Sex And The Asian Cities

[george]

Sex and the Asian cities

HBO Asia launches the season finale of ‘Sex and the City’

Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia

Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim

Catrall in Sex and the City (HBO)

THE four 30-something heroines of HBO’s Sex and the City are big in cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Manila. For this reason, HBO Asia has kicked off the show’s season finale with a splashy launch in the city of Bangkok last weekend.

Activities included the screening of the pilot episode which aired in 1998, and four episodes from the final season. Christian Dior also held a fashion show at an elegant boutique hotel called the Metropolitan. The featured clothes were inspired by the personalities and tastes of the four lead characters of the show.

The four femmes would have felt at home in Bangkok. The Thai women are also beautiful and stylish and the city’s nightlife is also exciting. The favorite hotel of Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) in New York is the Metropolitan, which serves organic cuisine in its restaurant. It’s not certain whether the exploits of Carrie and company have influenced their Asian fans, but their passion for fashion may have rubbed off on the Thais. Sex and the City has become the show for designer label brands to pitch their products. Along with Christian Dior, prestigious brand names like Manolo Blahnik, Prada, Helena Rubinstein spas, Calvin Klein, Miu Miu, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Raquel Welch wigs and Timmy Wood bags, have been prominently featured in the series. Likewise, the trendiest restaurants and nightspots in New York have served as the venues for the divas to get together and dine and take home a waiter.

At the show’s launch, HBO Asia’s Caroline Wong described Sex and the City as a celebration of womanhood. “Now on its sixth and final season, which premieres on Asian television on August 17, fans will see the girls come full circle, with each of them experiencing the panacea of friendships, the pain of heartbreaks and the pleasures of relationships,” she said.

Sex and the City is based on a bestseller by New York Observer columnist Candace Bushnell. Its premise is similar to previous books and films about single career women. Rona Jaffe’s novel The Best of Everything (1959), for instance, told the story of four career women working in a New York publishing firm. The ladies were played in the film version by Suzy Parker, Hope Lange, Diane Baker and Joan Crawford. The four protagonists have the careers, but they tend to live unhappy personal lives. The three younger femmes have ambition yet they seem to lack the drive to prevent themselves from eventually ending up like the grumpy old woman played by Crawford.

The late Jacqueline Susann tackled a similar theme in Valley of the Dolls. Set in the glamour worlds of Hollywood and Broadway, the four heroines in this one either end up being addicted to drugs (the “dolls”), killed by drugs or ruined by drugs. The grumpy old woman played by Susan Hayward survives.

In Sex and the City, the four women are on the verge of being old and grumpy. They’re in their late thirties and finding Mr. Right appears to be more complicated then ever. In the final season, however, the heroines each make a major step which may or may not have them walking down the aisle. Mr. Big (Chris Noth), comes out of the woodwork, but he has to compete with an artist (played by Mikhail Barrysnikov) Carrie, is dating to woo his old flame back. Slutty Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) starts dating handsome waiter Jerry Jerrod (Jason Lewis), who’s very much in love with her.

On the other hand, Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is very much in love with her divorce lawyer Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), who wants lots of kids and a Jewish woman for a wife. The problem is Charlotte isn’t Jewish and she’s not sure if she’s capable of getting pregnant. Lawyer Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) is head over heels over a doctor (played by Blair Underwood) yet she can’t get over her feelings for the father of her son.

Sex and the City was created by writer/producer Darren Star. Star first collaborated with the prolific TV producer Aaron Spelling and produced the long-running Melrose Place. After the series ended, Star decided to work on his own and created Central Park West. The latter ran for only a year but critics agreed it was well produced. The series was set in New York and this perhaps triggered Star’s love affair with the Big Apple. His other series, The Street, was also set in New York.

Before the last two episodes are aired, HBO will be showing a special farewell feature showcasing a behind-the-scenes look at the production process of Sex and the City and sound bites and thoughts from the cast and crew. This special airs on December 21.

Asian fans of the show will certainly miss the adventures and misadventures of the foursome. They’ll just have to hope a reunion special will be made—perhaps a year from now.

