Jackie Chan says US is the most corrupt country on earth

[weekz]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/14/jackie-chan-us-corruption_n_2472104.html

Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan poses for photographers during the charity premiere of his new movie "CZ12" in Hong Kong Thursday Dec. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Action star Jackie Chan incited a flurry of online backlash after declaring the United States to be the "most corrupt in the world" during an appearance on a Chinese talk show.

In a December interview that aired on Phoenix TV, Hong Kong-born Chan talked about China's corruption and compared it with problems in the U.S.

"What I can see is our country is continuously making progress and learning," Chan said of China, per a translation of the interview published by Ministry of Tofu. "If you talk about corruption, the entire world, America, has no corruption?"

When the show's host asked Chan about his statement, Chan continued thus, according to a Huffington Post translation of the interview: "Where does the Great [Depression] come from? It's precisely from the world, the United States, that it started."

The incendiary statement has drawn much criticism on Twitter and on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like micro-blogging site. Twitter curation blog Twitchy points to a few outraged tweets by Americans:

Jason Howerton@jason_howerton
Dammit... I didn't want to know that Jackie Chan loves communist China & slams "the most corrupt" country in the world, the United States.
12 Jan 13 ReplyRetweetFavorite
Jennifer Villanueva@Jellybellys78
Hey Jackie Chan, can you give us Americans back our corrupt dollars? We did go see all your movies after all.
12 Jan 13 ReplyRetweetFavorite
Chan's comments about what he perceives to be American "corruption" also captured the attention of U.S. pundits recently.

Max Fisher, a foreign affairs blogger for the Washington Post, labeled the comments as an example of Chan's "anti-Americanism" and described Chan as "passionately political, a staunch defender of the Chinese Communist Party and harsh critic of anyone he sees as opposing Beijing." Fisher continued, writing, "Like [Chan's] criticism of Taiwanese and Hong Kong democracy, it’s as much about defending China. And that defensiveness is often more about internal Chinese doubts about their country’s progress, which has come so far but still has a ways to go."

Chinese tabloid the Global Times, on the other hand, defended Chan's comments.

"Everyone has the freedom to express his view. Making too big a deal out of Jackie Chan's words may be a sign that many Americans are losing the grace to face different opinions," writes the Global Times.

This is hardly the first time Chan has made a controversial political comment. During a 2009 panel on Chinese censorship, Chan aired his own uncertainties about freedom, saying, "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

Watch the untranslated clip of Chan's appearance on Phoenix TV below.



(h/t South China Morning Post)



ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

 

[petezahut]

people get offended too easy

 

[superantigen]

The most corrupt? Ehhhh I'm willing to doubt the claim.

But were definitely up. Like Bronze medal up there.

Transparency is everything, and frankly that's something this country is seriously lacking, imo.




...

 

[powerballin]

Not offended.  Jackie is my dude. 

 

[teamjordan79]

For a second i thought it said Jackie Chain.....but

Ironic that americans get offended when someone says something critical and then proceed to laud american free speech.

 

[spidermachine916]

he must have never visited mexico

 

[teamjordan79]

he must have never visited mexico

its corrupt largely in part due to america's foreign policy though, maybe thats what he meant.

 

[itzjono]

Publicity stunt

 

[trilluminated]

Publicity stunt

i see it,

what you did.

 

[miamiboy]

So he slams America then promotes communism. View media item 218086

This is hardly the first time Chan has made a controversial political comment. During a 2009 panel on Chinese censorship, Chan aired his own uncertainties about freedom, saying, "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

We'll see if America will ever supports one of his movies again.

 

[illvine]

So, what movie does Jackie Chan have coming out soon?

 

[powerballin]

Publicity stunt

i see it,

what you did.

 

[papageorgeo510]

"America is not a country, it's a business."

 

[waitwut]

So he slams America then promotes communism. View media item 218086

This is hardly the first time Chan has made a controversial political comment. During a 2009 panel on Chinese censorship, Chan aired his own uncertainties about freedom, saying, "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

We'll see if America will ever supports one of his movies again.

he already got $$$$ dude is gonna be rich forever america supports him or not

 

[melo0115]

The power celebs have... They can literally wake up one day, say some random ish, and mostly everyones going to be talking about it....

 

[solexsup]

George Bush doesnt care about black people

 

[waitwut]

no one man should have all that power

 

[weekz]

The power celebs have... They can literally wake up one day, say some random ish, and mostly everyones going to be talking about it....

True. But unlike random BS like Taylor swift crying over a spilled latte, this is someone with influence stating a political opinion. There will always be those people who start spouting it because [insert famous person] said it. Besides it's not just any kind of political statement its one that is putting down a country that aided in his success world wide. People will have reactions.
I don't disagree with him entirely but its a strong statement and some people (im not one of them) would say dont bite the hand that feeds you.

 

[danikerhino]

Money-driven, power-driven, land of sell outs......but not the most corrupt.

 

[boris]

It's definitely more awful than a lot of people realize.

 

[xilegacy]

He is right though, whether you like it or not it's the truth.

 

[goldenchild9]

I mean just between having the highest incarcerated population in the world in a rigged system, the war in Iraq started under false pretenses and the laundry list of recent massive financial fraud incidents....his comments aren't that off base.

 

[dman14]

I always dream to square garden

 

[fantastic4our]

I mean just between having the highest incarcerated population in the world in a rigged system, the war in Iraq started under false pretenses and the laundry list of recent massive financial fraud incidents....his comments aren't that off base.

Exactly. Corporations, lobbyists, the rich and wealthy run this country.

Not really getting all the butt hurt responses to what he said.

Whether China is any better is debatable (probably not).

 

[ricky409]

"America is not a country, it's a business."

true story.

voting doesn't matter. Its about them dolla bills, homey.