[Ta Kung Pao 23/05/07]

Sheren Tang: There are Different Types of Housewife

Sheren Tang was interviewed on a radio show yesterday to promote new show "The Family Link". Sheren says that it was very relaxed filming this series because she did not need to hold back her appetite and was instructed to eat and drink at will. Fortunately she did have a slimming contract, so after the series, she quickly slimmed back down. With the ratings doing quite well in the opening week, even better than "Heart of Greed", Sheren says: "I don't know! Ratings are nothing to do with me, maybe the viewers have been looking forward to this show and we have a lot of housewife fans."

Talking of some reports yesterday that have revealed the entire storyline for the show already, Sheren seemed rather shocked and said she did not know about this. When the reporters asked her to verify the reports, she said: "There are some mistakes, but I can't say where!" Although the story has been revealed, Sheren is not worried about this affecting the viewers enjoyment because the viewers are not tuning in just for the story, but also the portrayal by the artistes.

There have been criticisms from netizens that Sheren is less housewife-like compared to Kiki Sheung and she says: "There are many different types of housewife and you should not limit yourself. What is a housewife? There are plenty who are like Cecilia and like to pretty themselves up." As for the suggestions of copying American show "Desperate Housewives", Sheren says that she has watched that show and the director told her to watch it to start with in the hope it would give her a concept. However, when she saw the script for "Family", she found it to be on a completely different level and she does not feel that there is much similarity.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/05/23/UL-740348.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 23/05/07]

"Heart of Greed" Sketch in Aid of Community Chest

Susanna Kwan, Hacken Lee, Bosco Wong, Carol Cheng, Nat Chan, Fala Chen, Vincy Chan and Vinci Wong took part in the press conference for the forthcoming Community Chest Fundraising Show. To tie in with the recent hype around series "Heart of Greed", Susanna, Fala and Bosco will be acting in a comedic sketch for the show, where instead of fighting over inheritance [Cantonese: 'chaan'], they will be fighting over an orange [Cantonese: 'chaang'] instead. To promote this, the three appeared with a giant orange at yesterday's event. Bosco laughs that as Sai Kai is always talking about 'whipping the corpse' [Cantonese phrase meaning 'not letting the dead rest'], they why not let the directors try it for charity and charge them $50,000 for each lash. Susanna laughs that if it is for charity, she doesn't mind.

The show's producer Ho Siu Wai indicates that they have invited Idy Chan back for this event to help raise money and she will be partnering Nat Chan to maybe re-enact their Tango performance to raise money. When Nat found out that he will be working with Idy, he laughed: "Did she not work with Andy Lau and Chow Yun Fat? If it is just dancing I don't mind, we worked together in EYT a long time ago and I played her elder brother."

Fala Chen will be performing a flexibility act and she says that this act is not easy at all and there are a lot of tricks, but she has only succeeded once after many attempts. In her recent series "The Family Link", she plays a masseuse, so asked why does not perform massage, she smiles: "I would rather do the flexibility act." Her costume for the show is not finished yet so she does not know if it will be sexy, but it should be within limits. Talking about her character developing an STD in the show, is she worried that this will make housewives chase after her? She feels that as an artiste, she should try many different roles and she will do her best for each one.

With the recent rumours of ATV eager to poach TVB's artistes, making TVB step up actions to keep their people, Carol indicates that even though her contract is not up until the end of the year, the company has already extended their contract with her and for quite a long period. As for Vinci, he plans to leave showbiz in order to help his father run their expanding family business, but he insists that he is not going to ATV.

Carol has taken on a few big shows to do recently and says: "I am fulfilling my old contract now. The new contract has been signed and it is quite long. In the past, I would sign a year at a time, but this time it is for a few years which has been rare in recent years. (Is it because of the poaching threat?) I don't know because I am unclear, but I have not thought about leaving. I like my work to have more freedom and TVB do not put much pressure on me. Moreover, after so many years, I know everyone here and it is like a second home. I don't like moving house. (Have they put your pay up with the new contract?) A little!" With the recent return of veteran actors such as Lee Si Kei, is Carol tempted to go back into acting in series? She says she is rather lazy, so would prefer to enjoy life and just choose the work that she likes to do.

Vinci has been in the industry now for 13 years and as his father is expanding his business, then he would like to try his luck in commerce. He says that he is not young any more and it is the right time to change direction. Also with the earlier reports that he was spotted acting intimately with another man, he says he is already numbed to these reports and the misunderstandings arose because he had been drinking. Asked if he is worried about being mistaken for being gay, he indicates that people who know him will know what he is like and he is not afraid of people suspecting anything and he does not need to swear by anything.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/05/23/UL-740352.htm
http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/05/23/UL-740351.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 23/05/07]

Sai Kai Susanna Kwan Blames Downloads For Bringing Down Ratings

Sai Kai Susanna Kwan has been busy promoting series "Heart of Greed" recently and was interviewed on a radio show yesterday. She says that she has been too busy recently and has not even had time to watch the series herself, so she does not know the ratings for new show "The Family Link" either.

As for the reaction to "Heart" being great, but not being reflected in the ratings, Susanna says she does not know why but maybe it is because the episodes can be downloaded ahead from the internet, so this is affecting the ratings. However, she feels that ratings are just numbers and as an artiste, she is more concerned about reviews and the audience reactions. Only the company and sponsors will look at ratings. With the strong reactions and criticisms from netizens, is she worried that Sai Kai will affect her image? She says: "I think it will a little. People in the street call me 'Sai Kai', but I hope in my next series, I will not be a villain."

As for the reports published that revealed the storyline for "The Family Link", Susanna feels that with the story being revealed so early, this may affect the attraction of the series, however she believes that this is a quality production and should not be affected too much.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/05/23/UL-740349.htm