Jackie Chan says too much freedom is bad

Politics International Politics
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tv3.co.nz/TVShows/Sports/V8S … owid=16559

[quote]Jackie Chan: Too much freedom not a good thing
Jackie Chan Jackie Chan
Sat, 18 Apr 2009 7:57p.m.

Action star Jackie Chan grew up in Hong Kong’s freewheeling society, but he said Saturday that too much freedom isn’t good and he’s starting to think “we Chinese need to be controlled.”

Chan’s comments drew applause from an audience of business leaders on China’s southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum on Saturday when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society in general.

“I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not,” Chan said. “I’m really confused now. If you’re too free, you’re like the way Hong Kong is now. It’s very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic.”

Chan added: “I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want.”

AP[/quote]

Is this more than a case of getting more conservative as one gets older?

2

[quote=“Matchstick_man”]http://www.tv3.co.nz/TVShows/Sports/V8Supercars/tabid/851/Default.aspx?showid=16559

[quote]Jackie Chan: Too much freedom not a good thing
Jackie Chan Jackie Chan
Sat, 18 Apr 2009 7:57p.m.

Action star Jackie Chan grew up in Hong Kong’s freewheeling society, but he said Saturday that too much freedom isn’t good and he’s starting to think “we Chinese need to be controlled.”

Chan’s comments drew applause from an audience of business leaders on China’s southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum on Saturday when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society in general.

“I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not,” Chan said. “I’m really confused now. If you’re too free, you’re like the way Hong Kong is now. It’s very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic.”

Chan added: “I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want.”

AP[/quote]

Is this more than a case of getting more conservative as one gets older?[/quote]

He knew what was “expected” of him. Chan Dragon has made a fortune in Hong Kong, “just doing what [he] want[s].” He has to pay big brother, just like any other Chinese business man, but he does it by “representing” Hong Kong. He’s a puppet and it’s easy to see who’s hand is up his arse.

3

[quote=“Matchstick_man”]http://www.tv3.co.nz/TVShows/Sports/V8Supercars/tabid/851/Default.aspx?showid=16559

[quote]Jackie Chan: Too much freedom not a good thing
Jackie Chan Jackie Chan
Sat, 18 Apr 2009 7:57p.m.

Action star Jackie Chan grew up in Hong Kong’s freewheeling society, but he said Saturday that too much freedom isn’t good and he’s starting to think “we Chinese need to be controlled.”

Chan’s comments drew applause from an audience of business leaders on China’s southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum on Saturday when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society in general.

“I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not,” Chan said. “I’m really confused now. If you’re too free, you’re like the way Hong Kong is now. It’s very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic.”

Chan added: “I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want.”

AP[/quote]

Is this more than a case of getting more conservative as one gets older?[/quote]

No, it’s more a case of Parkinson’s, from him taking too many blows to the head.

Either that, or he’s selling out his countrymen to keep his own business interests afloat.

4

You seem to imply that he was at some point less of a wanker. I’d like to know when that was, because I’ve never considered him anything more than the sum of these typically stupid mutterings. It could be, as Housecat suggests, that he’s paying lip service to the masters in China, which is typical of HK gazillionaire toadies, who often embarrass Beijing by expressing views twenty years behind and a zillion times more repressive than their overlords, but in Chan’s case this conservatism is further addled by his chronic alcoholism. These are the kind of HK retards that typically and vociferously oppose Taiwan independence, by the way.

Boycott the fuckwit. I do.

HG

5

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]You seem to imply that he was at some point less of a wanker. I’d like to know when that was, because I’ve never considered him anything more than the sum of these typically stupid mutterings. It could be, as Housecat suggests, that he’s paying lip service to the masters in China, which is typical of HK gazillionaire toadies, who often embarrass Beijing by expressing views twenty years behind and a zillion times more repressive than their overlords, but in Chan’s case this conservatism is further addled by his chronic alcoholism. These are the kind of HK retards that typically and vociferously oppose Taiwan independence, by the way.

Boycott the fuckwit. I do.

HG[/quote]
Jesus H Christ, a bold rival raises his eee-vil crankiness appendage in a bold if possibly poorly thought out challenge to the current flob champeen of all that’s cranky, the highlander nurturer of new humans, lately arrived at (don’t matter, I’m thinkin’).

