I am absolutely crushing on Jay Chou Chieh-lun right now. Ever since I watched The Green Hornet on the week of its premier, I've been smitten. So here's what I got from my research (Thaaaank you, Google!).
Way before he wowed the world with his mysterious and dreamier version of Kato (albeit just as strong as Bruce Lee's), long before his astronomic star power hit Asia (and then the world), Jay Chou was an average student who made his teachers worry that he was dumb due to his flat affect. In a Time Magazine article that featured this hunk, Jay's highschool teacher, Ms. Ellen Hsu remarked: "He had very few facial expressions; I thought he was dumb."
In fact, what confounds me more than anything is that in the same article in Time Magazine it says that "Idolmakers thought he was ugly". That is just atrocious!!! But then again, minus the stylists' magic, Jay Chou would just be another boy from around the corner. And I have to concede that in the Asian standard of male beauty, Jay Chou before the stylists' magic wands would stop at average.
But wait, beauty is only skin deep.
What makes Jay Chou win over Jerry Yan (according to me, that is) is his stellar talent. Though Jay Chou was touted by his teachers as "stupid" (Yu tsun, still according to Time Magazine), and though his physical attributes were a diamond in the rough for Taiwan's showbiz scene, Jay's stellar prowess comes from something that cannot be fixed by plastic surgery or years and years in the academe. His creativity is sheer genius.
This is what put Jerry Yan second place and Jay Chou first in my fan heart.
His mother, Yeh Hui-mei (also made famous by Jay, through his song "Listen to Mama's Words"), observed how Jay as an infant responded to pop music. From this keen inspection, Yeh enrolled her four year old son in piano lessons. Jay has often remarked that his mother has been strict with his music lessons, such that he envied how other children had the chance to play while he was stuck playing piano.
But all the hardwork (perhaps the ten 10,000 hours that contribute to one's success, to quote Malcolm Gladwell's thesis in Outliers) has paid off and proven WRONG! everybody who thought Jay Chou was retarded and ugly -
But first, Lady Luck:
A girl from Jay's high school (someone he barely knew, again according to Time), signed him up for Taiwan's version of American Idol. Jay, who is reputedly shy, was reportedly adamant against performing alone, agreed instead to accompany a singer (who sadly got sacked). But Jay's musical score bewitched Taiwan's entertainment godfather Jacky Wu. Jacky Wu's instinct in hiring Jay was right on the mark; but it was apparently Jacky Wu who doubted that Jay Chou's looks would make him a pin-up boy.
Jay released his eponymous debut album in 2000, collaborated with Vincent Fang (articles have called Vincent Jay's twin star lyricist), made music videos that are actually watchable (and re-watchable) mini-movies (that are not about sex and drugs, but about fantasies, family, fans and forever). He also directed his first film entitled "Secret 不能說的秘密 (The Secret That Cannot Be Told)" which garnered several accolades in Hong Kong's and Taiwan's award giving bodies. Then, Hollywood embraced him and his talent (even making his Kato a piano playing hero) and the rest is history.
Now, tell me, what stroke of fortune made this boy, who was doubted for his looks and "intellect," too significant to be ignored? His star shines not only to please the eye, but to inspire. Way to go, Jay Chou!
Sample Jay's music/MV:
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