CAUGHT ON TAPE — It’s not often you hear rumors about a country’s president being embroiled in a GAY SEX SCANDAL. Unless you live in the United States. Or Taiwan, apparently. There, the Southeast Asian island’s president Ma Ying-jeou is fighting back against rumors — ready for it? — that he and a former male DJ had intimate relations. Bonus: Allegedly there’s a DVD showing it all caught on tape!
Let’s get the denials out of the way. Ma says the purported DVD of him and DJ Charles Mack (whose nickname is “DJ Chocolate,” apparently) are baseless rumors drummed up by the media. He said yesterday in an interview: “It’s incredible that media outlets allow themselves to be hoodwinked by such a ridiculous story. It’s a groundless rumor and there’s nothing to it.”
All of this got started when Chen Shui-bian, the former president of Taiwan, made an accusation in a separate corruption court hearing that a special prosecutor had suppressed the DVD and kept the scandal from exploding during last year’s presidential election. The Taipei Times is all over it: “Chen said the DVD belonged to [the DJ] Mack’s wife, Chang Wei-chin, who said she was a good friend of Chen and his wife, Wu Shu-jen. Chen said Chang had intended to use the DVD to ruin Ma’s presidential prospects last year, but the prosecutor prevented her from publicizing it.”
Meanwhile, there are public calls from legislators for Ma to out himself if he is gay. Yesterday “Ma’s sexual orientation was a central topic on the legislature’s ‘state affairs forum,’ during which Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chai Trong-rong called on Ma to come out of the closet if he is indeed gay.”
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But the scandal doesn’t end there for Ma’s alleged paramour. Forty-year-old DJ Mack — a Tennessee native who started his career in Taiwan as a dancer — has been ordered to leave the country after allegedly having sex while knowingly being infected with syphilis. (There’s a law against it.) And how did all this start? When Mack’s estranged wife Chang accused him on Jan. 16 “of raping two male college students while being infected with syphilis. Mack appeared at the Sanchangli Police Station on Jan. 19 with a medical report which said that, although he had had the disease, he was now cured. The former DJ also denied the rape allegations and that he had had sex whilst knowingly carrying syphilis.”
As the kids say: DEVELOPING…
[Photo via 1-Apple]
myrios123
I see this as a learning experience for all people with ambition to lead. Getting caught on tape is such an amateur move… so JV… I dare say, novice. Politicians are supposed to be smarter than this.
Ali
Taiwan is not “technically ruled by big China”. The government of Taiwan is the ‘Republic of China’ and it and “big” China (the ‘People’s Republic of China’) are two separate countries. Both countries actually claim each others’ territory as being officially theirs, as the rightful rulers of all of China, and Taiwan/the Republic of China’s claim was recognized internationally, including at the UN, until the 1970s. This is because Taiwan was founded by China’s government in exile, the Kuomintang, after they lost the civil war that led to the founding of the current People’s Republic of China government by the Communist Party. But the Republic of China (Taiwan) only controls Taiwan and some other islands, and The People’s Republic of China (China) doesn’t control Taiwan. Taiwan is considered by most people to be a de facto state – it currently has limited international legal recognition because it lost sovereign status over all of China in the eyes of the international community, but, it is sovereign over the territory it does control. The People’s Republic of China insists that states that have diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China don’t officially recognize the Republic of China. Despite this, the Republic of China/Taiwan is treated as a sovereign state – unofficially – by nearly all countries and officially by about two dozen states, so it is a de facto sovereign state, and considers itself a de jure sovereign state.
A little confusing, possibly.
Darth Paul
That is all kinds of hot- interracial, adulterous, international gay sex scandal!
Dan
I think the research dept at Queerty needs a little work. As Ali noted, Taiwan is a separate, sovereign government by just about any measure. The only reason it isn’t formally recognized as such is because China’s (that’d be “big China”) is being a bitch about the whole thing.
Perhaps you’re thinking of Hong Kong?
