The Best Director

Chapter 161: Chinese Stand-up Comedy

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade lay before them, with the beautiful Victoria Harbour just ahead. Light blue waves drifted leisurely under the clear azure sky, while opposite them stood the towering Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and other skyscrapers, amidst a backdrop of rolling green hills—an enchanting view.

Wang Yang leaned against the iron railing on the shore, enjoying the refreshing breeze on his face, his mood quite lifted. He murmured softly to himself, “This is Hong Kong, beautiful.” Beside him, Jessica too seemed captivated, and said, “Yang, the travel guides say the night view here is even prettier.” Wang Yang looked out at the high buildings and laughed, “I know, those lights are multicolored, and then they’re reflected on the sea surface. We’ll be able to enjoy it tonight.”

The promenade was bustling with visitors, including black-haired Asian tourists as well as many curly-haired Caucasians, all lingering and admiring the scenery. Wang Yang picked up his telephoto digital camera and began to capture the Victoria Harbour, laughing as he said, “This place is perfect for movie settings, let’s see how it looks with a leading lady in the frame…” As he spoke, he stepped back a few meters, photographing Jessica, who was smiling by the rail, and laughed, “Come on, pal, strike a pose, this is magazine cover material!”

Isn’t this a movie audition?” Jessica chuckled, then playfully posed, sending flying kisses with both hands, coquettishly twirling her hair, and comically raising her eyebrows and bulging her eyes… Wang Yang clicked away numerous shots before handing the camera to Susan McCarthy with a laugh, “Susan, take a few shots of us.” He then walked over to Jessica, and the two of them posed together with radiant smiles, changing expressions and poses, hugging each other, and laughing while pointing at each other…

After wandering the promenade for a while longer, he noticed Jessica yawn repeatedly, seemingly getting sleepy. Wang Yang then suggested, “Shall we head back to the hotel and rest?” Jessica nodded and replied with a smile, “But we can’t go to bed so early, we need to beat the jet lag.”

Inside the elegant and luxurious suite of the InterContinental Hong Kong, Wang Yang stood before the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, holding his phone, and gazed out at the dreamlike view. Night had fallen upon Victoria Harbour, its shining lights magnificent, with buildings along Wan Chai waterfront draped in layers of purple, blue, and red… The twinkling and shifting lights cast a hazy reflection on the water’s surface, revealing the beauty of the Pearl of the Orient.

Yang, lots of people here in Hong Kong want to meet you. They’ve told me they would like to witness the charm of a Hollywood big director,” Jackie Chan said enthusiastically on the phone. They hadn’t known each other well before, just having met at an awards ceremony. Upon hearing of Wang Yang’s arrival in Hong Kong, Jackie had called, wanting to host a dinner party for him and invite some familiar stars and celebrities.

Listening to Jackie Chan’s words, Wang Yang let out a light chuckle and declined, “No thanks, I really appreciate it.” Still inviting, Jackie persisted with a laugh, “Let us extend our hospitality, eh?” Looking out at Victoria Harbour, Wang Yang shrugged with a smile, “I’ve never considered myself a guest here; coming here feels like coming home. But Jackie, it’s really not necessary. I’m here on vacation and don’t want to make it complicated.”

This one-week vacation in Asia had been hard-earned from days of relentless work in the editing room, all for the sake of accompanying his girlfriend and having fun. He just wanted to enjoy the vacation as a regular person, without any hint of work; if he attended a high-profile gathering, where reporters were present, and had to meet so many people, it would be hard for him to not think about “MIT-21-TEAM,” so better not.

Oh, is that so?” Jackie’s voice betrayed his disappointment but then he laughed and offered, “How about I treat you to a meal privately?” Wang Yang scratched his head, still declining, “Uh, thanks, but you know I want to enjoy some private time.” Jackie laughed heartily, “I understand, I understand. Alright, maybe another time? Have fun!”

