This guy has guts. And I like him for a bunch of reasons.
For those who don’t know, Hong Laowai (means “Red Foreigner”) has been a bit of an internet celeb over the past year. He stands in front of a webcam, and belts out the most ridiculous old communist propaganda tunes. But you can see he’s having a good time with it, and a lot of it is tongue-in-cheek.
Unlike Dashan, I like Hong Laowai because he knows he’s being ridiculous. Today I found Hong Laowai again in the headliner spot on youku, and it’s not the first time. He’s finally taken his act to China. Not only that, but he has the stones to march down through the middle of Shanghai wearing this green commie get-up, and belt out a few tunes.
Awesome stuff.
p.s. I predicted this
More: Shanghaiist: An Afternoon with Hong Laowai
The Newfie-in-the-know, the Pandasteak himself... From the rocky cold shores of Eastern Canada to the rocky cold shores of Dalian - Rick brings some small-town wit and insight to the Lost Laowai blog. He can now be found in Japan where he begins every sentence with "When I was in China..."
I read that Shanghaiist article a couple days ago and it’s a bit perturbing to read he actually buys into it. I mean, I guess it sorta legitimizes his shtick, but his excuse for it – that recent events have galvanized sides (pro/anti China) – is bunk. If you’re going to pick a side and bring attention to that national identity, it can’t help things that you’re promoting the thoughts and ideas of a mad man.
Someone’s eventually going to get red guard on his ass when they figure out he’s just doing it for the ladies.
What is so interesting about a shameless attention seeker who has no apparent talents other than okay Chinese and a bad singing voice?
That guy has nerves. Seems to me that it is mostly younger people who laugh? I’m wondering what some elders who have seen those guys with red armlets are thinking (and how they remember them in action). He shouldn’t do that.
Is he a Communist Steven Colbert?
I don’t buy it, all seems a bit disrespectful to be honest.
And if some Chinese guy marched through Paris in a Nazi uniform?
This guy is a dick, and the best thing that could happen is if a bunch of sane laowai take him aside for a good “talking too”.
Maybe a programme of cultural re-education is needed.
Fantastic! If my spoken/sung Chinese was up to it I’d be out there too. Very funny!
To me it’s always been refreshing that the Cultural Revolution, and its song, dance, and clothing styles have become one element of Chinese history which people can look back and laugh on a bit. The point not being that laughing at in event which negatively affected so many people should trivialize the events themselves, but rather it is one small example of Chinese self-reflection in which events of the past were so ridiculous that it is now socially acceptable to mock them. In that regard, I think hong lao wai is F-ing hilarious, and like the author says, he knows he’s being ridiculous. So in honor of Hong Lao Wai…毛主席万岁！
He’s an attention seeker, plain and simple and he’s chosen to suck up to nationalistic pride in China.
Nationalism is a bad thing in any country in the world; which he needs reminded of. The problem is, he does buy into the propaganda (and the pussy). I’ve met quite a few Laowais who came here because of the two P’s too.
This moron spreads the stereotype that we are singing dancing cardboard clowns. It’s just wrong on so many levels.
He’s an annoyance and should be just ignored. Hopefully he’ll snap out of his delusions … I doubt it.
Hey Nedzer, chill out man! have a little sense of humor. I am glad that Honglaowai can stand in a crowded city in China today and mock Mao. Right of wrong with the education reform, it is a part of China and the Chinese as a whole. Just like the Japanese concentration camp in the U.S. during world war II. Peace! Kudo to HLW.
Hong Laowai is hillarious! He is great! He has more balls than all the saps that usually go to China. Its total SNL style laughs. Doesn’t anyone have a sense of humor anymore? Its too bad so many people have to be so damn serious about China, like a kind of Red Political Correctness. He’s helping the Chinese (and westerners too!)to learn to laugh at themselves and relax.
It’s interesting that Honglaowai hasn’t been heard of again (at least on YouTube) since this video was posted 1.5 years ago.