14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES Pauline Lan, Taiwan’s answer to Madonna. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES Chu Ko Liang’s (豬哥亮) the retail outlet, which Next commercial for consumer Magazine partially ascribes electronics retailer Tsann to Yang having turned down a Kuen Enterprise Co (3C, 燦 dinner invitation from Breeze 坤) has proven to be a hit. The boss Henry Liao (廖鎮漢). She advert, for air conditioners, reportedly faces the prospect makes use of Chu’s talents of shelling out NT$7 million for for impersonation and double violating her contract, a sum entendre. her agent says vastly exceeds It seems that the comedian what Breeze paid her. cannot help but sail close to Yang, who was much touted the wind, and Jerry Fan (范 for her “boldness” in photo 可欽), a friend of Chu’s who shoots, has also suffered from helped negotiate this comeback a comparison with Maria gig, said he hoped that the Ozawa, the Japanese porn star A Love Story About Taipei and Shanghai is a musical about love on National Communications who was recently in Taiwan to both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Commission (國家傳播通訊委員 promote the new slasher flick PHOTO COURTESY OF TAIPEI PHILHARMONIC FOUNDATION FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION 會) would not take exception Invitation Only (絕命派對). to the incorporation of a line Yang was supposed to engage in the commercial that is in some girl-on-girl action almost an exact homophone with Ozawa, but according to for a Chu catchphrase the Next the scene was shot using Cross-strait relations funnyman had previously been a different actress because warned off using on air. The the two fostered a mutual Jan Tien-hao (冉天豪) grew up listening to music dislike for each other. Yang Monkey Pilot’s lead singer Tony Wang, left, goes bananas on stage. PHOTOS: ALITA RICKARDS sentence “leng liang ka hou” that was popular in Taiwan and China during the 冷涼卡好 is also reported to have been ( ), sounds, as spoken 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. somewhat shocked by Ozawa’s in the ad, almost identical to The 37-year-old composer said he chose songs hard-core credentials, which go the banned catch phrase “lin from that era for the musical A Love Story About nia ka hou“ (恁娘卡好), which very much further than flashing Shanghai and Taipei (上海台北雙城戀曲), beginning a bit of thigh in a fashion shoot. can be translated as anything Monkey business tonight at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, as much to It’s not all hard slog for from “how’s your mother?” to evoke nostalgia in the audience as it to attract a those working in the enter- “your mother’s alright!” and the hen Monkey Pilot (猴子飛行員) gets on stage, onto the dance floor grooving and rocking. younger generation to the theater. tainment industry, though. connotations that might arise it’s easy to see how the group’s warm, fun Wang’s physical presence — tall, broad, large “Young people hate these songs when they are One woman who seems to be from this statement. energy draws the audience in. It doesn’t — combined with his powerful voice and passionate growing up,” he said. “But I’ve re-arranged [the getting the breaks is 44-year- Apple Daily quoted Tsann Wmatter who plays before the band, Monkey Pilot is performance brings the crowd to life. Erin Wang (王昱人) songs] in a way that I hope can appeal to them.” old (藍心湄). The Kuen Enterprise general Pauline Lan relaxed and exudes an easygoing vibe. The music has a plays drums provides a kicking, energetic rhythm, with If the three musical numbers performed at a 閻俊傑 homely TV host likes her men manger Jerry Yen ( ) Seattle-grunge feeling initially reminiscent John Chen (陳自強) on guitar, Yao Yu (余光燿) on bass, press conference on Wednesday afternoon, which young, and her relationship as saying that sales of air of Soundgarden, which rocks out into and Zane Yang (楊聲錚) on acoustic guitar. included a heart-wrenching rendition of Sweet conditioners had doubled in with 28-year-old pretty boy heavy metal guitar noodling at times. All five come from different musical Honey Honey (甜蜜蜜), are anything to go by, they (郭彥均) might go the week since the television Anthony Kuo Add to that charming lead singer backgrounds: hard rock; alternative and metal; should do just that. someway to showing that not advertisement went to air. Tony Wang (王湯尼) with his “Get on funk; and blues and reggae. When they play a The musical features the Taipei Philharmonic everyone in the celebrity firma- up!” James Brown funk show, they like everyone to dance and “get crazy,” Chamber Choir (台北愛樂室內合唱團) and Taipei ment is fixated on age. And this voice, and you said Wang. “We want to talk about life, hard life, Philharmonic Theater (愛樂劇工廠) performing is hardly a one-off coup, for have a sound easy