All I can think of is, I say too much crankiness ain’t ever a bad thing…although I think this latest sadly puts me out of the running. And I had my heart so set on someday out cranky-ing the status quo here. :frowning:

Never mind, I love it. Nuke the fucking popcorn, Scotty. Let the fob cranky championships proceed forth fucking with… :yay:

6

I’d sooner be a cranky old fart than a passive aggressive cunt, but then I am a fairly old fashioned sort of guy.

HG

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People always confuse freedom, democracy and doing what you want … there are laws to keep a country in check, well if the laws and regulations are enforced of course …

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I don’t think it’s him kissing up to China so much. I think it’s more of him just being an idiot, not so different from Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Paris Hilton, whatever. So the guy does good stunts, why should we then expect him to have a brain?

Incidentally, I wish someone had asked what he meant by saying Taiwan is too chaotic. Sure, the traffic is and I guess one could say the politicians are (though I think incompetent might be a better adjective), but I suspect there was no meaning at all behind his statement – just a stupid soundbite. After all, what’s so bad about too much freedom. he didn’t even explain that. I’d be curious to know, too, whether he’s ever even been to Taiwan so might have a legitimate basis for making such remarks.

Oh, well, no biggie. Another idiot celebrity. Ho hum.

9

[quote=“Mother Theresa”]I don’t think it’s him kissing up to China so much. I think it’s more of him just being an idiot, not so different from Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Paris Hilton, whatever. So the guy does good stunts, why should we then expect him to have a brain?

Incidentally, I wish someone had asked what he meant by saying Taiwan is too chaotic. Sure, the traffic is and I guess one could say the politicians are (though I think incompetent might be a better adjective), but I suspect there was no meaning at all behind his statement – just a stupid soundbite. After all, what’s so bad about too much freedom. he didn’t even explain that. I’d be curious to know, too, whether he’s ever even been to Taiwan so might have a legitimate basis for making such remarks.

Oh, well, no biggie. Another idiot celebrity. Ho hum.[/quote]

Yes, of course he’s been to Taiwan–several times. He even speaks (poorly, I’m assured) Taiwanese.

I’m pretty sure that Jackie doesn’t just wonder into these borring cattle calls. He gets invited officially. He has to show up and deliver the shoundbites as expected. I mean, If YOU were a bazillionare actor and could just do whatever you wanted–would you go to a stuffshirt meeting and wonder out loud whether such freedom is a good thing or not? Of course not. If you could just do what you want, you’d be out chasing skirt, or I don’t know, something fun or interesting to you. You do whatever-the-hell-you-wanted to do.

Now, if Jackie were known for saying other assinine things in public, I’d be with you. Jackie rarely says anything at all in public unless it’s in some kind of official role–to promote a movie, open a resturant, or spout propaganda. Once in a while he appologizes to his wife, too, but not much else is ever heard from him.

10

Sure, he’s an idiot, and an increasingly drunken dribbling buffoon, but he like all the HK toadies, he know who the piper is.

[quote]“Taiwan election biggest joke in the world” (Chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies)
Updated: 2004-03-29 11:42
Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan said Sunday that Taiwan’s recent “presidential election” was “the biggest joke in the world.”[/quote]
Chan has lived in Taiwan in addition to visiting several times. From his blog.

[quote]Finally, I can come back to Taiwan again! I think everyone already knows about the comment I made four years ago, saying the words “the biggest joke in the world” which started up a bit of a disturbance. I think it’s quite strange; I wasn’t the only person who said it was the biggest joke in the world, a lot of other people said this as well but just because the sentence came out of my mouth, many politicians openly made comments targeted against me. Also, there were politically orientated reporters who wrote biased articles or published stories with added flavorings catered to their tastes and asked if I was going to apologize. I think I have to be responsible for the things I say. Even though I wasn’t the only person who made that particular comment but at the moment, the finger pointed at me and I was named as the person who said it. I don’t really mind, I definitely won’t take back what I said, I won’t apologize, and I don’t regret it. I even made an additional comment and said, “Now, it’s not only a matter of being the biggest joke in the world, it’s the biggest joke in the universe and this joke is going down in history.” Since that incident happened, the films I made came across all sorts of difficulties when they were released in Taiwan. For example, people held banners telling other people not to watch my movies.

