what a truly fucked world it can be some times.

End of rant. As you were. Smoke if you got 'em.

:patriot:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/12/cute-girl-mimed-opening-c_n_118349.html

China Had "Cute" Girl Mime Opening Ceremony After Singer Banned For Crooked Teeth

BEIJING — A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another little girl with a pixie smile lip-synched "Ode to the Motherland," a ceremony official said _ the latest example of the lengths Beijing took for a perfect start to the Summer Games.

A member of China's Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl's face with another's voice, the ceremony's chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.

"The audience will understand that it's in the national interest," Chen said in a video of the interview posted online Sunday night.

The news follows reports that some footage of the fireworks exploding across China's capital during the ceremony was digitally inserted into television coverage, apparently over concerns that not all of the 29 blasts could be captured on camera. China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.

The country's quest for perfection apparently includes its children.

Lin Miaoke's performance Friday night, like the ceremony itself, was an immediate hit. "Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song," the China Daily newspaper headline said Tuesday.

But the real voice behind the tiny, pigtailed girl in the red dress who wowed 91,000 spectators at the National Stadium on opening night really belonged to 7-year-old Yang Peiyi. Her looks apparently failed the cuteness test with officials organizing the ceremony, but Chen said her voice was judged the most beautiful.

[mainegreen]

1. Somehow I think crooked teeth are less embarassing than an entirely crooked ceremony. n/t

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. "Chen said her voice was judged the most beautiful..."

...wonderful way to reinforce the belief that beauty is only on the outside to a seven year old kid.

The whole thing JUST...SUCKS.

[Love Bug]

4. And the 9 year old just learned

that she doesn't need to develop any inner qualities or talents as long as she looks good. Way to go! Such values!

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. If I could wave a magic wand...

...I'd have someone who could relate to this thing...like Oprah, I don't know...pay for the plane tickets to bring that little girl and her family to the U.S. and have her sing that song, live, on U.S. TV.

That, for me, would be justice.

:toast:

[grace0418]

3. Agree all around. Additionally, WTF... that little girl is ADORABLE! Who would judge

a 7-yr-old for having crooked teeth?

[jobycom]

8. Freepers, probably. nt

[Richardo]

5. "Shooing" or "shooting"?

China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.

[LynneSin]

6. It's stuff like this that reminds me why I didn't bother watching the Olympics

Anytime you put a kid out there to sing a song it's always a hit with the Olympics. Why they felt they needed to make a cute kid 'cuter' is beyond me and oh, Earth to China - the rest of the world doesn't understand the importance.

Between shit like this and the embarassment of that idiot Bush, I'm watching reruns or just turning off the TV

[jobycom]

9. Glad I wasn't the only one angered by this. nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. I'm sick of ugly chinese people.

Why can't they be beautiful, like all the Americans on TV.