The pressures of being a celebrity.

last updated 8 January 2015

China

Raymond Zhou

Rock stars are supposed to smash up hotel rooms, not newsrooms, said Raymond Zhou in Beijing’s China Daily. Singer Dou Wei, though, was so furious at the bad press he’s been getting that, last week, he smashed a computer and set fire to a car at The Beijing News. Of course, such behavior is “clearly out of line.” But “one must admit” that Dou has been “a victim of China’s burgeoning and chaotic entertainment media.” The problem for him is his famous ex-wife. Pop diva Wang Fei is a sought-after cover girl, followed by paparazzi wherever she goes. Since Dou’s star “is in decline” while Wang’s is on the rise, Chinese tabloids tend to portray Dou as a failure, humiliated by his ex’s success. The continued “gloating and smirking” of the public press would be a heavy load for any man to bear. The pressure has driven the sensitive Dou to seek “psychiatric counseling.” One thing is for sure: “He is not cut out for life as a celebrity.” As China’s gossipy celebrity magazines grow in popularity, only the thick-skinned will survive.