--Agencies 2004-07-27

[350torana]

Maybe just me, but I always found Sex in the City unbearable. Probably because of Sarah Jessica Parker

[philmac]

350torana you ain't the only one who thinks that way.

It's woeful. It used to be less woeful, but now it's not. The writers ran out of ideas a long time ago. Gilligan's Island was better.

[350torana]

Gilligan's island. Now there is a show Even thinking about Ginger makes me rush to have a cold shower

[philmac]

And the Skipper too...

[andyinkat]

Hate the show. Reminds me too much of the New Yorker I once married. She behaved like those sluts before during and after our marriage.

And people complain about Thai bar girls?

[SoCal]

Another great gift to mankind.

[Boon Mee]

Sex & The City was one of the biggest loads of <deleted> to ever come on TV. It portrayed everything that's wrong about some American chicks...the material girl..reduced orgasams ad nauseum.

For a show with a chick that used to give me a Woody when I was a kid "Father Knows Best" with Shelly Fabrae. She could ring my bell!

[Insight]

Makes me want a refund and compensation from UBC.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia

Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim

Catrall in Sex and the City (HBO)

These are not the sort of vulgar, nymphomaniac, feminist role-models that I would want Thai women trying to imitate.

It's farang women like these characters that make men feel like they would rather come to Thailand and meet a nice, loyal, feminine companion.

I wasn't happy that this crap followed us to Thailand anyway - cue ressurection of westernisation thread.

Don't start tearing me apart girls, I'm not slagging off farang women or otherwise, I just think it is very sad that equality seems to be balanced the other way in out culture and it's not as easy to be a man as it used to be back home.

Let me make that clear once again, it's the way OUR culture is going, well, has gone really that I do not like, and I doubt I'm alone when I say that I don't want it corrupting and polluting the Thai femmes we have grown to love, admire and adore so much.

Farang girls are great for going out and getting drunk with, or having a game of football, but how secure would any farang guy reading this feel if he had a stunningly beautiful western career woman on his arm?

And by stunningly beautiful I don't mean Sarah Jessica Parker, who incedentally dumped Michael J Fox as she found a richer, taller man who didn't have Parkinsons disease.

Her nose looks like Bert's out of Sesame Street - or is it Ernie?

The long faced yellow one anyway.

[andyinkat]

BC - er, TGS,

Very very true.

Hence my autobiographical note above.

Are Thai gorls reallt impressed with these women's antics? Hope not.

[marquess]

Maybe just me, but I always found Sex in the City unbearable. Probably because of Sarah Jessica Parker 

Horrible to look at and to listen to

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I remember once overhearing some well educated Thai girls talking about it in Swensens at MBK.

They were saying how it was like, sew kewel, swear on Channel etc... blah blah blah... It's like, sew kewel you know, it's sew like, ....kewel.

Sad and clueless.

[mbkudu]

Maybe just me, but I always found Sex in the City unbearable. Probably because of Sarah Jessica Parker

Something's wrong with her face. Maybe she's had one too many cum facials.

[350torana]

I believe the long, yellow faced one was Bert. Who happened to be the grumpy party pooper who loved to count pidgeons, were him and Ernie borthers or just good ' buddies'? Anyways, off the thread i know. Do they show Sesame St on cable here?

[riderpty]

Well, somebody has got to play devil's advocate here among all these

rose-tinted perspectives. Let's have some balance. This is gonna be

fun.

The Gentleman Scamp wrote:

>

> It's farang women like these characters that make men feel like they

> would rather come to Thailand and meet a nice, loyal, feminine

> companion.

>

Lots of farang women are nice, loyal, and feminine, and their husbands

are very happy with them. Where have you been that you aren't familiar

with countless numbers of ongoing cheats, robberies, and murders of

farang by Thai women and their collaborators. Did you miss that case

some years ago in which a Thai woman lured her stupid farang husband

into the jungle and kept him a cage and very nearly starved him to

death while she collected his pension checks? He was rescued in the

nick of time by some missionary who'd heard a rumor about him. Her

reasoning was that "Everybody's got to die sometime."

