'Karma' remark leads to boycott of yoga lover Sharon Stone
50-year old Hollywood siren of 'Basic Instict' is known for her affinity to Yoga and Budhism. Perhaps, it's her karma that led her to say nasty things against China. Now, China is gearing up to boycott Hollywood actress Sharon Stone over her 'Karma' comment in which she said that the devastating May 12 earthquake in China could have been the result of China's bad karma for its treatment of Tibet. There has been a strong reaction in China, leading to Stone's apology. "My erroneous words and deeds angered and saddened the Chinese people, and I sincerely apologise for this," she said.
The Beijing Times on Wednesday, May 27, quoted Ng See-Yuen, founder of the UME Cineplex chain, as saying that from now on, no film featuring Stone would be shown in any UME cinema in Hong Kong or the mainland.
UME boycott of Sharon Stone could be effective. They have branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou- China's biggest urban movie markets. Others are likely to follow.
Sharon Stone, according to reports, has at least four movies in the pipeline, including "Streets of Blood," "Five Dollars a Day" and "The Year of Getting to Know Us."
"I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else," Stone said Thursday during Cannes Film Festival, speaking to Hong Kong's Cable Entertainment News. "And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?" she said.
Chinese are furious. They are likely to up the ante. The Beijing Times reported that the Chinese public relations company for cosmetic and couture giant Christian Dior -- which uses Stone extensively in its advertisements -- had distanced itself from her remarks. Dior boutiques in major Beijing department stores that had until recently featured advertisements with Stone's image had also removed these images by late Tuesday, the paper reported.
China adored Sharon Stone
Interestingly, Sharon Stone was quite popular in China. See, what China Daily said about her a year ago: "Sharon Stone is a lot more than just an ambassador for Dior, she's also a champion of the poor, speaks a lot of sense and at 49-years-old the mother of three is still drop-dead-gorgeous. She is beautiful and Stone perfectly epitomizes the saying that things only get better with age," wrote Michelle Zhang in the China Daily June 17, 2007.
The earthquake struck south-west China on 12 May, leaving almost 68,000 people dead, with another 20, 000 still missing.
Sharon's apology
and deeds angered and saddened the Chinese people, and I sincerely apologise for
this," she said in a statement issued by Dior China.
"I'm willing to participate in any earthquake relief activity and to do
my utmost to help Chinese people affected by the disaster," she added.
China.
remarks have triggered, Dior China has decided to immediately cancel and stop
any advertisements, marketing campaigns and commercial activities associated
with Sharon Stone," Dior said.
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Sharon Stone apology
Well, when the financial dollars are at stake, we see that a company WILL distance itself from this type of remark.
It is very immature, to say the least, for someone who obviously has a media presence to play -- pardon the pun -- being in the karmic driver's seat over a whole country.
Perhaps the Chinese have other perspectives that should be given as much media time as Sharon's remarks, which obviously now that she is removed from China ads, we see have made Dior think twice.
Take a look at the Annual Report to Shareholders, I wonder if those shareholders also agree with Sharon Stone.
I will be contacting Dior headquarters in Paris to remind them that their business goes beyond selling things, it goes to the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility and behavior of its images who are walking around and maybe not representing all shareholders views.
Thanks, Richard Jordan
Sharon Stone karma comment
Sounds rather superficial to me, wondering how MUCH Sharon knows about karma, or about China. I have not looked for donations from Hollywood celebrities to China earthquake relief, but I do recall after September 11, 2001, many Hollywood folks donated money -- Julia Roberts I recall giving something like $2 million.
How much has Hollywood donated to help the Chinese? And just wondering, since I am no expert either on karma -- all the people who lost children, children losing parents -- did all THESE people do something bad to deserve this?
I was told, no proof, in China, that CNN footage of Tibet unrest over Olympics was footage from Nepal. Can anyone confirm or deny that?
Thanks, Richard Jordan