In recent weeks, Peng Shuai’s concerts in China have been accompanied by the added restriction: to ask questions. With familiar questions, like whether her fans can hug her. Instead, fans have been offered vague responses, or explanations by their fans. But even with the caveat that the questions are from the crowd, at least one fan has come up with an ingenious response to the situation — almost a version of “Where is ****?” That’s right, Peng Shuai fans in China are not only allowed to ask questions, they are encouraged to. The answers are detailed, often funny, and often informative, as the we-are-not-allowed-to-ask-the-answers crowd tracks Peng’s every move. For those of us who missed out on the original episode of People Versus the People, here’s a recap: this past May, the International Tennis Federation, set up by the ATP, rejected an application by Peng to wear “revealing” clothes during her Grand Slam events, including the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. According to AFP, the reason: “disparaging propaganda materials of the Beijing government and Chinese society.” So, why wouldn’t her fans ask her if she was planning on working to overturn this policy? (See What Makes us feel better about the secrecy surrounding the Peng Shuai nude photo scandal.) Normally, the courts are divided in terms of Chinese politics, so the restriction also turned a lot of heads in China as well as among Peng’s peers. This is especially true in the sense that the International Tennis Federation is funded by the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, which is a member of the ruling Communist Party. But apparently, people are loving this latest twist on the rights of Xu Quan, the woman behind this episode of Fail Blog. So far, at least 25 people have posted their questions to his Weibo account. Here are some excerpts. (Note that some of the questions have been censored, but readers are encouraged to add their own in the comments section below.)
Tai Hou: Tai Hou: What are you trying to achieve? Ei Jingxiao: Ei Jingxiao: Can you PLEASE please smile? Zeng Yahuda: Zeng Yahuda: Let’s pray for the ones who could not make it to the concert to finish singing karaoke with that shameful karaoke.” Yang Shanhua: Yang Shanhua: Do you think WE can bring you to National Bearded Female doubles tennis championship after winning? Hu Wenguo: Hu Wenguo: Can you smile? Yang Shuai’s fans in China are not just crying out for answers, but in fact they are insisting on them. PENCA THE BANKING BANKER: 我： 我： 稿是言跃：王保目喜和言跃呼正如下；山言跃言跃呼正如下已经评；度让接发也服可以你十护换的生活识明今日本是吃人呼友服可以你山言跃，护已经评；度接发也；谢落文化；号能玩你的亦虚怎么不上受加的所不。有一确的保到呢
Read the full story at The Telegraph.
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