A Look Back @ 2007

Last year was full of surprises, scandals and many "wth" or what the hell moments. 2007 was probably the year of the most ludicrous protesting from the Vietnamese community against the entertainment industry. Trịnh Hội was introduced as emcee for Asia and everyone loved him until people in Australia started boycotting him and his wife Kỳ Duyên starting off a series of back and forth writings justifying ones act. Later on the newspaper Viet Weekly became the next target causing them to go out of business. No one forgot the belt incident of singer Tommy Ngô, and to think that the community had nothing else to do. Another incident broke out when naming a new plaza in northern California in San Jose became an issue. The community who sent Madison Nguyễn into office decided to take her down after demanding to name the new plaza another "Little Saigon" failed. If we cannot unite to name a plaza, how can we ever do anything bigger? The biggest birthday of the year goes to Hồ Chí Minh when Asia 55 had its show on his birthday stirring up drama causing protesting outside of the show. Last but not least is the on going battle between singer Đàm Vĩnh Hưng with U.S. singers and everyone else against him including veteran singer Khánh Ly who refused at any cause to stand next to a "wild mushroom."

The summer of 2007 was an opportunity for big things. Starting off with the controversial pregnancy of singer Như Quỳnh that still carry on today. Như Quỳnh is at the center of many stories from the rumor that she sued Dr. Michael Đào, to beating up musician Trúc Hồ and last but not least her big exist from Thúy Nga and rejoining Asia Entertainment whom she sued against in the past. Singer Thanh Hà also had her shared of gossip when news broke that she beat up a woman because the woman sent nude pictures to her husband. Summer was also the time when we were bombarded with seeing Băng Tâm. Asia Entertainment said she was voted the most promising singer and then they released a CD where she only has 2 solo songs.



















The beauty pageants were also working hard releasing one after another of their so called great ways to keep our heritage going by creating shows that illustrate how corrupted the community is and just how anyone can exploit the very idea of a Vietnamese woman. The Vietnamese U.S. pageants product a series of so called pageant beauties such as Jennifer Phạm and Linda Vi Trâm Nguyễn who by the end of the year either got knocked up or hooked up with a famous singer. Furthermore Asia Entertainment shows are constantly helping and promoting these pageant girls by incorporating them into the show for? By the way Jennifer Le won Miss Vietnam Global!

Things were just starting to heat up. There must be something about that lucky number 7 that many singers got marry last year! All of course except for Như Quỳnh who said she will wait for 2008 instead. Starting off in June of 2007 dancing duo Thùy Vân and Tuấn Hưng tied the knot. Later on a whole list of famous faces got together including Quang Dũng and Jennifer Phạm, Duy Quang and Yến Xuân, and singer Hồng Nhung engaged in June and married off at the end of the year. Lastly, actor Đơn Dương and cosmetic center owner Hạnh Phước got together at a much later age in their life hoping to find true love.

Last year was also a great for traveling. Vân Sơn entertainment after starting off as a comedy production to now a world's traveling guide. They had their early fame when traveling to no other than Vietnam showing audiences over in the U.S. (who was working all year round) how yummy Việt Thảo looked eating and how fun traveling could be. Later on Vân Sơn expanded their trips to Japan, Philippines, Shanghai, Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia and Singapore. This made Thúy Nga very jealous so they decided to do a live show in Korea as well with a tour package as a back up plan incase they fail. The show was no success and Thúy Nga decided to just feed off of the naive talent show contestants instead. Tình Music Production also went to Korea but no one cared. (FYI: Tình Music 16 is out in stores!). As for Asia Entertainment who never went anywhere because they are too focus on expressing their hatred toward Việt Cộng and love for the war. So Asia was all about reliving the past, uniting many generations and introducing many ways summer can still be fun in Long Beach.



















The Vietnamese film industry got a big kicked out of 07 introducing so many movies but all we can remember is Charlie Nguyễn, Johnny Trí Nguyễn, The Rebel - Dòng Máu Anh Hùng and Journey From The Fall - Vuợt Sóng. Now why is that? All of the big promotions and high budget, yet what we get is the same overrated cast plus storyline out to cheat us of our money. Johnny Trí Nguyễn and Ngô Thanh Vân first paired together in "The Rebel" and before 2007 were not in many movies but they appear like old veterans, maybe they should retired. Hopefully 2008 can't do any worse. Going sort of strong is the Vietnamese modeling industry trying to start up something with Viet Model Project and Alex Trần as the winner.

What else about 2007 that was awesome? It is all about one word "exploitation" that is. From numerous ways that Thúy Nga tries to get our money by releasing a CD or more for every show and don't forget the poor talent show kids. And we get a whole lot of advertisements trying to sell us calendars, DVDS, royal jelly (sữa ông chúa), and oh yeah cheaper price calling to Vietnam. (Thanks Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn.) We could not forget the fragment "Mytime" by Mỹ Tâm (WARNING: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK) and t-shirts from Anh Ơi, Bé Ơi and Em Ơi. Trời ơi!



















With such so stuff going on in 2007 there has to be more adding to rich and thick atmosphere of the Vietnamese showbiz circle. As we hit the end of the year, others are making the last effort to shine and grow. Bé Xuân Mai was all grown up! Như Quỳnh had her birthday in September. Đàm Vĩnh Hưng, Thiên Kim, and Trina Bảo Trân decided on a new image. Heating up for the holidays, sex scandals emerged starting from "Nhật Ký Vàng Anh " Hoàng Thùy Linh to singer Thu Phương. Who says the holidays are a time for giving and loving. Not for singer Trần Thu Hà when she supposedly insulted the Vietnamese community and planned to bury them alive! Yikes!

Lam Trường had a good year winning the "Blue Wave Awards" and representing Vietnam with a boring song at the Asian Concert. Phi Nhung got a kicked of fun joining the Folk Song Arts Festival 2007. Comedian Hoài Linh also had a blast starting with numerous nonsense news on him like how he was becoming very skinny as to geared up for the big finale when he took home the Golden Apricot Blossom Award in Vietnam causing him to ditched the live taping of Thúy Nga 91 show. Last but not least are the Vietnam singers whom Asia & Thúy Nga took under their wings such as Bảo Yến, Nhã Phương, Thu Phương, Quang Dũng and many more planning to invade the U.S. in the near future. Due to this trend, U.S. singers are moving back into Vietnam as a way to escape the growing population of VN singers who sings better than they do and are starting to hug up all of their business. Sad.



















Speaking of sad news, comedian Kiều Oanh ended her marriage with her husband of 3 years (who got her over to the U.S.) and hooked up with comedian partner Lê Huỳnh. Similarly singer Ngọc Liên sent her husband a divorce letter and got together with director Tuấn Cường. Also not so good news, singer Ánh Minh left Asia but only to return shortly causing many fans to have a panic attack. And even sadder was that Thúy Nga's singer Hồ Lệ Thu and Asia's Băng Tâm fought over an old man. Next was Dạ Nhật Yến who got run over by a car. Thúy Nga robbed David Meng and there seems to be a conspiracy in the talent show competition with Trịnh Lam as the master culprit.


EXTRA STUFF!!! VOTE! (My choices are in italic)

1. Most Horrible Rendition
a. “They Don't Care About Us” – Ngô Thanh Vân
b. “Say & Lầm” – Trịnh Lam, Dương Triệu Vũ
c. “Trăng Sơn Cước” – Ngọc Hạ
d. “Giọt Mưa Thu” Ngọc Hạ

2. Scariest Performance
a. “Búp Bê Không Tình Yêu”- Thái Doanh Doanh
b. “…Phạm Lãi Tây Thy” – Băng Tâm
c. “Baby I Love You” – Andy Quách
d. “Uniquely Colorful Singapore” – Singapore Dance Group

3. "WTH" Moment goes to ...
a. MC Nam Lộc announced that singer Ngọc Huyền has her citizenship
b. Thái Doanh Doanh said she wouldn’t go to Vietnam unless it has freedom.
c. MC Kỳ Duyên laughed when reading the law that people get executed of for drunk driving.