I’ve actually lived in Taiwan for a period of time. The reason for not coming to Taiwan over the past four years is out of my love for the place because I knew if I did step foot in Taiwan, people might throw eggs at me or people might make a big scene at the airport. This really doesn’t have much of an effect on me but it will definitely have a huge impact on Taiwan’s image; it will ruin Taiwan’s image.

Taiwan is a society with freedom of speech. Every day there are well known speakers voicing their opinions, commentators constantly criticizing other people, and people making an outcry whenever they think something is unfair but no one ever complains about these people. So why is it that when I make one comment, it becomes so serious? In fact, the biggest joke in the world is the attitude they have towards me. The things I’ve said about Taiwan or the comments I’ve personally made is just a very small matter. Compared with Taiwan’s economy or the livelihood of Taiwanese people, I am totally insignificant.[/quote]
Yeah, maybe he is just speaking his mind, but given the publicity this has attracted every single time, I aint buying it.

[quote]‘Drunk’ Jackie Chan disrupts concert
‘Drunk’ Jackie Chan disrupts concert]Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan, best known in the west for kung-fu roles in Shanghai Noon and Rush Hour, yesterday disrupted a concert by Taiwanese singer Jonathan Lee when he appeared inebriated on stage and traded insults with the crowd.
Chan leapt on stage at around 11.15pm and demanded a duet with Lee, according to reports in the local Ming Pao Daily News. He told the crowd he was drunk, then began conducting the band, stopping and restarting several times, the report said. Some of the crowd began to heckle the actor, who replied by telling them to “go to hell”. [/quote]
HG

11

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

but Jackie, I thought Chris Tucker was the wacky one?

12

Seems like the AP article left out a juicy part of Jacky’s speech.

[quote=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iXs8DgxmkD0_HXex7toJ_97Czthw”]Chan also told the forum he would not buy a television made in China because he was afraid it might explode. Instead, he said, he would buy one from Japan.

The 55-year-old’s latest film, “Shinjuku Incident”, has been banned in China for being too violent, but Chan shied away from criticising Beijing.[/quote]

Maybe he’s been drinking too much alcohol and this is his idea of sarcasm. But he surely knows that his film, “Shinjuku Incident”, will be seen on televisions around China, without any revenues from the illegal DVD sales going to support the production of his film. Seems like these guys like Chan find themselves between the proverbial rock and a hard place, and feel like they have no choice but to say what they do.

13

If Mr. Chen thinks that the Chinese can’t handle freedom and need to be controlled, which nation/ race/ethnic group does he think should be put in charge of controlling them?

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He is an actor. Stop paying attention to his politics.

15

I’m ashamed to admit it but as time goes by I too am seeing democracy less and less as the highest form of collective self-expression and more and more as the lowest common denominator.

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[quote]
Is this more than a case of getting more conservative as one gets older?[/quote]

He’s talking about China. I think they ought to be controlled too. Rampant isn’t really a bad word to describe China.

17

Should Jackie Chan have been allowed to make Rush Hour 2?

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No matter the system, scum always rises to the top. Elitists prefer to use the word ‘cream’ but cream can be skimmed so it’s also a form of skum. It just happens to be a delicious and nutritious from of scum, like Obama. That’s why Winston Churchill noted that democracy sucks but not as much as the other alternatives. You still get the scum but you can skim it.

19

In any given governance or organisational situation, a bunch of self appointed egomaniacs will be at the helm, ruining it for the rest of us. Democracy gave Britain Jacqui Smith, Margaret Thatcher and Peter Mandelson, amongst others.

However, the good point about democracy is that you don’t have to live in a forest hideout and mount an armed revolution to ‘give feedback’ to your overlords. But don’t kid yourselves that uneducated self interested masses are able choose the ‘best people’ to run anything. People vote simply for what they want so are very easily manipulated. Personally, I wish the house of Lords had more power in the UK. They are an important check against mob rule.

If China suddenly became democratic, there would be violence, poverty and lawlessness on a far wider scale than seen in recent decades. Eventually it’d settle down and become more like India. And that would be the right thing to do.

20

I call dibs on Shanghai!