[By Zhou Tao/Shanghai Daily]
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[By Zhou Tao/Shanghai Daily] |
A couple of years ago I wrote an apology for Zhao Benshan, a rustic comedian accused of low taste and obscenity.
I pointed to the need for tolerance of an uneducated performer's eagerness to entertain China's multitudes of peasants. They deserve to enjoy some light moments from time to time.
Today no one dares accuse of Zhao of being low-brow.
He is now the boss of a media group, a fancy restaurant, and an exclusive club.
To enter that club costs a minimum 180,000 yuan (US$28,500) membership fee.
That's a huge sum, though insiders comment that Zhao's club membership fee is not particularly prohibitive in comparison with similar clubs mushrooming in the capital.
Still, the inauguration of the club on August 16 caused a great sensation.
A glamorous Hong Kong superstar who was involved a few years ago in a leaked sex video scandal was transported in Zhao's 200-million yuan (US$31.3 million) private jet to add luster to the already star-studded opening ceremony.
To ease traffic for the troop of visiting luminaries attending the ceremony in the heart of the capital, a bus lane was taken out of operation and turned into a dedicated VIP limousine lane.
While 54-year-old Zhao was hobnobbing with those dignitaries, he had already experienced a metamorphosis, from a humble, rustic skit performer to an entertainment tycoon mired in luxury.
In this metamorphosis, Zhao's native simplicity and rustic qualities have been totally bleached away by commercial capital.
The explosive growth in his wealth has afforded the shrewd entertainer a unique insight into the interplay between money and power in a country breathless for growth.
A club, named after a character in his successful TV serial comedy, would intensify that interplay.
Does he still remember those peasants whose simple laughs first built his fortune?