Airing Dirty Laundry

My friends asked me if I had heard about the CCTV incident.

What?

Apparently I missed a big story late last week.

CCTV, the China Central Television network made a big announcement launching its Olympics coverage.

But it got more exposure than it bargained for.

As popular sportscaster and sports director Zhang Bin addressed the audience, a woman in a brown duffel coat came onto the stage. It was his wife, Hu Ziwei, also a well known sports anchor.

She grabbed the microphone and told the audience that two hours earlier she found out her husband was cheating on her:

… I am here on the stage not as an anchor, but as the wife of the person beside me, Mr. Zhang Bin.
Would you please spare one minute and listen to me?
It is a special date for the Olympics Channel and for Mr. Zhang Bin.
But for me, it also a special day.
Just two hours ago, I found out that Mr. Zhang Bin is having an illicit relationship with a woman other than me.
The coming year is the Olympic year, and the whole world will be watching China and Chinese people.
But a French diplomat has mentioned before that China won't become a powerful nation until it can export its value system.
If Chinese people don't have a great leader to build their value system, then what sense does it make?
Please allow me to finish my words.
Is this the way you treat a weak and poor lady?
I have one last thing to say
Let's fight politely.
But that French diplomat mentioned before, China won't become a great nation until it can export its value system.
Standing before us is the prim and proper Mr. Zhang Bin … but he is not able to face himself
and not even his harmed wife
I believe that if China wants to be a great country
... Do you guys have any conscience left?
Leave me alone!
This the last Sunday left (before 2008).
Tomorrow, everybody will begin spending a long vacation, but Zhang Bin and I are not able to do that...

(Other voice): We TV presenters are like a family, how could you?

I'm sorry. I wish everybody a happy new year. I apologize to Director Zhang (Heping, of CCTV Sports).
I hope this won't bother the next athlete to come on stage.

Zhang stands there stunned as his wife talks and several men go up and try to get her to move off stage, but she refuses.

This part of the clip didn't make it onto the official airwaves, but somehow ended up onto the internet where I saw it on the Wall Street Journal.

It's fascinating to watch this spurned woman do this as a way to get back at her husband, but in the process horrifying/titillating those who witnessed it.

It's also a wake-up call for the Chinese government, that even if something is rehearsed and well-planned, things can still go awry.

Looks like they'll have to go back to the drawing board if they don't want any slip-ups eight months from now.