Some dude with a dorky name--Daniel Duprie--and an even dorkier face--see photo below--is the DORK. I know, I know, Phil, dear editor of Living In China and my friend, we are not supposed to flame one another in this wonderful community of bloggers, but I am breaking that rule because a member of this community has publicly attacked a friend and colleague of mine at CCTV International, Channel 9--Mark Rowswell, otherwise known as Da Shan, and has attacked him ad hominem.
I do not have a problem with his criticism of Mark's television program, "Communicate in Chinese." Intellectual criticism is fair play in matters of art, literature, entertainment, deng deng; but to attack him for his looks? And I quote:
"...with this massive idiot grin on his face. Besides this, he looks ridiculous in his traditional Chinese dress. I think traditional Chinese dress is colourful and beautiful, but on Mark Rowswell it looks stupid. He just looks so incredibly dorky."
Let me say this about Mark Rowswell, he came here some years ago just as this Duprie guy did, to teach English to Chinese middle schoolers; but, unlike so many others, he worked hard and mastered reading, writing and speaking Mandarin. Through luck and opportunity, he came to the attention of the fine people at CCTV International and over time and with perseverance he worked a part-time gig into a television career that is much larger than the language program Mr. Duprie takes such umbrage with. He is an accomplished man of great warmth and intelligence. He has done what so many others only dream of.
In my media career in the States, I worked with all kinds of talent, from the nasty no-talent but lucky jerks, to the really talented salt-of-the-earth types who made it through hard work. I would place Mark Rowswell in the latter category.
The picture you see below, along with the link to this rat's weblog and a quick look around it, should put the matter of who is the real dork to rest in a heartbeat:
