Chapter 460: Going to be dropped!
F**k!
Why is my name on it?
Do they mean to ban me just like that?
Zhang Ye was dumbfounded. He stared at the most stringent ban list in history and couldn't believe it. He refreshed it in hopes that the SARFT had published it erroneously, but it reloaded with the exact same content. It remained unchanged and still had Zhang Ye's name on it. When the ban list was released, all the major media and news outlets began coverage on it. There was without a doubt that this was the real thing. It could also be seen that everyone had been stunned by SARFT decree #43!
"That's too harsh!"
"This....is this true?"
"Damn, they're really cracking down?"
"Do they really need to do a sweeping ban like this?"
"Looks like any public figures should not hold any hopes of escaping if they were to be commit any offenses anymore!"
"Chen Hongrong 'Re-entered the business' after drug offenses. Now, he's back to square one again, but I don't like him anyway, so it's okay even if he's banned."
"The SARFT is really being hard hearted this time."
"It's really quite cruel. There was no preempt or warning at all either. It just came pouring out in one swipe. The entertainment industry is in for a long ride this time!"
"Li Qiang just finished filming a movie, right? From this decree, unless all of his scenes are cut out of the movie, it won’t be able get a screening? Damn, the distributor and movie director must be crying their hearts out right now. Li Qiang was the main supporting actor and appears throughout the film, how can they cut his scenes out like that? Everyone else has been dragged into this because of him now. I was actually looking forward to this movie, but it seems like it's going to suffer a big loss this time!"
"It's unbelievable, they really are intending to ban them?"
"That's such a zero-tolerance policy!"
"This would cause those artistes, who have ever done misdeeds to disappear from the screen forever?"
Regardless of them being from the media, entertainment industry, or a commoner, after seeing decree #43, their first reactions were that of disbelief. In the decades of development in the entertainment industry, never once had there been such a strict decree. It had come too soon and too sudden, making everyone unable to react. Even though there had been rumors that the SARFT was coming up with new policies, no one could have expected it to be this and for it to be implemented so swiftly!
Everyone was not ready for this!
Maybe you can say that Zhang Ye was the only one who was a little prepared, as this decree #43 was very similar to Zhang Ye's previous world's SARFT decree #100. Even if some of the details differed a bit, the meaning behind it was still the same. Zhang Ye had gone through the shakeup of the media industry at that time, with Old Huang, Xiao Ke, Xiao Fang, and Old Yin all making it onto the list! It's not that Zhang Ye was unprepared since he believed that these celebrities, who had had their misdeeds before, should be banned. As a public figure, you'd have to be a role model to all. Otherwise, with their influences and stature in the public eye, if they committed offenses such as drug abuse or prostitution, they would be sending the wrong message to the young. As such, this decree #43 was something that he could understand and accept!
But what he did not understand was, why did this decree have his name on it? When did I offend you guys!
Drug abuse?
I'll abuse your sister!
Soliciting prostitutes?
I'll solicit your sister!
What do these have to do with me!?
Zhang Ye also knew that he could only have appeared on the ban list for one reason. In the latter part of the sentence -- used drugs, solicited prostitutes, or engaged in other unlawful acts, he was included under 'other unlawful acts'. Zhang Ye had kicked Lee Anson and beaten up his bodyguards, as well as a security guard from Central TV. Because of that, he had been detained at the police station for a while. This was probably the only reason why he was included in the ban list, but it might also have been his scolding of the Koreans in his talk show or the fact that he had used many of his poems or literary works to scold people!
Scolding others?
Beating someone up?
Because of such trivial matters?
Why didn't you all think about why I scolded them!?
Why didn't you talk about why I beat someone up!?
Just the incident after the Spring Festival Gala, if the Central TV personnel had controlled the situation, if Lee Anson had just helped the fan up and apologized, would I need to stand up to resolve the situation? Oh, just because I stood up for the commoner, helped maintain the dignity of our country's entertainment industry and even had to sneakily take the risk of hacking into Korea’s internet resulting in becoming a wanted man? Even if I had done all of that willingly, but the matters have already passed. Is there a need for you to stab me in the back like this?
It was unacceptable!
Zhang Ye was so angry that he kept on swearing!
It was not that he had no experience with being banned before. Back in Shanghai, his program had once been suspended by the Shanghai SARFT, but this decree #43 was totally different thing compared to that. This wasn't simply just stopping one or two of his programs. This was a total ban that was meant to fully 'kill' him off!
But even if Zhang Ye could not accept it, he could not help but admit that his kick on Lee Anson was a little extreme. It was too much and he had broken the law. It was exactly because of that that led to his inclusion on the ban list. Right now, even if he were not satisfied with it, he could not say a word!
It was maddening!
Were they meaning to force this bro into a corner?!
......
Online.
A lot of people had seen this also realized this.
"Ah!"
"Zhang Ye?"
"Why is Zhang Ye's name amongst the 29?"
"Did they get it wrong? Is there anyone else named Zhang Ye?"
"That can't be. Although Teacher Zhang's name is quite common, amongst those who are famous enough, he's the only one!"
