Chapter 465: About to Drop out of the C-list Celebrity Rankings?
All his works were pulled from the shelves!
There were more people adding insult to injury!
All of this was a fatal blow towards Zhang Ye's popularity and fame. From today onwards, his popularity would constantly fall. Of course, popularity and fame was not something visible, and seeing the buzz was inaccurate. However, this world's official rankings of the entertainment industry could create a proper numerical assessment. Although the latest ranking would be produced only at midnight, if one clicked on a second page, one could see the real-time situation of a celebrity's assessment, whether it was increasing or decreasing, or how much it increased or dropped. One could even compare two celebrities, so the fluctuations of one's fame would be known at a glance!
Many people discovered the effects that SARFT's decree #43 had on these celebrities with misdeeds. It was almost immediate with no delay at all!
"Look at the Celebrity Rankings!"
"Holy sh*t. All of them dropped?"
"Li Qiang's popularity score dropped by 50,000?"
"Chen Hong also won't make it! From noon, it has been dropping in a straight line. It's nearly a 90 degree angle drop!"
"The worst one is Zhang Ye!"
"What's the matter?"
"You'll understand once you see it. He's about to fall from the C-list ranking!"
"Ah? Why is it so fast?"
"How can it not be fast? All of his works are gone!"
"There's no need to ask. At midnight, when this ranking is updated, Zhang Ye would definitely fall back to a D-list celebrity. It was not easy for him to climb up to C-list, but now he has been reverted back to his original state!"
Zhang Ye had just been promoted to a C-list ranking a few days ago. Over the past few days, he had not done anything big, nor produced any new works, and so in the past, he was the last person on the C-list Celebrity Rankings. Every level had a limited number allowed. This meant that as long as your popularity dropped below the person previously behind you, then your ranking would fall and you would be replaced by that person. If the last person on the C-list was exceeded by the first person on the D-list, then at midnight, when the rankings refreshed, the two would swap places!
This situation was currently the case. Some people linked Zhang Ye and the celebrity that was about to catch up. There was a detailed comparison of statistics on the second page. That person's popularity ranking had probably exceeded Zhang Ye's. That meant that once midnight struck, Zhang Ye would fall back to the D-list rankings!
"Who is coming up?"
"Tang Dazhang, a crosstalk actor."
"Him? His crosstalk have always been bad. Anyways, I just don't like it. It's not funny at all, but he keeps going on galas and programs. Right, at this year's Spring Festival Gala, what sort of crap was that crosstalk he and his partner performed? I nearly fell asleep hearing it."
"I think it was alright."
"It was just average. His crosstalk aren't good or bad, but he is an old artist of the crosstalk world. He has worked in crosstalk for decades. Even if his performance is a bit weak, his foundation and fame is all there. Well, don't you see the annual National Crosstalk and Skit Competition about to begin? Tang Dazhang is one of the main judges. Central TV is promoting it so much these days, and Teacher Tang appears on TV often as a result. With this exposure, his ranking will naturally increase. This crosstalk and skit competition is an important program. Last year's viewership ratings reached a record high, and it was pretty well-liked. There was an analysis that this year's viewership ratings might create another record. There are numerous people looking forward to it, so Teacher Tang's popularity also increased as a result."
"He's far inferior to Zhang Ye!"
“@TangDazhang."
"That's right, Zhang Ye's talk show is much more humorous than his!"
"Stop arguing. They each have their advantages. Talk shows and crosstalk aren't even the same art form, so there's no way to compare."
"Why do I feel my heart tearing from seeing this?"
"If this did not happen, Zhang Ye's popularity would definitely not drop!"
"How can Tang Dazhang compare with Zhang Ye!"
Suddenly, someone no one expected appeared on Weibo. He appeared because of a @. He was the crosstalk performer artist, Tang Dazhang himself, who was on the crest of popularity. He added on amidst the discussion amongst the people on Weibo with a satirical tone, "There is no way to compare me with Zhang Ye. Central TV's First Department's News Simulcast gave him free promotion, and his name appeared on mass media and newspapers, as well as provincial television stations. To speak the truth, I don't have that ability. As for talk shows, I don't consider that as art. It is what the industry has decided on too. It's just jokes put together and a bit more vulgar. At best, it makes people laugh, but after that, there's no sublimation at all. Hur Hur, I suggest everyone listen to crosstalks more. I'll also do some advertising about the new National Crosstalk and Skit Competition that is about to begin airing in a few days."
The first half referred to the blacklist, and midway, he was already naming names as well as questioning and attacking Zhang Ye. Clearly, Tang Dazhang did not like hearing how many people felt Zhang Ye's talk show was more humorous than his, Tang Dazhang's, crosstalk!
However, maybe it was because Tang Dazhang felt the words he said were a bit lacking, or if it was because he was speaking in an official capacity, he deleted the Weibo post a few minutes later.
However, there were a few sharp-sighted people who had taken screenshots!
"F**k!"
"Are you done yet?"
"You got a kick out of attacking Teacher Zhang Ye? One after another! And then one more after another! Are you guys f**king doing a relay race!? All of you came to stab Zhang Ye?"
