Some stars are sensitive about their income, says editor
Forbes magazine's first 'rich' list of Chinese celebrities has been heavily criticised, with some in the mainland's state-run media describing the ranking of entertainers by wealth as 'nonsense'.
China Daily carried a Xinhua report yesterday, with both organisations' websites running critical articles under the headline: 'Celebrities: Forbes list 'sheer nonsense'.'
The Xinhua report said: 'Entertainers across the nation began casting doubt on financial figures used in the ranking and denouncing the whole exercise as nonsense.' It quoted pop singer Han Hong, ranked 12th, as saying: 'Even people with only a little knowledge of the entertainment circle in China know it is impossible for an actor to earn that much in a year.'
Other people on the list, including Shanghai dancer Huang Doudou, actress Deng Jie and actor Zhang Guoli, were also quoted as saying the magazine had incorrectly assessed their incomes.
'Some stars are sensitive over their income, maybe out of tax worries, while others are using this as an opportunity to do some public relations', said Jiao Guobiao, a professor with Peking University.
A Beijing Star Daily editorial described the Forbes list as 'far from accurate', quoting an expert as saying 'Forbes is pursuing its commercial interests by taking advantage of the fame of celebrities'.
