"Why Didn't We Think of That?"

Today's New York Times has a great article about Kung Fu Panda, the animated movie 'starring' Jack Black. (Have you seen that? I liked it more than I thought I would. I really enjoyed the cognitive dissonance created by hearing Dustin Hoffman in the role of an animated Kung Fu master. He's come so far since The Graduate.)

Apparently, people in China were trying to boycott the movie since the American movie industry had co-opted and commercialized the panda, a Chinese national symbol.

The boycott failed. The movie is a hit.

In light of that success, people in China are now wondering why the Americans made a panda movie before the Chinese did. The lesson they are drawing from the movie is that "a movie like 'Kung Fu Panda' could have been produced only in an atmosphere of cultural and artistic freedom that China doesn't enjoy." If the government doesn't like your work, it doesn't get made. In addition, the government gives extremely specific instructions on what should be produced and how it should look.

Ugh.

For the millionth time, I will tell you... Be extremely thankful that you live here. Even our worst critics prefer to stay.