ATV SCRAPES THE BOTTOM OF ITS CONTENT BARREL.
As we all know by now, terrestrial television station ATV is on its last wobbly legs despite weekly news about someone or another bailing out this disgrace to broadcasting. To emphasise what dire financial straits the station is in, it’s been screening shows from the days of Methuselah. The way things are going no one will be really surprised if they start screening some of Robert Chua’s blasts from the past.
While recovering from seeing a Cecilia Fong Concert from 2012- whooooo?- advertised to be screened during prime time on Sunday- what next? Anders Nelsson, Joe Junior and Teddy Robin Specials from the Seventies?- we were horrified to learn that ATV World is screening reruns of Matt Chat featuring that one-time Hong Kong wunderkind of broadcasting- Matt Hackett- every weekday morning starting at 9am.
It made us wonder whatever happened to the poor man’s Kenny Everett whose last known appearance on local television was as host of an appalling talk show that was quickly cancelled. Jimmy Fallon or David Letterman he wasn’t. After reports of Carrot Top having moved to LA to start up an online radio station, it’s been radio silence for decades.
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ROCK CLASSICS AND THOSE COVERS BANDS
We asked a group of musician friends of ours which were their most requested Rock songs they are constantly asked to cover- over and over again- and here’s their Top Ten- in order of the Requestometer.
1) Hotel California 2) Smoke On The Water 3) Welcome To The Jungle 4) Black Night 5) Paranoid 6) Stairway To Heaven 7) Born In The USA 8) Sweet Child O’Mine 9) We Will Rock You 10) Smells Like Teen Spirit
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THE DEATH OF WANCHAI (AGAIN)
Like a cat, Wanchai has had a few lives and keeps bouncing back. At its prime, it was the world of Suzie Wong and Pinky’s Tattoo Parlour and fun city for American sailors on shore leave.
Once shore leave was canceled and the Vietnam War ended and everyone went home, the Chinese working girls disappeared and the Filipinas walked in on their wedgies and Wanchai became Funky Town and Little Manila for many married local expats. Filipina domestic helpers put on their best Sunday afternoon makeover and made a few extra dollars on the side working joints like the infamous Makati Inn. The high profile story of a married banker picking up his domestic helper and not recognising her which ended in him having to pay the consequences shone a very bright light on Wanchai where no one wanted to be seen anywhere near the red light district.
Over five years ago, Wanchai received another lease of life by reinventing itself as a fun area with a dark underbelly and a cheaper answer to the upmarket escort clubs like Club BBoss and Club De China with their gorgeous East European beauties.
The mysterious deaths of businessmen in five-star hotels after meeting working girls from Wanchai saw another decline in business. But with the upmarket escort clubs in Tsimshatsui (TST) closing its doors forever as business dipped badly, and the Eastern European beauties moving to cities like Shanghai, meant another lifeline for Wanchai.
After three years of booming business, Wanchai has quietened down considerably. Bars have opened and closed quickly, investors have been scared off seeing the spectacular failure of others while recently once-popular clubs have seen a massive decline in business. Others have closed with a whimper.
Why? Perhaps people just don’t wish to be seen in Wanchai. Hong Kong is all about status and image and no one wishes to be seen stumbling outta Amazonia or Escape with a working girl on their arm. It’s sleazy and seedy and dangerous.
And in this day and age of iPhones and social media, those one-time regulars- primarily local expats and tourists- seem to prefer to err on the side of caution and move away from the Southeast Asian buffet of working girls and head towards the smaller bars in Soho where there are “regular” females also looking for hookups and company.
As for the local punter, Wanchai was never ever for them. They’re happy in the privacy of the relatively new karaoke lounges that have opened up offering these part-time singers local and Mainland Chinese female friends for company.
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