"Zhang Ye is also included in the list? That's impossible!"
"F**k! Seriously? Ah! It's really true! Zhang Ye's name is on it! And his close friend, Yao Jiancai! Why is this duo both on the list?"
"Damn! What the hell is this!"
"They're banning Teacher Zhang again?"
"What has any of this have to do with Zhang Ye?"
"I know! It must be because Zhang Ye beat up Lee Anson that led to his name being on the list!"
"What the heck is this! Isn't this making something out of nothing? I was still thinking that the decree had been passed correctly since it was time the entertainment business was cleaned up and restructured, but you can't clean out Zhang Ye too! Zhang Ye is the only person in the entertainment business that dares to speak the truth and walk the talk!"
"It might be because of the previous time during the Shanghai SARFT's press conference when Zhang Ye recited 'The Answer', saying 'Debasement is the password of the base. Nobility the epitaph of the noble!'....That was scolding at its best!"
"You're saying that they're settling old scores?"
"I'm just saying, so just take it with a pinch of salt. Eh, I don't dare to say too much now. Even Teacher Zhang Ye, who has done so much for his fans, has been completely suppressed and left without a way out. I'm beginning to feel that all troubles begins with one's mouth... eh, I'll keep quiet."
"F**k! That's too much!"
"Endure it, Teacher Zhang! We will be behind you all the way!"
"Right! Teacher Zhang, hold on! There's definitely still a way out!"
"What's there to hope for? Zhang Ye deserves what he got. He's a thorn in the entertainment business and has had a bad reputation for quite some time now. Who doesn't know that? Even he can't raise any objection about the ban this time. Some of his actions are really a bad influence to others. Since the entertainment business is in such a state, then why shouldn't he be banned in the cleansing and restructuring?"
"I've been unhappy about Zhang Ye for some time too. Shoot the bird which takes the lead, he asked for it."
"The previous two posters are retarded cunts! Tell me which of Teacher Zhang Ye's actions badly influenced others? Seeing a commoner of our own country being pushed down and the guilty person did not even apologize? Based on your thinking, everyone should have just ignored it and not do anything? Is that it? Teacher Zhang Ye stood up for us commoners and that's labeled as a bad influence? What kind of logic is that! Yes, Teacher Zhang might have hit others and broken the law, but he was already detained by the police. To seek justice for a commoner, he was willing to pay such a price! What else do you want? Do they need to be so merciless? If that is how they want it, who will dare stand up when faced with injustice again?!"
"Yea, I agree with banning those others who were involved in drug abuse or soliciting prostitutes, those are in line with the guidelines, but don't ban Zhang Ye! I've previously attended a live recording of Zhang Ye's Talk Show. Teacher Zhang is a very affable person!"
"Damn! I'm angry! I was one of the passengers in the hijacked aircraft that flew from Beijing to Shanghai! Teacher Zhang risked his life to subdue the criminals. He even rushed into the cockpit to take control of the aircraft and landed it safely, saving all those lives on board! It's fine even if you all don't praise a hero like him, but why do you need to 'kill' him off? It's even a complete suppression! This makes me have little hope for life!"
The discussions became heated again!
Some were arguing for Zhang Ye's innocence, while others were trampling down on him after he had fallen!
But regardless of which side they were on, everyone at this moment had similar thoughts — that it was over for these 29 people on the ban list!
Zhang Ye was finished!
There was no second chance for him!
......
At home.
Zhang Ye himself was feeling the same.
Ring, ring, ring. His mother's call came. When he answered, she immediately questioned, "Son! What is going on! Was what my colleagues said true? They are going to ban you?"
Zhang Ye laughed bitterly, "It's true."
His mother anxiously said with anger, "Based on what! They're trying to bully you! Then what will you do now? Do you have any ideas?"
"No." Zhang Ye said, "I don't know what to do either, but don't worry about me, I will handle it. Tell Dad and the rest of the family not to worry. I won't be coming home for the next few days."
His mother comforted him, "Think of a way. If there's really no other way, you can come home. You've already done a lot in the past year. You can always start a small business too! Any job can earn you a living! We don't need to depend on them!"
Zhang Ye forcefully smiled, "I understand, Mum."
Ideas?
What ideas could I have!
Other people might not be familiar with this decree, but Zhang Ye was more than clear about it. He knew that there was no way to come back from this. He couldn't do any more programs — Even if he could, they couldn't broadcast it. He couldn't make any movies — Even if he could, they would not be able to screen it. He couldn't write novels — Even if he did, they would not be published or sold! Due to the ban and the fallout from it, it might even affect his teaching of classes at Peking University. Everything that he could do would be suppressed from today onwards. You could say that his time in the entertainment business was effectively over!
Last night, he had still been wondering what he could do next. He was considering things from writing novels to hosting programs and even making music. He was still thinking of choosing between those activities, but now, he need not even think anymore! Even if he did, he wouldn't be able to do any of them!
Zhang Ye felt that if life were a novel and he were the male lead, then this novel would definitely be incomplete or have a terrible ending!