After Bjork shouted: “Tibet! Tibet!” during a performance of “Declare Independence” in Shanghai (Bjork had previously used the track to promote independence in Kosovo), Chinese officials are cutting down on the acts that are allowed to play live in China.
[From Reuters] “China will ban all entertainers from overseas, Hong Kong and Taiwan who have ever attended activities that “threaten national sovereignty”
“Any artistic group or individual who have ever engaged in activities which threaten our national sovereignty will not be allowed in,” the Ministry of Culture said in a statement on its website ( www.ccnt.com.cn ).
During performances, entertainers who “threaten national unity”, “whip up ethnic hatred”, “violate religious policy or cultural norms” or “advocate obscenity or feudalism and superstition”, will also be banned, the rules state.
The new rules come on top of Beijing banning pop festivals and tightening approvals for outdoor events in the months leading up to the Olympics, where it fears security threats from unruly crowds and potential protesters.
Even encores need to be approved in advance, the ministry added.
“Nothing that has not been approved will be allowed to be performed,” it said.”
These extreme measures implemented by the “Ministry of Culture” not only seems paranoid but turns China into a J.K Rowling novel. It did however, get me thinking about which acts I wouldn’t mind seeing banned in Australia. Here’s a list off the top of my head, please feel free to add suggestions…
1) Fergie: One time crack head, and quite possibly one time man…
2) Vanilla Ice: Because novelty acts are terrible and he is THE novelty act of our generation that just won’t go away. Even the “Mambo Number Five” guy is all like “pack yo shit up Ice”.
3) Nickelback: All their songs sound like the very first song they ever did. Incidentally that one song is the musical equivalent of vomiting into a paper bag and calling it art.
4) Rogue Traders: Fuck, first we have to get them out of the country.
