The Vox Box

Wed., Aug. 13, 2008

Olympic Singing Girl Was Lip-Synching

As I watched the opening ceremonies, I thought I saw the little girl lip-synching, but then dismissed it as being too cynical. Well, turns out my suspicions were correct.

From CNN:

Games organizers confirm that Lin Miaoke, who performed "Ode to the Motherland" as China's flag was paraded Friday into Beijing's National Stadium, was not singing at all.
Lin was lip-syncing to the sound of another girl, 7-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was heard but not seen, apparently because she was deemed not cute enough.
...The decision was made at the highest levels.

As big and powerful as China seems to be, does this show that it is insecure about its outward appearance?

Posted Aug. 13, 2008, 1:30 p.m.

In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.