I am Really a Superstar

Shanghai, Weiwo company.

A lot of people were working overtime today. When it was time, many of them quietly switched on their computers and put aside their work to watch “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”. Initially, no one was interested in this program because they had already decided that the program was not a good one, so there was no point in watching it. What’s more, many experts and reviewers online had said that this sort of program that used jokes as a theme could never gain the approval of the audience. Many of them also subscribed to this opinion. But after the recording, Wang Bei, Ah Qian, Little Yu and the others all came back with a piece of news; the audience had clapped for a full 10 minutes after the show. Seeing the smiles on their colleagues who went to the recording like they were really happy and left wanting for more, it became too intriguing!

What had happened?

No way! They needed to watch to find out!

Then, at 8 PM sharp, they watched it!

Following that, the whole WebTV department’s office was filled with continuous laughter! A person, who was having a drink, even spat out water onto the monitor after hearing a joke segment by Zhang Ye!

“Hahaha!”

“Teacher Zhang is too funny!”

“Aiyo, aiyo, I can’t take it anymore! Hahahaha!”

Someone was literally hitting the table while laughing. It was as if they were chewing on Stride Gum; they just couldn’t stop!

……

On Weibo.

On Tieba.

A usually calm 8 PM on the internet was now gusting with winds. The words “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show” had taken over all the forums and Tiebas. There was no warning. It felt like just the moment before, there was calmness. Then suddenly, people started crazily posting on Weibo!

“Holy sh*t!”

“I’m shocked! Really shocked!”

“It’s too fierce! Teacher Zhang was too cool today!”

“Did all of you watch ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’? Hahaha! It’s too enjoyable!”

“I watched it! My whole family watched it together! It’s really great! Please let me curse to express my feelings; Zhang Ye, you’re too f**king awesome!”

“What a poker-faced comedian!”

“Yes, yes, yes! Poker-faced comedian is a really apt description!”

“Look at that endless expanse of green? Aiyo, that really made me cramp up with laughter!”

“The most classic line is ‘Foreigners only take public buses and trains to work. Can I not believe it?’! Aiyah! Zhang Ye really dares to say such things! This has discredited all the news agencies! And talked about the truthful feelings of everyone else! These days, the news reports are all trying to voice the government’s policies. They come up with all sorts of baseless reports and make up facts. When they find an advantageous point, they gloss over it and report it as foreigners, who buy cars, do not drive them, just to make us go green! We understand the point of going green and also know the importance of it! But the news agencies and television stations should not treat us masses as fools! We are not dumb! Why don’t they just promote green travel as it is! Must you come up with such crooked ways! This really makes us disgusted! Hahahaha! Still, Teacher Zhang Ye is really f**king awesome! He’s singing the opposite tune to those television news agencies! Too well said! I still only have one thing to say. I will reiterate on my view from back then. In the entertainment industry now, the only one who dares to speak up is Teacher Zhang Ye!”

“Fuck, to say all that without holding back, won’t it be a problem?”

“Yeah, it’s really a kick listening to that. But don’t get shut down by the authorities!”

“It won’t happen. Teacher Zhang might sound like he’s talking too overly strong. But if you listen and understand what he said, everything he talked about did not cross the line. It’s all within the limits and falls under ridicule and satire. His control of it was also very well handled. Haha, this is also why I admire Teacher Zhang Ye. Just by that segment that discredits the news agencies, Teacher Zhang was cursing someone? There was no cursing; there wasn’t even a swear word! Was Teacher Zhang wrong to bring up this government policy? No, he did not mention it. He was just responding to the news reports of not driving, although we all know that this was him scolding the news agencies and cursing the rise in oil prices. But try if you want to, you won’t find any problems with Teacher Zhang Ye’s words!”

“This episode of the program was really beautiful!”

“Absolutely! I really love Zhang Ye!”

“Yes, to me, Teacher Zhang Ye is a literary person who meddles with writing poems, writing lyrics, writing supernatural novels and as the host of a historical program. I would have expected him to be a very serious person. But after watching ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’ today, I’ve been blinded by the enlightenment! Not only can he host serious historical programs, he can even do such a funny program! I was f**king laughing from the beginning until the end!”

“Ditto!”

“Ditto+10000!”

“Haha. I also laughed from the beginning until the end!”

“Nearly 30 minutes of laughing. Not a single moment for the audience to rest. This program is too godly! Teacher Zhang Ye! You are my idol from now on! Every future episode of ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’! I will watch it once it is broadcasted! It’s too d*mn good!”

There was a wave of praises and amazement online!

There were still people scolding Zhang Ye in the morning. But at this moment, there was no sign of them. It’s like they had vanished into thin air!

Zhang Ye’s fan club on Tieba.

A few fans who had left the fan club earlier had silent rejoined.

“Brothers, I had quit earlier, but now I am back. I….I was really dumb. Really. I apologize for my stupid behavior. I did not think that the talk show would be any good at first, so I quit in resentment. But who would have expected the program to be so awesome! I was wrong! I really know that I was wrong! I swear! I will not doubt Teacher Zhang Ye’s abilities and skills in the future anymore!”

“Me, too. I did not want to return in fear of embarrassment. But I really could not let it go. I feel love and hate towards Teacher Zhang Ye. I really like Zhang Ye’s poems, but I don’t know history. I did not like to watch ‘Zhang Ye’s Analysis of the Three Kingdoms’, so I had been disappointed with Zhang Ye before. But after watching ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’ today, I can only describe my feelings as frighteningly amazed! I won’t lie to you all! After the program ended, I was really staring at my computer in a daze for a few minutes! There’s actually such a damn good entertainment program that suits my taste in this world! Thank you, Teacher Zhang Ye! I won’t talk about my quitting of the fan club from before. In all tears, I hope the members would allow me to rejoin once more!”

The two were really sincere.

The other fans were also very magnanimous.

“It’s alright.”

“Come back. The organization needs you.”

“Actually, we also doubted Teacher Zhang before. Sigh, but thinking about it now, we were really stupid. When has Teacher Zhang ever done a program that wasn’t a classic? Which program did not create a ratings miracle. And to think that I thought that Teacher Zhang would not have made it this time! I have to reflect on it, too! I will support Zhang Ye multifold in the future!”

“Haha. I had always believed in Teacher Zhang! I’ve ever said that Teacher Zhang would surely make it, that his new program would have no problems! All of you didn’t believe me!”

“That’s right! Zhang Ye has never disappointed us fans before! Not in the past! Not in the future!”

“What I would like to know now is, the people who had insulted Zhang Ye’s new talk show program… I wonder how they are feeling now and what their expressions are!”

“Ahahaha! I would like to know that, too!”

“I bet those people are vomiting blood now!”

“Hehe. It has been proven. Those who oppose Zhang Ye would always end up badly. With that temper of Teacher Zhang Ye, those who scolded him would definitely have their faces slapped. This has always been his style and also the style that I like best about Teacher Zhang Ye! You doubt me? Then I will prove you wrong! You scold me once? Then I will definitely scold you back ten times! What fear? What concerns? Who cares who your mother is — Teacher Zhang Ye. A brave warrior. I suggest everyone to support Zhang Ye in the future. It was not easy for the entertainment industry to produce a celebrity who dares to speak his mind. Let’s not let Teacher Zhang fall into obscurity! We need to push him up! Push him higher!”

“Agree!”

“Well said!”

“Keep pushing!”

“All of you say it too well. I also cannot hold back my curiosity. If Teacher Zhang Ye, a wonder of the entertainment industry, can become an S-list celebrity in the country, I wonder what kind of things will happen! Hahahaha! When I think of that, I get all excited, too!”

“Upstairs comment is a godly comment!”

“Ah? Zhang Ye becoming an S-list celebrity?”

“Hahaha! That picture is too beautiful, I don’t dare to look!”

“I’ll be d*mned. Listening to you all talk about this, I’m now looking forward to that day!”

In the few days after the “I’ll speak for myself” promotions, the discussions about Zhang Ye became fewer and fewer. The popularity momentum was after all only for the moment. This kind of exposure could not last for long. But at this moment, discussions had exploded online. Zhang Ye and his program’s name was dominating discussions all over the country!

Some industry insiders and Weibo verified users said their piece.

A famous host from Jiangnan Province Television station posted on Weibo, “After watching ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’ today, I was tickled fully. Although I am from Jiangnan Satellite Television station, I couldn’t resist promoting for this program. I was really left wanting for more!”

A famous social commentator gave a review on his own portal, “I did not used to follow Zhang Ye. But a few days ago, a promotional advertisement went viral online. There were many who scolded and cursed his program. This made me curious, and so I went to take a look. If I didn’t see it, it wouldn’t have mattered. But seeing it, saying that my eyes brightened up might still be unable to express my emotions. I feel that maybe I should use the words ‘utterly shocked’ to describe it. Then, when the program ended and after the shock, some thankful feelings towards Zhang Ye started to form. I would like to thank him. Not to thank him for showing us such a good program, but to thank Zhang Ye for contributing such a great entertainment program to the country! Talk show… This is the the first ever program of its kind in the world! This was a booster injection! This was our country’s first entertainment program to be put on the world stage in recent years! At this moment, I feel like I’ve gone back to the time when I was young. I can only feel full of passion! Our entertainment programs do not only depend on copying those from the international market! Our entertainment programs do not only depend on buying the rights from the international market! Today, we have Zhang Ye! We have our very own “Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”! Foreigners, you want to do a talk show program, too? Thinking of it? Really thinking of it? Are you all really thinking of it? Confirm that you are thinking of it? Then come and buy the rights from us!”

This statement resonated amongst countless people, as well as stirred up their patriotic feelings!

“Zhang Ye, the mighty!”

“Haha! I’m feeling so passionate, too!”

“Teacher Zhang has lifted the spirits of our countrymen!”

That famous commentator posted once more, “Zhang Ye… Everyone, please remember this name, ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show”! Everyone, please remember this program! Not only did he speak for himself today! He also spoke for our country’s variety and entertainment programs! Thank you! Thank you for contributing such a great television program!”

Countless people followed the post!

Countless people left their comments!

A lot of industry insiders had fairly high appraisals about Zhang Ye’s new program!

Seeing this, Zhang Ye hurriedly replied humbly to everyone. All of you are giving putting this bro on too high a pedestal! He really could not afford all these praises!