Jackie Chan Once Admitted That When He First Started Doing Charity Work, It Was All For Show
At least he was honest about it?
Martial arts superstar Jackie Chan is known for many things, not all of which are exactly flattering (he’s been criticised for being an absent father and for having strong pro-China views). Still, the 66-year-old remains one of the most recognisable stars in the world and has also been praised for his frequent charity work. Although... an old interview in which he made a shocking confession has recently resurfaced and cast doubt on his true intentions for doing good.
He can thank Kris Wu for that. Last week, the Chinese-Canadian singer-actor and former EXO member came under fire when a video of him being escorted to the stage at a charity event was posted online. Sounds pretty mundane — except for the part where his security guard roughly shoves aside a bystander who was not aware he was in the way.
A gif of the incident that’s gotten Kris Wu in netizens’ bad books
It’s speculated that the man who was pushed is a flood relief soldier ‘cos of his camouflage uniform, and the incident quickly sparked heated discussions among netizens, who had harsh words to say about such bullying behaviour at a charity event (which, y’know, is supposed to have good vibes and all). It also raised questions about whether celebrities are really sincere about doing charity work, or if it’s all just for show.
In the quest to find an answer, attention was brought to Jackie’s appearance on talk show A Date with Luyu from many years ago. During the interview, he said that when it comes to celebrities doing charity work, there are those who mean it… and those who don’t, which used to apply to him when he first started getting involved in philanthropy.
Jackie Chan visiting patients in a children’s cancer centre in Singapore in 2015
“I was terrible in the past,” he said. “I wasn’t sincere when it came to doing charity work. I just did it for my public image and box office sales.” He also basically threw his colleagues under the bus when he spilled that some stars simply use philanthropy as a means to gain more fans.
However, something changed and Jackie eventually started approaching charity work with a more sincere attitude. “Doing charity work has made me into a good person,” he then declared.
Now, Jackie tells fans that the best present for him is to donate to charity
Some folks still don’t seem convinced, though. According to Chinese media reports, back in 2009, Jackie had promised to donate a portion of the box office earnings from his film Little Big Soldier to support the construction of a high school, but the principal claimed that they never received a cent even though the movie made 153mil yuan (S$30.2mil).
A staff member was even quoted as saying: “I used to like Jackie Chan, but now I think he’s just one big liar.” Yikes.
Then there was the time he vowed to give 1mil yuan (S$197,000) to anyone who successfully develops a cure for the COVID-19 virus, only to be accused of being too stingy by netizens who thought the mega-rich star could do a lot better.
Well, if a vaccine really is developed and Jackie fulfils his promise and opens his wallet, it’ll be a win-win situation for everybody.
Photos: Jackie Chan/Weibo, Sohu, TPG, VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer
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