andPOP » Malaysia

Beyonce Postpones Show in Malaysia

Vanessa Baker — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:51:40 +0000

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Beyonce has postponed a concert scheduled in Malaysia next week due to criticism by some Islamic extremists who deem her clothing and choreography to be too provocative, reports Perez Hilton. Members of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party said they thought the show would be immoral and promote “Western sexy performances.”

Event promoters said the show would be rescheduled for a future date.

Malaysian Censorship: Bruno Banned

Stephen Baldwin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:47:39 +0000

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Less than a week after it was reported that Beyonce was forced to severely tone down her liberated, subtly sexual performance in Malaysia , Kuala Lumpur officials deemed Bruno inappropriate for the population’s viewing, thestar.com reports. The National Film Censorship Board in Malaysia has cut off the public viewing of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s portrayal of a flamboyantly homosexual Austrian fashionista. The barrier-crossing film contained numerous clips of Cohen’s Bruno engaging in sexual acts with another man, along with scenes that included full frontal nudity and plenty of other excessively sexual scenes. Despite criticism of the films gratuitous sexual content, it was commercial success across North America.

The move is centered firmly around homosexual themes, and this was likely the central issue behind its ban in Malaysia. Their large Muslim population is extremely critical of homosexuality.CCohen’s previous movie, Borat, where he portrayed an ignorant Kazakh reporter travelling through the U.S., was also banned in Malaysia.

David Bowie and The Spider from Malaysia

Emma Renda — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:39:47 +0000

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If someone decided to name climate change after one of the Rolling Stones, perhaps the world would take it more seriously.

That’s the genius behind a German scientist who recently discovered a new species of arachnid in Malaysia and dubbed it heteropoda davidbowie, according to the Telegraph UK. Peter Jager said he did so hoping it would draw attention to the plight of the species, which is often shirked on endangered animals lists.

Bowie was chosen as the namesake for the large, yellow, hairy spider (a genuinely freaky looking thing) because of his penchant for spider references in his music. His 1972 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was followed by an international Glass Spider tour.

Jager has reportedly discovered more than 200 kinds of spiders in his last ten years of work. And Bowie isn’t the only celebrity to have warranted a namesake, according to Exclaim Magazine.

Last year, an East Carolina University biologist Jason Bond named a new species of trapdoor spider after Neil Young, calling it Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi. Bond said he chose the name because, well, he is a fan and appreciates Young’s ongoing contributions to peace activism.

In the same year, a species of beetle was named for Roy Orbison (Orectochilus orbisonorum) because it looked like it was wearing a tuxedo.

Even Stephen Colbert snagged himself the honour when he complained on his talk show about neilyoungi. So, another species of trapdoor spider discovered along the coast of California was then dubbed Aptostichus stephencolberti. The sister spider of stephencolberti was actually named for Angelina Jolie.

Well played, Bond and Jager, as evidently the attention-grabbing tactic is working quite well.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to connect with it. I think many people are surprised that there are new species,” Bond told the New York Daily News last year. “The stuff that makes the world go round are all the small things.”