"Is Teacher Tang sick? Zhang Ye did not say a word from beginning to end. Only a few netizens made a few blind comments and it was like his tail was stepped on? Teacher Zhang did not even provoke you, and has no feud with you. What are you doing? Does everyone treat Zhang Ye as some soft persimmon?"
"Isn't that the case? Teacher Zhang has been banned. Now, any f**king person would dare to comment on Zhang Ye. I'm chuckling here. I want to ask, if this decree #43 was not released, would any one of you dare say that about Zhang Ye? I really don't believe!"
"I don't believe it too. They definitely wouldn’t f**king dare to. Who doesn't know that mouth of Teacher Zhang? Anyone who scolds him will be cursed back the next second!"
"Enough, Zhang Ye's fans you can stop being so arrogant. Zhang Ye is finished, yet you refuse to give up hope? With Teacher Tang's prestige and age, so what if he said a few words. He is a veteran of the literary world. Even if he admonishes Zhang Ye, Zhang Ye will still have to obediently listen."
"Now that Zhang Ye can't even save himself, how can he dare to scold anyone!"
"Congratulations Teacher Tang!"
"Congratulations to Teacher Tang for rising to C-list. For a crosstalk actor to reach this stage can't be said to be unprecedented, but it's very rare!"
"Congrats!"
This sudden event also caused quite a stir, but eventually did not result in anything. Instead, Tang Dazhang's fans and some peers from the crosstalk kept sending their congratulations. As a crosstalk or skit actor had a disadvantage, as they were naturally not as popular as singers or movie actors, and so for a crosstalk actor to be promoted to the C-list rankings was extremely difficult. Tang Dazhang's Weibo was filled with congratulatory comments. It was as if Tang Dazhang were celebrating his sixtieth birthday.
Tang Dazhang appeared once again and said mischievously, "Hur Hur. Thank you to all my friends. Tomorrow, I, Old Tang, will be treating. I'll treat you to: steamed lamb, steamed bear's paw, steamed deer's tail, roast duck..." He posted the entire list of the Manchu Han Imperial Feast dishes. From his tone, it could be seen that Tang Dazhang was feeling very good.
These aspects of people was a bit ugly.
......
At home.
Zhang Ye was browsing through the comments on the internet, as well as Weibo. He had no expression on his face, and did not say a word ever since the decree had been released. It was as if it had nothing to do with him. He turned a blind eye towards the attacks and criticisms of Deputy Station Head Jia, Meng Dongguo, Tang Dazhang, and company.
Ring Ring Ring, a phone call came in.
It was skit actress, Ci Xiufang. She had previously given Zhang Ye a call once, so it was unknown what it was this time.
"Auntie Ci." Zhang Ye picked it up.
Ci Xiufang immediately asked, "You offended Tang Dazhang before?"
Zhang Ye laughed and said, "I have never heard of his name before. I don't even know him."
Ci Xiufang said, "To think you can still laugh. Did you see it on the web? Now everyone on Weibo is cursing at you. It seems you don't have any lack of enemies."
"Did you call me to ridicule me?"
"Switch on the TV."
"Eh?"
"Beijing News Channel."
Zhang Ye did as he was told and switched channels.
Immediately, a person appeared on screen. It was the movie star Li Qiang, who had appeared on the blacklist. He was sitting behind a long table, and on his left was his manager, and on his right were people from his management company. There were microphones on the table, and below the stage was a dense number of reporters.
It as a mini press conference!
Li Qiang said with a solemn face, "A few years ago, I made a mistake that I have regretted all my life. I have apologized in the past, but this time, I want to apologize once more. I have let my fans down, who have liked me and supported me all this time. I let my family and friends down, and have also let down the companies that have worked with me, causing them huge losses. A few years ago, I abandoned drugs. Today, a few years later, it is still the same. I will not repeat my mistakes, nor will I allow myself to let down the trust of everybody. Please believe me, and I wish everyone would give me another chance!"
As he spoke, he stood up and bowed.
Li Qiang's manager also bowed towards the cameras.
On the phone, Ci Xiufang said, "Saw that?"
Zhang Ye asked, "Is this some emergency PR? Is it even of any use?"
"Nah, even if the people give him chance, even if the media gives him chance, the higher ups would not, however, it's better than doing nothing." Ci Xiufang suggested, "I think you should do something like that too. You don't have to set up a press conference. You can reveal your stance on the internet. The policy this time is unprecedented in its harshness, but it was not like it has never happened before. There might still be a chance."
"Thanks Auntie Ci."
After hanging up, Zhang Ye shook his head. Other people had not experienced this governmental policy, but he had seen it before in his world. Apology? Taking on a stance? Admitting one's mistake? Lower one's self? If this policy was not released, those were still useful. It was a standard method celebrities used in the event of a public relations crisis. It was common to hold a press conference to apologize, but with decree #43 implemented, all of that was useless!
Besides, why should he apologize? Why should he lower himself? Zhang Ye knew of his misdeeds. He shouldn't have beaten someone up. He was at fault in the first place, but he did not believe he should apologize to the commoners or media!
He did not let down the commoners!
He did not let down his fans!
Nor did he let down his country!