Godfrey Gao’s Death Brings to Light the Dangers of Reality Show, “Chase Me”
The news of actor Godfrey’s Gao’s (高以翔) sudden passing while filming Chinese reality TV show Chase Me <追我吧> shocked the world last night. Netizens felt angered that the show presents such difficult, and often dangerous physical challenges which endanger the safety of its participants.
Chase Me has broadcast three episodes to-date and features a fixed cast of William Chan (陳偉霆), Fan Chengcheng (范丞丞), and Johnny Huang (黄景瑜). Every episode invites additional guests ranging from celebrities to members of the public to form two teams. The contestants take part in various missions that push them to their physical limitations. The final mission involves them scaling a building and fast roping down. The show also incorporates the use of virtual reality to create a feeling of a reality e-sports competition.
Some of the missions involve navigating a maze shaped like a life-sized beehive, paragliding, climbing a wall with bare hands, and a 2-kilometer run. The run includes various obstacles like a hanging bridge and a pathway that tests their balancing abilities.
Many netizens have pointed out various times that the missions are unrealistic, and it is dangerous to require people to climb and then fast rope down a 70-meter high building without professional training. In previous episodes, several celebrities competed to a point of exhaustion and had to be given oxygen. Others vomited and even Olympic boxing medalist Zou Shiming (鄒市明) had severe cramping and had to be escorted off by staff members.
Source: On.cc
This article is written by Kiki for JayneStars.com.
Please let heads roll. Godfrey’s death cannot be covered up!!!
@foodie In a country where media is controlled, can we really expect no cover ups……..?
@rika Since he is not local, his family or management can sue the production company. It may lead to a proper investigate…But ultimately, a scapegoat will be used to accept all responsibilities. That is how the system works…
@rika
To be fair, news stories in American mainstream media gets covered up all of the time by “upper management”. All of them do it – CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX – you name it. Some reporters have even gone public and exposed it.
I am not saying that China is an angel, and does not commit sins, but don’t be the kettle calling the pot black (aka. being an hypocrite).
@anon
Those who constantly point fingers at China are covering up their own bad deeds.
@msxie0714 LOL, you clearly need to do some growing up…. Those that finger point the unlawful China system the most are the locals themselves who just want justice when they are unfairly treated. If you think this incident is finger pointing …you are really not very bright.
@foodie
Besides the C-nets demanding justice, the official Chinese media is also criticizing the poor safety standards of the variety programs putting lives at risk. The torrent of anger toward the program producers will likely lead to cancellation of many of these redundant shows. Criticism is well-deserved for those exploiting labor laws, but perennial finger-pointing by hypocritical china-haters is another thing. you should be grown up enough to understand that.
@msxie0714 “perennial finger-pointing by hypocritical china-haters” I am a mainland Chinese and you are too blind to read my comments carefully and comprehend them.
Such s time waster.
@anon Two wrongs do not make one right.
@rika
Exactly.
@anon covered up happens all around the world but that doesn’t make it any less evil or unethical. Besides, what US has to do with @foodie original comment? Isn’t Gao with a Taiwanese agency?
Note: I’m not saying US media outlets, government even, are free from cover ups, bias, and such btw. Just curious why when there’s a bad light toward China, the almost automatic-like response is – US is doing it too. It’s like somehow it makes it more “justify-able” to do something bad. As @rika puts it, 2 wrong doesn’t make it right.
@anon All coverups are wrong, and that is how most system works regardless which Country you are in. I made a general comment as a Mainland myself, I am sick of the coverups that results in harming/hurting others. It is not about undermining China against other Countries as @jjwong mentioned.
Again, this resulted in the death of someone, it needs to be address and that can be done if more locals demand answers.
Definitely not finger pointing China only. If this happen in US to a unknown black guy. it may be coverup too. But does not make it right.
You need to stop using Politics to attack others. It is very anti social to drag this into a political issue.
This is about a production company. It is not about China Government.
@foodie
Was there justice for Beyond’s Wong Kakui who fell to his death in a Japanese variety show? did any heads roll in Japan?
@msxie0714 You clearly do not know what I have always been saying. I am not interested to continue this with a child. I am not keen to finger-point any race, this is not about a race. It is a system by a company that needs address. Sont bring, race and politics into the matter, I will repeat again.
You really lack comprehension.
Anyone that is abused in any way by any company in any Country will need justice. Japan, US, UK, China. etc…This is their human rights.
Unfortunately few get it.
I never thought the tv station or program was to blame. It’s an open book that it was a difficult task. Even Godfrey was worried he wasn’t physically fit enough to meet the demands of the show. Who I actually blame was his agency and Godfrey himself. As an agency, you have the responsibility to protect your artist and choose the job suitable for him. Not just to boost popularity. As for Godfrey, he should have just tried being not so obliging and gentleman for once by saying “no” to the invitation to be on the show if he didn’t feel comfortable. All I can say is life and death is somewhat fated. We need to listen to the small voice that says “no don’t do it” to us when there’s a doubt. There were past variety shows in Taiwan like 3 years ago, he was so exhausted doing push ups. That shows that he’s not really physically fit for tough exercises. The only thing I felt in the entire situation was exactly what his father said. “It’s such a pity”. Seriously. He was at his prime and he was such a good person.
@annebee I agree w/you that both GG and his agency is partly to blame but the TV station/program should be responsible for medical attention/back up plans if anything goes wrong w the contestants. How can they film those kind of program and duration w/o thinking any kind of medical attention might be needed? That’s just not right!! GG was to blame if his friend who invited him did not fully explain what the program entailed and if he did but overestimating himself thinking he could handle it and too much of a gentleman to say NO but I would still blame his agency more since they should have known how many hours he had worked and yet they let him on a show that would have been filmed overnight? Tsk tsk tsk….sigh….Such a shame on all accounts esp when he didn’t really go for the money but this probably serves as a wake up call for celebs going forward who dares to join these kind of shows ever again.