The concept is credited to Australian Juan Mann, but the idea of giving free hugs to strangers as a selfless act of gentle affection has been practised by everyone from warm, fuzzy humanist Dr Leo Buscaglia to free-loving hippies in the 1960s. Now, the corporate world is jumping on board. Tonight in Lan Kwai Fong, the Fox International Channel's Asia network is promoting its new to Hong Kong FX channel (available on Now TV) with a Free Hugs night from 9pm.
'Well, that's a nice thing to encourage,' you might say to yourself, thinking it's promoting a kinder, gentler Hong Kong to make everyone feel better. But here's the cynical part: since FX is an entertainment channel dedicated to men - with macho shows full of guns, cars and bikinis - they've hired a bunch of hot girls for the hugs. 'They will be wearing tight T-shirts and short skirts and giving out hugs to guys, while shows on FX will be shown on the outdoor screens there,' a station rep explained.
Out with random kindness, in with groping babes-for-hire. What would Juan Mann think of his free-hug movement now? If you're shallow and desperate enough, the FX girls will be around Lan Kwai Fong until 11pm.