I've never come home to a farang woman to find all the household

appliances sold to a pawn shop.

> Don't start tearing me apart girls, I'm not slagging off farang

> women or otherwise,

Well, yes you are. Some of them deserve it, but not all.

> I just think it is very sad that equality seems

> to be balanced the other way in out culture and it's not as easy to

> be a man as it used to be back home.

Maybe it was too easy before. Like it is for a Thai man here. Most of

the poor ladies you'll find selling themselves in Nana or Pong are there

because the law allows them no recourse against the Thai man who

refused to allow them to use a condom and got them pregnant.

> alone when I say that I don't want it corrupting and polluting the

> Thai femmes we have grown to love, admire and adore so much.

What you need to do is stop paying your Thai femmes and tell them to

get real jobs if they want any money, like farang women have, and THEN

see how loveable, admirable, and adorable they are. I think you'll

find that the percentage will go WAY down and perhaps reach the farang

woman numbers. In your case you would think the same of a farang woman

who would consent to accept payment to put on an act for you. It would

be a lot more expensive, though, perhaps unaffordable.

>

> Farang girls are great for going out and getting drunk with, or

> having a game of football, but how secure would any farang guy

> reading this feel if he had a stunningly beautiful western career

> woman on his arm?

How secure would any farang guy reading this feel if he had a

stunningly beautiful Thai woman on his arm? It would be only in

proportion to the size of his bank account, right? And when he's away,

she's got that old Thai boyfriend in the background. Once after eight

years of marriage a farang found a letter from his Thai wife to her

old husband-boyfriend that said, "I've almost got the house . . .

we'll be together soon." In the case of a farang woman, her choice of

you would at least be a free choice, since she wouldn't have to be

with you just for the money, having enough of her own: so wouldn't it

be more likely that she's sincere? And hence you'd have more reason to

feel secure. Of course, act like an idiot and she's free to go, true.

OK, flame away.

[20yearsinthai]

agreed --sex and the city sucks big time. Dont think ive ever watched more than 5 minutes before changing the channel oh my god!!!

Thai people often ask "why you stay thailand,, america better"

Now i can tell them just watch S&C for the answer

[The Gentleman Scamp]

What you need to do is stop paying your Thai femmes and tell them to

get real jobs if they want any money, like farang women have, and THEN

see how loveable, admirable, and adorable they are.

*Scampy chokes on his green tea*

Excuse me? Whatever gave you the impression that I paid for girls when I could afford it, let alone now for Christ's sake!

Last night I took an ex BG out for a meal, the bill was 240bht.

I insisted on paying because she's helped me out twice when I've been either really miserable or skint, or both.

Even then she paid the additional 40bht on top of my 200 and left a tip.

Other than that some of your points are quite valid and don't deserve to be flamed - however, I'm only talking from my own experiences as most of us guys are.

[JemJem]

I am a guy and I find it pretty much annoying that a lot of guys here still have a problem with women being independent, assertive and wants to (and knows how to) have good fun and like to go out often on a 'girls' night out'. When guys (for instance YOU guys yourselves) do it, it is 'normal'/acceptable but when girls do it, it is 'slutty behavior'.

How hypocritical !

By the way, I am not a big fan of the series but have enjoyed quite a few episodes of it so far.

Regards,

Jem

[Bluecat]

I am a guy and I find it pretty much annoying that a lot of guys here still have a problem with women being independent, assertive and wants to (and knows how to) have good fun and like to go out often on a 'girls' night out'.

And they think being with Thai girls is the solution.

Believe me, the ones who have this kind of "problem" are in for a surprise.

With Thai girls,...

[anono555]

i watch Sex & the City with my missus and i think it's hilarious

[Bluecat]

i watch Sex & the City with my missus and i think it's hilarious

My Thai girlfriend bought the DVD quite some time ago.

I unfortunately, so far, did not get any time to watch it with her.

To busy posting (isn't it, Doc,...? )

But I saw it before and I'm sure everybody can appreciate the humor side.

I sure do.

[Sexy Beast]

Sex and the City

Pretentious boring drivel.