Sideshow

Yao the perfect worker? Beijing prof throws a red flag

By SHARON FINK
Published April 24, 2005

NOT EVERYONE IS WITH THAT OLYMPIC PROPAGANDA PROGRAM YET: The Chinese are trying so hard to convince the world that giving them the 2008 Summer Games was a good thing . . . even though they want to move the equestrian events to Hong Kong . . . but they love sports. Love, love, love them.

Well, most of them do. Leave it to a wonky academic to make the rest of them look bad.

Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor at Beijing's Renmin University, says that the Shanghai province's ruling party should not have nominated native son and NBA star Yao Ming for China's prestigious "model worker" award because athletes "are not the perfect models for the public."

"According to the past criteria, the title of "model worker' should only be given to ordinary laborers," he told the official Xinhua News Agency.

The award traditionally has gone to miners, teachers and factory workers. About 3,000 people will be named model workers at a ceremony Saturday.

CAN HE EMOTE LIKE SERENA WILLIAMS?: Lleyton Hewitt claims he wasn't serious when he said in an Australian Open TV interview that he'd like a small part on the Australian soap opera that stars his fiancee, Bec Cartwright.

Let's see: The network that aired the Open in Australia also airs Cartwright's soap, Home and Away, and made sure that it showed many shots of Cartwright during Hewitt's matches in the January event.

Like a plan wasn't in motion as soon as Hewitt shut his mouth.

Cast as a "mystery man" captivated by Cartwright's bubbly, yet tragic beach babe character, Hewitt filmed two scenes this month for an episode scheduled to air in June.

In the first scene, Hewitt sits in a diner gazing intently at Cartwright. In the second, he gets to talk with her, the Herald Sun said.

Hewitt told the Sydney Morning Herald that the experience made him more nervous than playing in the 2002 Wimbledon final.

IF IT'S ANY COMFORT: Olympic and world champion swimmer Ian Thorpe isn't half as good as that on skis, says an Australian TV host who forced her countryman onto the slopes in Switzerland recently.

But darn if he didn't at least look good.

"In true Thorpie fashion, he's quite the shopper," Laura Csortan told Australia's Daily Telegraph. "He went off and found himself a Prada ski suit to wear."

Not that she minded being outfashioned: "Baby, when you've got that kind of money to burn, I'd be doing the same thing."

In case you're wondering how much money can be made in swimming these days, one piece of Prada skiwear alone can set you back four figures.

HAIRY TIMES: No wonder a British newspaper recently ran an article speculating whether stress was making David Beckham lose his hair.

The world's most famous soccer player and his wife, Victoria, are looking for a new nanny. The one they had quit, British media say, after Victoria yelled at her for talking to a hair stylist rumored to have had an affair with David.

Nanny hopefuls - also known as potential subjects of future scurrilous rumors - are so excited about the job anyway that they swear this ad on nannyjob.co.uk was for the family:

"Very high profile celebrity family require professional nanny for three boys. Nanny must be very flexible and willing to travel - mostly to Spain (where David plays for Real Madrid). Confidentiality and discretion is a must with this position. Nanny must have a minimum of five years experience."

P.S.: That article concluded Beckham is suffering only from routine male pattern baldness.

Sharon Fink can be reached at 727 893-8525 or fink@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 24, 2005, 01:03:20]