After ending the call, Wang Yang admired the Victoria Harbour night view a bit longer, then went to the spacious bedroom’s bed. He smiled at the sight of Jessica sleeping sweetly, about to end the day and tuck into bed for sleep, when his phone, set to silent, suddenly vibrated again. Who could it be now? He checked the screen: it was a text message from his agent, Paul Emery. Leaning down to kiss her cheek, he stepped out of the room to make the call, asking, “Paul, what’s up?”

Good evening, Yang, it’s nighttime in Hong Kong, right?” Paul Emery started with a chuckle before getting down to business, “I don’t know how it happened, but now over a billion people in China know you’re in Hong Kong, probably because of your blog?” Wang Yang hummed in agreement, it was indeed that blog post, a true mix of laughter and frustration. He rubbed his forehead and laughed, “We were surrounded by fans at the airport today, and again in the streets… oh boy, they’re too enthusiastic.”

Paul Emery continued, “Your popularity is sky-high. Some time ago, a TV station, Phoenix Satellite Television, got in touch with me. They found out you’re in Hong Kong and want to invite you to record an episode of a Chinese talk show to share your story, called ‘A Date with Luyu.’ Are you interested?”

A Date with Luyu? Wang Yang frowned in confusion, seemingly recalling something he had heard about on Chinese websites. He asked, “Is that the talk show? How long does the recording take?”

Paul Emery seemed not quite sure either and said, “Each episode airs for half an hour, and the recording altogether probably takes about one hour. They also said you can record wherever you like, in an outside cafe or even in your hotel room. I checked just now, and it’s a one-on-one conversation format, no live audience, so I guess it could be considered a talk show? Phoenix Satellite Television is available in both Hong Kong and mainland China; A Date with Luyu is quite popular among its kind of show.”

Gazing at the night scene outside the window, Wang Yang pondered and then said, “Hmm, let me think…” One hour, in the hotel room is fine, and audiences in both Hong Kong and mainland China can watch. After pondering for a while, he nodded with a smile and said, “Alright, let’s record at nine o’clock tomorrow night right here at the hotel. I have no problems with that.”

He thought that he had never been on a Chinese talk show before, and the fans here were so passionate and fond of him; they definitely wanted to know more about him, from the perspective of a Chinese program rather than an American one. Since the time and location were so convenient, why not? He really liked to see his fans happy, because it made him feel happy too.

But why would a talk show have no live audience? No studio?” Wang Yang couldn’t quite figure it out; not having a live audience seemed to take away a lot of laughter and fun. Paul Emery also couldn’t provide an answer: “I don’t know, maybe that’s just the popular format in Hong Kong?” Thinking back to the crazy fans from today, Wang Yang couldn’t help but laugh and said, “How could that be possible?”

Meanwhile, countless Hong Kong residents were watching the TVB channel’s entertainment news program Interactive Entertainment Circle, and a piece of news made so many young people scream “Ah” —why weren’t they at the airport today!? On the television screen, the host Wu Wenxun (Miss Hong Kong third runner-up in ’98) had a beaming smile and joked with co-host Yin Ying, “Something big happened today, didn’t it?”

Yeah! My idol came to Hong Kong! I really want to meet him!” Yin Ying was extremely excited and infatuated, and Wu Wenxun, nodding in agreement, said, “He’s my idol too! Let’s see what happened, shall we?” After saying that, the TV screen switched, revealing a low-resolution image where one can barely make out a large group of fans chasing after a celebrity, a messy scene full of screams and cheers, and shouts of “Yang!” “Young Master Yang!” and the like.

A female voiceover cheerfully said, “Hollywood’s great director Wang Yang came to Hong Kong today with his girlfriend Jessica Alba, as revealed on his blog, coming to Asia to watch the World Cup, with Hong Kong being the first stop. Fans who had traced his whereabouts from his blog numbered over a hundred at the airport to greet him, creating an astonishing scene. Miraculously, Yang wasn’t frightened at all; with his signature nice smile, he chatted with the fans in plain language, graciously accommodating requests for autographs, photos, handshakes, and hugs—he refused none, satisfying every fan’s wish.”

