Indescent or Obscene?

The story about the whole Edison Chen nude photos thing with eight Hong Kong female celebrities has been taking up precious front page space for three weeks. It just won't go away. In case you haven't heard about it (where have you been?), you can get yourself up to speed here. I for one can't believe it has made international news.

I read a newspaper article with my Saturday free talk class about this matter and it seems that
Hong Kong's Obscene Articles Tribunal has dropped the charges against some of those who were arrested because they were deemed to be not obscene. Now is there a fine line between what is indecent and what is obscene? What exactly are they comparing it with? Playboy? Lust, Caution? I'm confused. Does it come down to pixelating certain parts of the female and male anatomy? I had a fine time distinguishing between the two terms for my students with given examples without being too graphic. That'll teach me to be on top of current affairs. I haven't see the photos myself so I can't even subjectively declare whether they are indeed obscene or indecent.

Anyway, whether they are obscene or indecent is not important. What my gripe is about is the fact that about 200 Hong Kongers rang TVB, the local television station, to complain that Gillian Chung (one of the unfortunate women who appeared in the photos) should not have made an appearance on a charity show to raise money for Mainland Chinese caught in the snow storms - and get this - because and I quote, "We don't need artists like this [Gillian Chung]. Please do not poison our young generations."

Talk about bad luck on Chung's part who, in 2006, was involved in another photo scandal when paparazzi took nude photos of her in the change room, which were published in a magazine and all the stars including Jackie Chan came out to protest on her behalf. Ironic that only this time it was voluntary.

I'm sure if the photos didn't involve "celebrities" all of this would have blown over two weeks ago. As for parents who are complaining,I didn't think Hong Kong people were so modest and naive. I don't think the local people here even battered an eyelid when Paris Hilton's youtube video was free for all. Chung did make an apology about letting her fans down but I don't think she should be the one making an apology, it should be publications that have been plastering the illegally obtained photos all over their front covers. Edison Chen will be paying for his stupidity when his part in The Dark Knight ends up on the cutting room floor. There are rumours that Chen is on the brink of suicide. If he does decide to take his own life, I'll nominate him for a Darwin Award.