Dead? No, just enjoying dinner
By Pan Zheng |
December 8, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE reports of Louis Cha's death have been greatly exaggerated.
The writer, better known to Chinese kung fu novel fans as Jin Yong, was rumored to be "deceased" on Monday night.
It was the second time he had "died" this year. The first rumors of his demise appeared in June.
The latest report, which appeared on Chinese social networking sites, said that Cha died in the "Hong Kong St Maria Hospital" at 7:07pm on December 6. The "news" spread like wildfire with some fans even uploading articles in his memory.
But a reporter then blogged that not only was the rumor false but there was no such hospital in Hong Kong.
A Hong Kong reporter called Cha's home and found the 86-year-old enjoying his dinner. Cha said he hadn't been aware of the latest rumor.
In recent years, more and more "deaths" of celebrities have been reported over the Internet.
Taiwanese novelist Chiung Yao was rumored to have died on August 8, 2007. A few days later she wrote on her blog: "Today I heard that I already passed away four days ago."
The famous scholar Yu Qiuyu was said to have died of a heart attack on May 26 this year. Several hours later, Yu said on his blog that he was "pretty fine."
And young Taiwanese singer Rainie Yang was said to have committed suicide by jumping to his death on May 6. Later that night, however, he fulfilled a public engagement.
While rumormongers are busy killing off celebrities on the Internet, some have been bringing them back to life.
Last month a rumor spread that Hong Kong actor/singer Leslie Cheung, who committed suicide in April 2003, had faked death to escape an assassination attempt. Eventually, a Shanghai PR agency admitted it had made up the rumor to impress a client.
The ruse worked. The PR agency won a 1 million yuan (US$150,000) contract because of its "excellent publicizing ability."
Liu Chunquan, a lawyer with Panocean Law Firm Shanghai, said people who spread false rumors over the Internet could lay themselves open to charges of libel.
The writer, better known to Chinese kung fu novel fans as Jin Yong, was rumored to be "deceased" on Monday night.
It was the second time he had "died" this year. The first rumors of his demise appeared in June.
The latest report, which appeared on Chinese social networking sites, said that Cha died in the "Hong Kong St Maria Hospital" at 7:07pm on December 6. The "news" spread like wildfire with some fans even uploading articles in his memory.
But a reporter then blogged that not only was the rumor false but there was no such hospital in Hong Kong.
A Hong Kong reporter called Cha's home and found the 86-year-old enjoying his dinner. Cha said he hadn't been aware of the latest rumor.
In recent years, more and more "deaths" of celebrities have been reported over the Internet.
Taiwanese novelist Chiung Yao was rumored to have died on August 8, 2007. A few days later she wrote on her blog: "Today I heard that I already passed away four days ago."
The famous scholar Yu Qiuyu was said to have died of a heart attack on May 26 this year. Several hours later, Yu said on his blog that he was "pretty fine."
And young Taiwanese singer Rainie Yang was said to have committed suicide by jumping to his death on May 6. Later that night, however, he fulfilled a public engagement.
While rumormongers are busy killing off celebrities on the Internet, some have been bringing them back to life.
Last month a rumor spread that Hong Kong actor/singer Leslie Cheung, who committed suicide in April 2003, had faked death to escape an assassination attempt. Eventually, a Shanghai PR agency admitted it had made up the rumor to impress a client.
The ruse worked. The PR agency won a 1 million yuan (US$150,000) contract because of its "excellent publicizing ability."
Liu Chunquan, a lawyer with Panocean Law Firm Shanghai, said people who spread false rumors over the Internet could lay themselves open to charges of libel.
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