But the number of fans was really too great; in the end, security at the airport had to escort him and Jessica out. Before getting into the car, he said, ‘Thank you very much for your support. I’m so happy to be here, I love Hong Kong,’ which made the fans lose control and scream even more.”

The TV screen then swapped to clear footage from the Golden Globe awards red carpet, showing Wang Yang and Jessica in evening attire, smiling as they were photographed by reporters. The voiceover continued, “Miraculously, Yang is a rising superstar in Hollywood in recent years. Debuting at 18 and directing four films over four years, by 22, he had already garnered 1.5 billion US dollars in global box office revenue and was the youngest nominee for the Best Director award at Golden Globes; he’s also one of the most popular Hollywood stars in Hong Kong in recent years. If you see Miraculously, Yang, don’t forget to get an autograph!”

He’s so cool!” The screen went back to the studio, and Wu Wenxun, pretending to be star-struck, suddenly called out jokingly, “No, this won’t do, producer, we must invite him to our show!” Yin Ying, with starry-eyed fascination, nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes!”

As the sun gradually rose, the night view of Victoria Harbour faded into daybreak, and Hong Kong welcomed the morning. On their second day in Hong Kong, Wang Yang and Jessica got up early in the morning and then spent the whole day happily touring and shopping in places like Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai, wearing sunglasses. But even with sunglasses, and later adding hats, they somehow seemed to draw even more attention. Maybe their features were too distinctive because, in any case, they were still recognized by fans.

That person over there looks a lot like Wang Yang.” At dusk at the Victoria Peak viewpoint, as a young couple from Hong Kong was enjoying the view overlooking Wan Chai and the harbor, the long-haired girl wearing a baseball cap suddenly spotted something. Looking at the man and woman taking a photo together in front of her, the tall, handsome man and the beautiful foreign girl, she took a few more glances. The more she looked, the more she felt confused and exclaimed in surprise, “That is Wang Yang! It’s Wang Yang!”

The T-shirt-clad young man with fraineless glasses also turned to look and was instantly shocked, exclaiming, “It really is Wang Yang and Jessica!” It was one thing for a single person to look alike, but two people, with that uncommon hair color combination—what were the chances of a mistake? As part of the fandom, they hurried over, excitedly speaking in English, “Are you Wang Yang and Jessica?”

Interrupted during their photo, Wang Yang and Jessica’s first reaction wasn’t to answer but to look around at the tourists; Susan McCarthy, who was taking their picture, also made a quick “time to evacuate” gesture with her eyes, because earlier at another attraction, they had been recognized by fans, and it quickly turned into a crowd, taking them a long while to get away to this spot; not to mention what had happened yesterday at the airport.

Shh, shh!” Wang Yang shushed them, lowering his voice, “Yes, it’s us, but could you keep it down please?” After receiving a positive response, the baseball cap girl still screamed “Air”, then immediately covered her mouth, excitedly saying, “I really love your movies! I’m a big fan!” The bespectacled young man was also very excited, looking at him and then at Jessica, “Could we get your autographs?”

Sure, sure. But relax! I’m nothing special, not an alien, with no ten-thousand- dollar prize.” Wang Yang said with a smile, taking the pen Susan passed to him, while the couple eagerly searched for something worthy to be autographed, then said, “Just sign on our clothes, that’s fine.” Wang Yang nodded, quickly signing for them; then Jessica also signed her name on their T-shirts with a smile.

The girl with the baseball cap looked up at Wang Yang with admiration and fondness, praising him in a mix of Cantonese and English, “You’re incredible! I’ve watched your movies growing up! ‘Paranormal Activity’ nearly scared me to death! I really love you!” Her boyfriend wasn’t jealous, pleasantly handing the camera to Susan McCarthy, and requested, “Could you take some pictures of us together?” The girl continued excitedly, “I’m just waiting for ‘District 9’ to premiere now, a whole bunch of friends and I are your fans, we’re so looking forward to it! What’s it about? And ‘The Hangover’ too!”

