Barbie Hsu schemes her way into showbiz

Summer’s Desire got off to a disappointing start last week, but Barbie Hsu and company will be back again this Sunday with even more intense drama. Her character is in the midst of competing for a chance to debut as a singer, while Huang Xiao-Ming re-enters her life as a superstar who might be after her for revenge. Before she gets her big break, the aspiring singer will first get kidnapped and then rescued by Peter Ho. And despite being hurt, our heroine is in no rush to cover her wounds, because she will use them gain the sympathy of judges who will be deciding her fate...

In real life, Barbie Hsu faced her own challenge when she recorded the song “Diamond” for Summer's Desire.  The insert track was written by her friend Mavis Fan, and its jazz-like arrangement required a husky voice to perform. Barbie Hsu spent two days in the recording studio but was unsatisfied with her singing. In the end, she drank some alcohol and completed the recording by deliberately lowering her voice. Unfortunately, the actress got a sore throat as a result which took a month to recover.

Barbie Hsu was also the subject of criticism after the drama's first episode went on air. Netizens are not complaining about her acting, but rather it was her make up that bothered them. There were comments about her eye makeup being too dark and gloomy, while her brows were too thick. Barbie Hsu responded through her manager, “That is in fact the real face of (her character) Yin Xia-Mo.” In the original novel, it describes Yin Xia-Mo as someone with “ivory skin, black hair flowing like seaweed, and eyes that are like sea water, but they remain cold even when she smiles.”

(A die-hard Da S fan like myself should know that the secret of her wicked brows is a magic potion called Rogaine, as mentioned in her best-selling beauty guide -- 美容大王)

Here's "Diamond" from deerhannah's Channel


Source: Appledaily, deerhannah's Channel

[Read More...]

Alyssa Chia’s ex-husband wants half of her income

There seems to be no end to the real life melodrama for actress Alyssa Chia(賈靜雯) and her ex husband. For those who haven’t been following the story, she is in an ugly custody battle with her ex that spans across from Taiwan to the US. Rumors are circulating that he is now asking for 26 million (NTD) from her, which would make this a very, very pricey divorce…

Back in April of 2009, Alyssa Chia held a press conference and asked for the return of her daughter. The girl was apparently taken to the US by her husband. Some netizens thought it was a publicity stunt after photos of the couple shopping with their daughter surfaced. The short-lived family image ended when their custody battle was taken to court. She was rumored to have won the case, and is now preparing for her divorce.

Her husband Sun Zhi-Hao is said to be asking to split the couple’s belongings in half. He initially requested 46 million (NTD), as his lawyer Chang Nai-Liang once said, “Sun Zhi-Hao gets half, Alyssa Chia gets half, that house is now worth approximately 40 million.” After deducting expenses, Sun is asking for at least 26 million. He claims that Alyssa Chia’s earnings from endorsements and acting over the past 4 years are worth a minimum of 100 million, and their request is reasonable. Alyssa Chia is reportedly dumbfounded by the news. She said she fell in love and it was her choice in the beginning, so there was nothing else to be said.

The couple welcomed their daughter in 2005.

Entertainer Fang Fang commented, “I was thinking why he asked for so little, why he only asked for 26 million, and not 62 million? If you want money then you should ask for more! And (he) is talking about the law, how much money can the law get you. You are a big man, did you give your wife any money you earned?”

Alyssa Chia attended a charity event recently after disappearing for 8 months.  She revealed she is preparing for her daughter’s return as she is about to start school. Unfortunately, it looks like her headaches are far from over with the on-going custody case and the impending divorce. It was a different story five years ago when her marriage to a rich family was envied by many. Only time will tell who is the biggest loser out of this real life drama.

[Correction was made to above article: Alyssa Chia's official statement today mentioned that the couple has in fact signed a divorce agreement back in 2006.]

Source: Nownews

[Read More...]

Jody Chiang becomes a packaging worker for Jay Chou

The Queen of Taiwanese Music recently brought the servers down when tickets went on sale for her concerts in October. Nevertheless, Jody Chiang( 江蕙) still found time to drop by Jay Chou's JVR Music when she’s not creating havoc on the Internet.

Some lucky fans might get a copy of Jay Chou's album packaged by Jody Chiang herself...

Unfortunately the boss himself was nowhere to be seen, to which the staff joked, “Superman is out in his Batmobile rescuing people.” Jody Chiang wrote in her blog, “Seeing that everyone is busy with packaging President Chou’s The Era album, and still have to look after a “special guest” like myself… …(I) heard the albums are out of stock already. Wa! Superman is amazing. I’ll disregard my status as a special guest, and join force with the packaging!”

She also praised President Chou’s maturity, “Seeing him in recent TV interviews, (I) realized he has matured, and not impulsive anymore. His personality of always helping people, during this incident, it…” She implied that Jay Chou showed his maturity in dealing with the Monkey-King girl scandal. But the songstress also didn’t forget to take a shot at him, “Can I get a ride in the Batmobile?”

Source: Appledaily

[Read More...]