@oystergirl @janet72 Happy to hear the sentiment is shared lol! And yes, I feel like most of the time you're forced to attend parties that you're paying your share for, when you don't even want to go in the first place.

@oystergirl agreed. I actually liked them both (Benny & Joe) so it felt like I picked the wrong people to idolize. xD However, I'm not as curt as you. I still look forward to Joe's dramas. I'm more focused on their acting now than their "slimy" history. Hopefully, he surpasses his father because (no offense) I realized that Joe can only act in characters who are either respected, strong, smart, or high-class people. In Suspects in Love 搜下留情, his character was so weak and he looked so lost. The only reason I watched until the end was because of the side relationship, Him Law and Mandy Wong. Probably if he was not Joe's son, his acting career could be one of those dirty rich kid or gangsta characters cos he looks pretty hot in this picture lol

Haven’t seen any of the previous installments, but I have to admit I’m kinda looking forward to this one just because it’s Louis’s and Raymond’s first time collaborating again, ever since A Step Into the Past (one of my all time favs), which was a decade ago! Excited to see them reunite.

@sherla1019 lol, yes, please don’t take after your slimy dad. I used to like Benny Chan, but after that whole incident involving him and Joe tag-teaming to sexually harass that young girl, I’ve sworn off any movie/series starring either of them (although Benny doesn’t act anymore, anyway). Still can’t believe Joe was able to turn around after that whole debacle, and even managed to snag “best actor” in spite of it. So yuck!

@coralie Glad to know there’s another person out there who shares my unpopular opinion on this matter. A shower, by defintion, is a gift-giving event, so throwing your own is poor form, imo. One of my coworkers recently got engaged and decided she would be throwing an engagement party. I’ve never been to an engagement party in my life! Seems so unnecessary and frivolous. You’re essentially throwing a party for yourself where the price of admission is a gift (and not just ANY gift, but usually something off a list of dozens of items you’re asking to receive). Tacky, indeed. Same goes for weddings etc... (the exception being the ones where the bride & groom specifically ask their guests not to bring gifts).

@anoninhk In his defense, he doesn’t have much going on for him in terms of acting or career, so he has to try to stay relevant somehow lol

@oystergirl i think them asking if we're Chinese is just as bad as them asking if someone Hispanic is Mexican. Shows some awareness but still really offensive.

@coralie I was thinking more along the lines of “Howdy, cowboy!” or “Bonjour!”, but asking if they’re Irish works too lol! Yeah, I see where you’re coming from. I guess I don’t mind it as much because I’ve wondered the same about others due to sheer curiosity, though I’ve never questioned them for the same reason that you find it offensive. Also, the way I see it, the fact that they’re asking at least shows awareness that Asians aren’t limited to one ethnic group. You’d be surprised by the number of people I’ve come across who think all Asians are Chinese.

@oystergirl In Hong Kong, I doubt they understand our thoughts and experiences. They could well think that all these stupid Fruit and Calender names they call each other by are perfectly legitimate and are oblivious to the fact that in the West we would find them hilarious. It’s like the blind copying off the blind which can’t be helped with idols giving themselves dumb names(some intentional to stand out and some just uneducated). Maybe we are too harsh on them because they have an extra language to learn whilst we have less important European languages that are optional for us to learn.

@oystergirl I’m not offended by the ‘Ni hao’ because that usually comes from a random uneducated drunk guy or a group of giggling kids in the street. If someone says ‘your English is really good’, I would definitely be offended because that’s basically saying you are a Chinaman and I expected you to have a such good English. Once I got got offended and felt quite hurt when someone said that I had a Chinese accent. Liverpool born we do have strong local accent but she must have imagined my Chinese accent because of the colour of my skin. How would she know what a Chinese accent is anyway when I don’t even know mandarin and can speak some Cantonese....

@jimmyszeto Yep, so not only do they assume you’re Chinese, but they also assume that all Chinese people speak Mandarin, which makes it even more offensive. It’s not just the ignorance that’s irritating, but the fact that half the time, it comes off as mockery more than anything. And while we’re on the subject (lol), I’ve also had people say things like, “Wow, your English is so good!” as if they expected me to have an Asian accent. *eye roll* No kidding, I grew up here (America), you dimwit. Okay, rant over, haha.

@oystergirl i do mind those questions, because there is a sense of otherness & alienation when they come to us with those inquiries. when they do this, i wonder if they would do that to their own racial friends or acquaintances. i bet you 99% of the time they don't. i mean, i'm not a native since i wasn't born in the states, but my future generations who would be born here shouldn't have to go through the same kind of treatment *roll eyes*. and yes, the assumption part about your race. next time a white gentleman does that, you ask if they're Irish.

@oystergirl I agree. As adults or mature teenagers, we can sometimes brush it off. As kids,likely there won’t that experience nor understanding to ignore it without damage being done. I mean we ourselves are laughing at some of these idiotic names used by celebrities on themselves and plenty of us have advanced education but we still do it. Teaching our children about how names originate and promoting positivity are very admirable parenting. Whether it can work every time on a child is a big question. It’s a parent battling against countless people your child could meet who can harm him just by ridiculing the name. Nevermind, other possible reasons such as race, stature, appearance, wisdom etr...

@oystergirl Ni Hao is probably the most used stranger greeting we get in the west. I usually respond in annoyance with I don’t understand mandarin which is the truth...

@coralie I don’t mind the “where are you from” question so much. What annoys me is when they automatically assume I’m Chinese (I’m not, btw). The other day, a white man approached me with, “Ni hao”, and I had to muster up all the willpower not to roll my eyes and walk away. Anyway, back to the name thing... it definitely plays a large role in how you’re perceived by society at large, in the same way that appearances do. In the grander scheme of things, yes, names and looks aren’t indicative of someone’s character, but we live in a superficial world, so you’re only cheating yourself when you ignore the fact that people will have preconceived notions about you (sometimes subconsciously) based on these things.

@passingby2 Mehh.. it’s debatable, but to me, it’s not what you say (or don’t) that determines whether or not you’re a liar. It’s about the intentions. Deliberately hiding certain facts or dodging direct questions is conniving/manipulating, hence, comparable to a lie, in my opinion. Whether you keep quiet about a detail you know to be true or lie to conceal it, the end result is still the same - you are attempting to sway the receiver’s judgment in a misleading way (which you perceive will bring you favorable outcome). That said, I understand the need to keep your pregancy a secret during the first trimester due to superstition or what not, but anything after that is just shady (and tacky for the reasons @coralie brought up).

@oystergirl idk about this ZLY cos I don't read articles about mainland stars. If she made absolutely no comments I don't consider that a lie. However if she kept quiet but then try to disprove the rumor by her actions eg doing some crazy acrobatic stunt while pregnant, then yes that is staging and is deceitful.

@oystergirl @passingby2 @jessehsuan Woops my bad. I wasn't aware Grace lied about her situation, but of course she did. Yes, lack of preparation & using marriage as a tool for legitimacy. Super tacky.

@coralie @passingby2 @jessehsuan Both of them lied... whether it’s an explicit lie, or lying by omission, it’s still a lie at the end of the day. I think the one thing we can all agree on is the lack of preparation from both parties. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Don’t have unprotected s3x if you’re unable to deal with the probable backlash of premarital pregnancy. It’s much easier and more effective than actively lying, as the truth will inevitably come out anyway.

@oystergirl I grew up in the west too and even with the name 'Jimmy', it's different and there are enough pressures for a kid to contend with in life than have to fend off laughter from a name a parent gave them because either the parents wanted to stand out or they are just plain uneducated and do not have understanding of society....