Thank you.” Wang Yang said, smiling as he took Jessica’s hand, looking affectionately towards the camera and said, “But you saying that you’ve grown up watching my movies… makes me feel so old.” The young couple burst into laughter; Jessica, not understanding Cantonese, chuckled curiously.

After taking a few photos, Susan McCarthy handed the camera back to the bespectacled young man. And since they had been recognized, it was natural not to stay long, Wang Yang and the couple said goodbye laughing, “We’ll be going now, see you next time!” With that, the three of them quickly walked away, both celebrities donning big sunglasses.

Watching them walk further away, the young couple with the baseball cap finally turned their gaze away, joyfully cheering with a “Yeah” and a wave of the hand.

Night fell, and after having dinner at a restaurant on Victoria Peak and enjoying the picturesque night view of Victoria Harbour for a while, they descended the mountain and returned to the InterContinental Hong Kong. Not long after they arrived in their room, the crew from ‘A Date with Luyu’ were punctually at the door.

In the spacious living room, on the comfy upholstered sofa, sat Chen Luyu in a white dress and slender figure on the right, and Wang Yang in a T-shirt and trousers on the left, with a broadcast-quality camera operated by a photographer-cum-director, and a sound engineer and lighting technician at work; Jessica sat on a chair out of frame, reading a magazine and occasionally looking up with a smile at them.

Oh my God, I’m so nervous!” Chen Luyu laughed, covering her mouth, as filming was about to begin. They had chatted casually just before to get acquainted with each other’s speaking styles and to hint at avoiding sensitive political topics. And now she felt some pressure; Wang Yang was humorous, quick-witted, and always joking like he wanted to play a prank on the host, which was the style of American talk shows, and she had to keep up with the pace.

With his arms casually draped over the sofa, Wang Yang said, “Relax! I won’t ask you personal questions.” Chen Luyu laughed again and asked, “Shall we start filming?” Wang Yang nodded nonchalantly, as this was his first time recording a talk show without a live audience. The crew on the other side turned on their equipment, and filming officially began. Wang Yang waved to the camera with a smile, “Hey, everyone, I’m Wang Yang! Today’s guest is Chen Luyu, right beside me.”

To her surprise, he really went with that, leaving Chen Luyu to pretend to be shocked; seeing she didn’t play along, Wang Yang shrugged with a smile. Chen Luyu smiled and asked, “Wang Yang, do you know how popular you are in China?” Wang Yang responded with a laugh, “Wow, surprise me?” Chen Luyu smiled and continued, “You are an idol and role model for countless young people, everyone who watches movies, all students, even many children know there’s a Chinese-American director named Wang Yang.”

Recalling the crazy adoration he had received these last few days in Hong Kong, Wang Yang couldn’t help but sigh, “Well, before coming to Hong Kong, I really didn’t expect to be so popular, I’m very grateful for everyone’s love!” He looked at the camera lens and smiled in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, “Thank you, many thanks, Thank-you!”

Chen Luyu initiated the topic with a smile, “Your Chinese is very fluent, and you even know some Cantonese. I know that many second-generation immigrants in Chinatown don’t speak much Chinese, yet you are a third- generation, and this is your first time in Asia.” She asked, “Is there a story behind this?”

A story? Actually, there’s not much to tell,” Wang Yang said with a smile as he spread his hands, perhaps it was his gift for languages. He laughed and said, “You know my family runs a restaurant, and we have customers who speak all kinds of languages; then there’s my grandparents, my master, you know I’ve been practicing Bajiquan since I was little; they all speak Chinese, and also taught me to speak it.” He reminisced about the past, looking upward with a smile, “My master taught me a lot about Chinese culture, like Go and Chinese chess, couplets… I can even write with a brush, though not well, ha, it’s just writing with a brush, not calligraphy.”

