Allegedly snubbed by the Taipei Cultural Foundation as not being “heavyweight” enough to make an appearance at the award ceremony at today’s Taipei Film Festival, veteran comedian Chu Ko Liang (豬哥亮) said he felt he had been trampled upon and that he would refuse to take part in this year’s Golden Bell Awards and Golden Horse Awards.
Taiwanese blockbuster Night Market Hero (雞排英雄), starring Chu and Blue Lan (藍正龍), is not being screened at the Taipei Film Festival.
When it became apparent Chu had not been invited to the award ceremony, Chinese Television System (CTS), the station producing the show, recommended that Chu be invited given his popularity and the good box office ratings of the film.
The Taipei Cultural Foundation reportedly rejected the station’s recommendation, saying Chu “is not heavyweight enough.”
Chu was furious upon being informed of the rejection and he appeared upset.
Prior to the recording of his weekly show Chu Ko Hui She (豬哥會社) on Wednesday, Chu was seen twisting and turning his right wrist, saying: “It feels like I’m going to have a stroke.”
In a self-deprecating manner, he said he should get fatter so he could be “heavyweight enough.”
Originally scheduled to be the host at the year-end Golden Horse Awards, Chu said he would not participate in the Golden Bell Awards or the Golden Horse Awards.
In response, Taipei Film Festival director Hu Yu-feng (胡幼鳳) said the whole thing was a misunderstanding, adding that “we would be overjoyed to have him [Chu].”
She admitted that the organizer did not extend an invitation to Chu, even after CTS broached the idea. A lack of action by both CTS and the organizer led to the misunderstanding, she said.
Hu said she had contacted Chu’s agent, Su Jui-huang (蘇瑞煌), to clear up the issue, while also extending an invitation for Chu to participate at the festival. Su, however, declined the offer, saying Chu would be preoccupied the whole day filming.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
RSS