Nothing is permanent and everything is impermanent... When it serves China, even a long withstanding "ban" can be lifted. Here is a recent Daily Telegraph article on the 7th Jan:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9785566/Brad-Pitt-joins-Sina-Weibo-with-cryptic-tweet.html The actor's verified Sina Weibo account sent the message on Monday: "It is the truth. Yup, I'm coming."
It was forwarded more than 47,000 times and received more than 22,000 comments, with many expressing surprise. Pitt quickly gathered more than 140,000 followers.
The message attracted particular interested because the IMDb.com film website, as well as other film sites, claims Pitt has actually been banned from China, thanks to his role in the 1997 film "Seven Years in Tibet".
The government was upset about the film's portrayal of harsh Chinese rule in Tibet.
In 1997, the state-run China Daily wrote that Hollywood could never be forgiven for a number of films focusing on China, specifically citing "Seven Years in Tibet", as well as Richard Gere's "Red Corner" and Martin Scorsese's "Kundun."
His later film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" with Angelina Jolie was popular in China.
A number of foreign stars have managed to rack up substantial followings on Weibo, among them Tom Cruise, who signed up in February 2011.
Last month The Daily Telegraph reported that China's online censors appeared to relax their grip on Weibo with millions of users able to search for previously blocked information about Communist Party leaders, with some even allowed to post criticism.
Weibo has around 200 million users.
Video update:
http://video.mashable.com/services/player/bcpid1265504713001?bckey=AQ~~,AAABBzUwv1E~,xP-xFHVUstiMFlNYfvF4G9yFnNaqCw_9&bctid=2080089914001Latest news update:
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/01/brad-pitt-joins-sina-weibo/World-traveling man of intrigue Brad Pitt has joined China’s version of Twitter — Sina Weibo — and in his first message hinted that he could be making a visit to the country, which he had reportedly been banned from visiting. Or maybe not.
In a mysterious message posted to Pitt’s account the actor simply stated: “It is the truth. Yup, I’m coming.” The tweet of sorts got thousands of comments, the AP reports, and has raised speculation that the actor could be headed to the People’s Republic. The Inglourious Basterds star was reportedly banned from entering following his appearance in 1997?s Seven Years in Tibet, which offered a harsh portrayal of Chinese rule. However, a few hours after it was posted, the message reportedly was deleted.
Whether the ersatz tweet was an accident, something that was posted prematurely, or simply removed because it was being misconstrued, the actor’s cryptic appearance on the microblogging service brings up some interesting issues about the intersection of tech and culture in China. Because even if he’s not on his way to the Communist country — which would not be entirely impossible since, as Entertainment Weekly notes, the country lifted the ban on Seven Years director Jean-Jacques Annaud — his presence on the site is still a big get for Weibo and a move that shows the importance of both American celebrities and social networking in China.
Weibo, which according to parent company Sina Corporation has some 400 million registered accounts, has erupted in the world’s most populous nation, where actual Twitter is blocked by Chinese censors. The Chinese microblog service is also subject to censors as well; at the government’s behest some 1,000 Sina employees reportedly go through messages on Weibo and remove content considered offensive. But there are indications that more freedom is coming to the social network, like the fact that users now seem to be able to search for Chinese officials like President Hu Jintao and even write criticism despite the Great Firewall.
Pitt isn’t the only star to have a presence on Weibo. His Interview with the Vampire co-star Tom Cruise and British actress Emma Watson are also on the service, which launched in 2009 and boasts functionality similar to a Twitter/Facebook hybrid – allowing users to not only post messages but also embedded videos and images. And as American films gain in popularity in China — Pitt’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith brought in $7.5 million at the Chinese box office — it only seems logical that more and more celebrities will use the service to reach their international fanbase.
But for Pitt, who along with his partner Angelina Jolie is known for humanitarian efforts, one can’t help but wonder if any messages he has for China could go beyond movie promotion — whether he delivers them online or in the flesh.
