Someone paid somewhere around HKD50,000 and HKD100,000 for a full-page ad in the Oriental Daily to run a fake obituary for a certain Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, whose name is identical to the real Jimmy Lai’s except for a single different character that sounds the same anyway. The hometown and birthdate are also the same as the real Lai’s.
According to Marketing Interactive, the obituary reads:
“Lai Chee Ying, male, nicknamed Fat Lai, hometown Shunde, born 8 December 1948, has passed away on 7 August 2014 at age 65 from AIDS and multiple cancers. Since his family members are also suffering from illness, there will be no funeral for his death.
Deepest condolences to all ‘Two Media’ staff.”
The Chinese name of Jimmy Lai’s company, Next Media, translates literally to “One Media”. Okay anonymous ad buyer, we get it.
It’s unnecessarily morbid, wildly over-the-top, and, perhaps above all, incredibly childish. Not to mention, using AIDS as some sort of insult to further one’s own agenda is offensive and irresponsible.
Credit has to be given to Lai, who, unfazed, filmed a video published by Apple Daily in response. In fitting Apple Daily-style humour, the video starts off by overlaying a picture of the obituary and a photo of Lai, as mournful music plays.
It then cuts to a selfie-style video of Lai, who says: “You want me to die? You think it’ll be that easy? I don’t even look like I have AIDS. If you want me to die, it’s actually really easy. Keep wishing for me to die, and maybe by the power of your mother, if you keep asking her, maybe I will really die. So keep wishing, and keeping asking your mother, and then maybe I’ll really die—you never know! So keep going, and keep asking your mother. And I’m very sorry to have disappointed you so. Bye bye!”
The video’s pretty werid, worth a watch:
In a text message to the New York Times (because apparently Lai is going to talk to important newspapers via any medium he feels like using), Lai said: “Would NYT accept this ad? Of course not, nor would any responsible newspaper, including Apple Daily. As media we shouldn’t have any personal animosity against anybody.”
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Screenshot/Video: Apple Daily via YouTube