Hahaha,” Chen Luyu covered her mouth with her right hand and laughed warmly, “That’s great, really great.” Wang Yang nodded with a smile, “Quite nice.” Chen Luyu laughed again and asked, “Were you a good student?” Thinking that he was a student at the University of Southern California, she added, “I mean when you were a kid, were your parents, your master strict with you?”

Good grades? Wang Yang’s expression turned comically as he glanced sideways, saying, “Oh, if you’re a Chinese-American, but your grades are bad… Oh, my God!” He shook his head with continuous sighs, and just as Chen Luyu was about to say, “Is that so bad?” he suddenly snapped his fingers with joy and laughed, “Congratulations! That means you’re not a bookworm! You have no glasses, no straight As; but you have basketball, you have girlfriends.”

Chen Luyu laughed so hard her shoulders shook, “So which one are you? What do you have?” Wang Yang slyly tilted his head backward, with a grin, “I might get beaten up for saying this, but out of those four things, glasses are the only thing I don’t have. So in that regard, I never got scolded, never, they always said ‘Don’t do anything bad, as long as you’re happy, that’s fine,’ although my master was really strict with me in terms of kung fu.”

The two chatted for a while about this topic, with Chen Luyu crossing her legs indifferently, she suddenly asked, “Do you like watching Chinese-language films?” Without hesitating, Wang Yang nodded and said with a smile, “Of course! I’ve watched many, many Chinese-language films over 22 years, from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, and I watch them in the original language, which is why my Chinese is passable.”

Hmm, that’s wonderful,” Chen Luyu smiled and asked, “Which director’s films do you admire most or like the best?”

Wang Yang shrugged cluelessly and laughed, “There are too many, can’t say I admire the most. Because each director has their own style and uniqueness, all of which you would like and admire.” He thought about the Chinese films he had seen, glanced at Jessica, and laughed, “For example, I really like Wang Jiawei’s ‘Chungking Express’. Its cinematography and techniques are incredible, I think… it’s like ‘letting the horse roam freely’; and its dialogue is classic: if memory can be canned, I hope it never expires, but if I had to set a due date, I hope it is ten thousand years.”

He suddenly burst into laughter, frowning humorously, “Stephen Chow ruins everything. Ha! Actually, they’re all classics.” Chen Luyu stroked her chin and laughed, “You really know a lot about Chinese films!” Wang Yang said with a smile, “Of course, what else? I also love John Woo’s ‘A Better Tomorrow’, it’s so cool; and I like Tsui Hark’s as well…”

After talking about directors, Chen Luyu continued to the next topic, “Which actors from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China do you like?” Wang Yang paused for a moment, many faces flashing through his mind, he said, “I have many answers to this question too; a lot of guys have great acting skills!” He laughed, “I can’t leave anyone out, Stephen Chow, Zhou Run, Tony Leung, Leung Ka Fai…”

Have you ever thought about making a Chinese-language film? Will you do so in the future?” Finished with the actor topic, Chen Luyu leaned on the sofa, looking at him with expectant eyes.

Wang Yang’s expression was very serious, “If I feel inspired, I will try it, I’m open to any type of film genre.” He smiled and said, “Actually, Blue Sky Studios has a plan already. We’re going to make a CG animated film, a period martial arts type, that will be all about Chinese culture.” Thinking of his passionate fans, he said cheerfully, “I think people will like it, but it will be a few years before they can see it.”

Really?” Chen Luyu’s eyes widened in surprise, she sat up straight and asked, “That’s so sudden, so unbelievable, is it true?” Wang Yang nodded with a smile, “It’s true.” Chen Luyu asked again, “Really?” Wang Yang nodded, “It’s really true.”

Jessica raised her head and glanced at the sofa, smiling slightly, she understood these few sentences quite clearly.