RumPuncher Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 http://www.kossuleht.ee/yao_act_recap.jpg'> Forget competing with Shaquille O'Neal. Rockets center Yao Ming might be the next Jerry Lewis. Yao's planned offseason departure from media attention will take a radical turn back to the spotlight this weekend when he hosts a live telethon in Shanghai, China, to benefit SARS treatment and research. Like so much else about Yao's life as the center of attention, the event has become so enormous it has drawn the involvement of a who's who of NBA stars and -- depending on how many Chinese networks pick up the satellite feed -- could be made available to an estimated 1 billion viewers. It airs Sunday evening in China. "I just feel that there is an obligation as a celebrity to repay society and lead the way for other Chinese basketball players to do more in the way of community service," Yao, 22, said through his cousin and agent, Erick Zhang, in Shanghai. "This is a great opportunity to do that and a great cause." The cause was considered great enough that the three-hour broadcast will include videotaped messages from O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Dikembe Mutombo, Phil Jackson, Bill Walton, Magic Johnson, Kevin McHale and NBA commissioner David Stern. Rockets guard Steve Francis, coach Rudy Tomjanovich and president George Postolos also taped messages. After completing his video message, Francis made a $10,000 donation that was matched by Reebok. "Steve Francis throughout the season and by donating this money to this cause has shown leadership at its highest level," Yao said. "I want to publicly acknowledge his support and appreciate his leadership." Yao's representatives are working on involvement from a variety of celebrities in and out of basketball, and they have been in talks with representatives of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush. Yao will have a co-host, but he will have a much larger role in the program than he ever has. But that seems only right. The telethon was his idea. "He's hosting it, producing it, you name it," Yao's marketing representative, Bill Sanders, said. "When he got home, he was blown away by the impact SARS has had. He got off the plane, and there was health screening at the airport, people in masks, people in chemical suits sterilizing everything. He said he wanted to do something about this, and this plan was devised." Shanghai TV will televise the telethon and make it available via satellite to every Chinese television network. As of early Wednesday Shanghai time, there were firm commitments from networks that would make the telethon available to between 250 million and 300 million people in China. Zhang said there are talks that could make it available to as many as 1 billion viewers, though the more likely estimates are that it will be available to 600 million viewers in China, with about 60 million watching. Another class act! please let him slamdunk that mini-me guy. Or atleast try for a 3point. please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swif1 Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 that's nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAustin Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 do you take checks? yo no, yao yo no, yao yo no, yao yo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumPuncher Posted May 7, 2003 Author Share Posted May 7, 2003 no, yoGI! yo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swif1 Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 is it me or does celebraties who host or participate in telethons always get something bad in return for them? "he's such a nice person yadda yadda yadda!" a few months later, there's a report of him overdosing or molesting some kid. i don.t know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumPuncher Posted May 7, 2003 Author Share Posted May 7, 2003 ^ too bad most of them aren't your average white people. sorry to generalise, but I've seen it happen. My boss slipped on some ice about a month ago in the parking lot outside the building. About 8 people (white yuppies) just walked by him and didn't say anything. He was wiggling around in pain with a bone sticking out of his leg. Nasty Shit! So then the Jamican cleaning lady sees him from an upstairs window and runs to help him. Then she come to tell us what happened, and all those selfish fuckers just walked by him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poop Man Bob Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 Yao rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BROWNer Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 propsz. fuck shaq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mental invalid Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 did you guys see hong kongs ad campaign that was pulled after the SARS break out...the tag line was, and im not fucking kidding: "hong kong will take your breathe away" life is just to sweet sometimes....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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