Sebbe
I would just add to what Ali said for those that are not current on the situation, that how Taiwan gets around this in regards to diplomatic relations is by the use of Economic and Cultural Representative Offices which are de facto embassies/consulates.
John in CA
The President of “China” (really Taiwan) having an interracial homosexual affair with a DJ from Tennessee?
You couldn’t make this stuff up. It seems more convolluted than the average Taiwanese, or dare I say Korean, soap opera. Seriously, forget about that Sam Adams-Beau Breedlove nonsense. This scandal is much more fun.
Alex
Just like to point out that Taiwan isn’t part of South-East Asia. It’s quite firmly East Asia.
Sebbe
@Alex – Oh jeez, I didn’t even catch the “South”. WOW. Allegedly some people do include Taiwan, but most use ASEAN as the criteria, that and the weather I personally use. David you need one of those 14 day “American” style tours of Asia like a lot of Americans do in Europe (write it off as research surprise TV). You know the type, 12 countries in 7 days or a globe for your new apartment. LOL
Lex
Oh damn. And isn’t Taiwan kinda maybe debating a gay marriage proposal? I think I remember reading something about that.
But if he comes out, I wonder how that would affect politics in Taiwan. It’s not as homophobic as other Asian nations (South Korea, for instance, though even SK is changing quickly) but it isn’t anywhere near America from what I can tell.
Sebbe
While I was working on my MBA I had a very good Taiwanese friend who was gay (his sister was also studying at the university although in a different department). I did have a couple opportunities to visit them in Tapai and was able to learn a little bit about the subject and to attend a pride parade.
From what I know, there was a proposal that was presented a few years ago that has been stalled in committee in regards to same sex marriage. Taiwan pride is the largest pride parade in Asia (and was the first of any Sino nation). From what I observed, Taiwan pride is less commercial than what you see in the States or in Western Europe and closer to the social movement that pride was originally (I imagine anyways as I am too young to say for fact).
There are no laws against homosexuality in Taiwan and there are protections in the law in regards to employment and education. Many expect and hope that Taiwan will be the first Asian nation to allow same sex marriage and adoption.
There are also, (to my surprise) many gay and lesbian story lines in the Taiwanese media and movies. Many of which filter into mainland China.
If anyone is Taiwanese or has any more information I would be interested to hear from them.
** In case anyone forgot, Ang Lee is Taiwanese, as a side note.**
alan brickman
damm those wives….lol
Mister C
WOW…!!!!
Mathew Phillips
Although the issue of the alleged video has recently resurfaced, the events surrounding Mack, the rape allegations against him, the syphilis and his deportation happened back in 2004. Poor Mack – just when his five year ban from Taiwan is up, this stuff resurfaces.
Nick11
Just wanted to mention how Taiwan and India were the two countries that censored the Oscar’s gay speeches, or to be specific the two countries where STAR TV had them censor out all the gay stuff. I wonder if it’s because it made the President uncomfortable? 😉
petted
Seems like Chang is grinding that ax – Mack should get a divorce.
massimo
Taiwan is supposedly the second most liberal country, behind Japan, in Asia.
But it’s still a homophobic country. Don’t be fooled, people!
We’re just as conservative as American Southerners.
Adultery is illegal and punishable in this country, and is supported by the majority of people.
Unmarried couples are not recognized by the court of law; even buying insurances for your unmarried loved one will meet with difficulties.
Most Taiwanese also support death penalty.
Those who solicit CONSENSUAL sex on the Internet are liable to be jailed.
Right now, this country is plagued with national identity issues and recession, so most politicians can careless about minorities’ rights. For those demagogues, minorities’ rights or in a broader sense—human rights—are nothing more than a steppingstone to the advancement of their political agendas.
Just like the mainstreal media, they’ll exploit the LGBT community when necessary, yet they’re hardly our friends.
The only good thing about President Mak’s faux scandal is the free publicity for gays. Otherwise, gays are somewhat non-existent in mass media.