Entertainment
Beijingers shrug off Trump tariff threat
Residents of China’s capital city expressed indifference and defiance on Saturday when asked by AFP about the latest threat by US President Donald Trump to impose blistering new tariffs on the country.
On Friday, Trump announced suddenly that the United States would slap additional 100% tariffs on all Chinese imports from November 1 “or sooner”, also calling into question an upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Chinese authorities have yet to publicly respond on the threat, which Trump said was in retaliation for Beijing’s new export control measures in the strategic rare-earth sector.
The ministries of foreign affairs and commerce did not comment when asked about it by AFP on Saturday.
“I felt nothing when I first saw the news,” said Liu Ming, a 48-year-old employee in a software company, outside a large Beijing shopping mall.
“Trump always has these childlike or capricious policies,” said Liu.
“China isn’t afraid of any US sanctions or policies aimed at limiting us. We have the confidence and ability to do better ourselves.”
‘Great commotion’
Like others interviewed by AFP on the streets of Beijing on Saturday, Liu sees Trump as fickle.
“From the perspective of a Chinese person, he is a bit unreliable,” he said.
“He always goes from this policy to that policy, causing great commotion in the world.
“It is not stable.”
Irene Wang, an insurance worker in her thirties, echoed the sentiment.
“He says one thing today, but maybe after a nap he’ll change his mind again,” joked Wang.
“At his age (79), he should be a little more composed!”
She believes the sky-high tariffs Trump is threatening could backfire.
“For Americans, it could have an impact,” she said, as tariffs on Chinese products could drive up prices in the United States.
As for the potential impact on people living in China, Wang acknowledged she couldn’t completely ignore the news.
“Honestly, it isn’t the first time, so we will have to wait and see how things play out.”
Hoping for ‘normal’
Some residents of the Chinese capital told AFP they expected only a moderate impact on their country’s economy if the trade war with Washington escalates again.
“The import-export sector, especially those businesses, will inevitably be affected to some extent,” said Jesicca Yu, 40.
But “for ordinary people in China, in the immediate future, I don’t think much will change in their daily lives,” she said.
Yu also bemoaned the tense relationship between Beijing and Washington.
“The more peaceful things are, the more economic development can take place,” she said.
“We hope things go back to normal.”
Lisa Liu, a colleague of Yu who is in her thirties, said she saw one good thing in Trump’s unpredictable approach to governing.
“He gives us a lot to talk about at the dinner table,” she said.
It looks like the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children are about to have a very merry Christmas indeed.
After Princess Kate revealed that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were a little sad about missing the Royal Variety Performance, their festive prayers have been answered.
The young royals have reportedly been invited to watch the West End sensation Paddington: The Musical.
This stage show, a heartwarming spin-off of the beloved marmalade-loving bear, has already cemented its status as a British cultural institution.
Paddington famously shared a sandwich with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her Platinum Jubilee, and the character has since become a symbol of tribute to the monarch.
Speaking exclusively to HELLO! from the red carpet, producer Sonia Friedman said, “We can’t wait for Paddington to meet the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales—it’s going to be very special.”
Friedman, known for hits like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, added, “We’re very proud. It’s taken hundreds of people and many years to get to this point, and now we’re handing it over to the audience—it feels amazing.”
The royal couple have already had a sneak peek, enjoying a performance number from their private box during the Royal Variety Performance on November 19.
Producer Eliza Lumley described the moment as “iconic,” calling it a royal seal of approval for the production.
Even Tom Fletcher couldn’t hide his excitement: “I invited Their Royal Highnesses to see the show, so hopefully they’ll make it to the theatre.
Performing a tiny peek for them at the Royal Variety was surreal—they seemed to really enjoy it, and I hope the kids do too.”
Charlie Puth did not audition for Wicked.
The popstar is shutting down the recent buzz claiming he auditioned for the blockbuster films.
The singer took to X on Saturday, November 29, and cleared the speculation in a joke-filled reply after a fan account shared a list of artists who were rumoured to have read for roles in the two-part movie.
“I never auditioned for Wicked I would be so bad lol,” wrote Puth, 33.
The list included some huge names such as Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes, Renee Rapp, Katy Perry, Harry Styles, Amanda Seyfried, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, Dove Cameron, Lea Michele and Jessie J.
While Puth was never in the running, several of those stars have previously confirmed that they did audition for the films.
Amanda Seyfried has been open about how badly she wanted the role of Glinda. She explained her audition experience in 2022, saying she was juggling filming The Dropout while preparing for the musical tryout.
“Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [The Dropout], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of Wicked — because I wanted it that much,” she told Backstage.
She shared that she sacrificed her Sundays just to go for it.
Even before Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda and Elphaba, other big names were linked to the project.
Lady Gaga had been attached to the film as Elphaba during early development before director changes were made, according to OK! Magazine.
Actress Cristin Milioti also confirmed she tried for the role. She told her audition story on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, explaining how she was excited but nervous to sing in person again after COVID.
She recalled being asked to belt the hardest music and said, “I open my mouth and the sound that escaped me is something I will hear on my deathbed. It was disgusting. I sounded terrible.”
Despite many stars chasing those iconic roles, Charlie Puth wasn’t one of them—and he’s more than happy to set the record straight himself.
American comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco reacted after Marcello Hernandez did an impression of him on Saturday Night Live.
Hernandez’s parody of the 52-year-old didn’t only get his stamp of approval but also drew a flattering reaction.
“He did a great job. I was very flattered that they did that,” the Bookie actor said, revealing that the SNL star had even asked him to join the sketch for a cameo but he couldn’t make it due to prior commitments.
“He actually called me on Thursday before the show, said, ‘Do you want to come in and do a cameo at the end of it?’ I couldn’t do it because I was performing in Palm Springs,” he explained.
“But I thought this kid did a fantastic job,” the comic added, per a preview clip of his upcoming appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on December 2.
Known for his physical comedy style and exaggerated speech, Maniscalco noted that he hasn’t made his debut at the NBC comedy special yet but the impersonation was “absolutely all in love.”
He even joked if Barrymore could help him out as a member of the Five-Timers Club, notably the actress has hosted six times.
“I’m here today to kind of petition — and maybe you could help me,” The Irishman actor said. “You’re taking all the spots!”
The viral SNL sketch was aired during the November 15 episode hosted by Glen Powell.
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