life — funny things.” with Qi Qi (齊奇), a well-known opera singer Lan has a solid track record in that gets In Taiwan it can be difficult making money from from Shanghai. the cradle-snatching depart- the playing in a band, but the members of Monkey Pilot Taiwanese performers include Chang Shih-pei ment. The relationship doesn’t crowd dismiss the idea that one should focus on making (張世珮), Chung Hsiao-tan (鍾筱丹) and Aska Yang seem to be doing Kuo’s career up money first and having fun later. “If for 10 years (楊宗緯) of One Million Star (超級星光大道) talent much harm either and his you only think about money then your mind is like show fame. modus operandi isn’t unique. dead water — you have money but don’t know Directed by Hsieh Shu-ching (謝淑靖), A Love Basketball star (何 Sam Ho what is fun,” said Wang. Story About Shanghai and Taipei is a lavish 守正), who has signed on as a To avoid this mental stagnancy, the band has production about love and loss. It tells the story of new spokesman for Taiwan Chu Ko Liang: from fame to obscurity come up with a Monkey Pilot philosophy based on Pei-pei (裴裴), a young woman living in contempo- Beer, could be reading from the and back again. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES early space exploration programs, when monkeys rary Taipei who travels to Shanghai for a vacation same rule book as Kuo as he is were launched into space as a prelude to manned and falls in love with a man named Gao-yang (高楊). reportedly riding the skirt tails The commercial has space flight. According to the Monkey Pilot Pei-pei carries a black and white photograph of a successful woman to fame found favor on video-sharing conception, monkeys don’t know fear — they of her grandfather that was snapped before he and fortune. His long rumored Web sites, with viewer only know that if they go somewhere and do fled to Taiwan in 1949. When she shows it to Gao- association with Mando pop comments predominantly something they will get a banana. yang, he is astounded to see his grandmother in diva (張惠妹) has never supporting Chu’s return to the A-mei The basic message the band tries to get the same image. been fully acknowledged or entertainment world. A post across is that you don’t have to be perfect The photo serves as a vehicle to shift the denied by either party, but on YouTube by Stare7500 put at anything in order to do it, said Wang. narrative focus back to when the Chinese according to observers at Next, it nicely: “We’ve had so many “[W]ith no fear you have power, you can do Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to Taiwan after Ho has been holding to the titty ads, finally a Taiwanese ad it and be good at it.” losing the Chinese civil war — a time when lovers 看 straight and narrow recently. that is the real thing. Great.” ( The secret, said Wang, is not to think too much: “What- and families were separated by events beyond 了那麼多乳的廣告,終於看到台灣拍 His good behavior has brought ever goes on, the monkey feels fine.” — ALITA RICKARDS their control. 一點像樣的廣告了,讚.) This refers him fully into A-mei’s charmed — NOAH BUCHAN to the flurry of debate over circle, and if nothing else, his advertising slots by sex kittens career in showbiz is looking up. Yaoyao (瑤瑤) and Shushu (舒 In other romantic news, PERFORMANCE NOTES: THEATER NOTES: 舒), both of whom rely on their Next has revealed its report on bongos’ powers of persuasion the divorce between actress What: A Love Story About Taipei and Shanghai (上海 • 台 伊能靜 rather than acting prowess to Annie Yi ( ) and Harlem What: Monkey Pilot (猴子飛行員) with La Petite Nurse 北—雙城戀曲) 庾澄慶 promote products. Yu ( ) being finalized was (小護士) WHERE: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505, Chu would do well to based on false information, WHERE: Underworld (地下社會), B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號) remember, however, that the which was “leaked” to get the (台北市師大路45號B1) WHEN: Today at 7:30pm and tomorrow at 2:30pm world of celebrity endorse- media off their backs. Whether WHEN: Tonight at 9pm ADMISSION: NT$400 to NT$2,000 tickets, available ments is a fickle one. Take it’s official or not, the two ADMISSION: NT$300, includes one drink through NTCH ticketing aspiring model Liz Yang (楊莉 seem now to be well and truly 思) for example. The Guate- embarking on their separate malan-Taiwanese model, who romantic paths with Sina.com attained some prominence (新浪) running photos of Yi through a short-lived involve- snapped enjoying a late night TOP FIVE MANDARIN ALBUMS APRIL 24 TO APRIL 30 Li Li-wei (李立崴) and You (你) with 8.4% ment with singer David Tao (陶 out with an unnamed man and 3 喆) and as spokeswoman for Next reporting that Yu has Taipei’s Breeze Center (微風廣 found consolation “in the arms Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) and Butterfly (潮男正傳) with 24.82 % Compilation album K.O.