Shi Mengqi’s copycat complex

At the end of 2008, Sichuan native Shi Mengqi, known as "Lao Meng", pushed the "shanzhai culture" that had been popular in China for a year to its peak. He claimed that he would host a "copycat Spring Festival Gala" to "challenge the CCTV Spring Festival Gala and send New Year greetings to people across the country." The "copycat Spring Festival Gala" would be broadcast live online to netizens across the country at 9:09 p.m. on New Year's Eve. In a short period of time, nearly a thousand programs signed up to participate in the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala". Seeing that the scene was getting bigger and bigger, Lao Meng simply opened a website called "China Copycat TV" to report to netizens the latest progress of the show. . Nowadays, preparations for the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala" are in full swing. It is speculated that it has also attracted several million yuan in corporate sponsorship and received support from countless netizens. Shi Mengqi was born in 1972 in Dazhou, Sichuan. Still single. "I originally wanted to organize the 'Copycat Spring Festival Gala' as a joke. I just wanted everyone to have a good New Year in Beijing. I didn't want it to be so big!"

In 1993, Shi Mengqi, who had not been admitted to college, entered Studying finance and trade at TVU. After completing his studies, he worked in the Dazhou City Environmental Sanitation Department as the Finance Section Chief. Shi Mengqi didn't like doing finance. In 2001, he quit his job and came to Beijing to study computer science. Soon after, Shi Mengqi established a company focusing on wedding videography and host training. It was precisely because he opened a wedding company that Lao Meng had the audio, video cameras and microphones he needed to organize the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala".

In the winter of 2008, on his way to Zhengzhou to attend a wedding, he took stock of the entertainment events of the past year and found that 2008 was a year of poverty for newlyweds. This is a good sign, which means that there will be a lack of strong competitors in the star-making field in the short term. "I understand what the media is concerned about," Lao Meng said, "and I also know how to create hot spots." This confidence comes from his long-term attention and analysis of hot Internet events, and he boasts that he is familiar with the principles and necessary elements. .

He set his sights on a friend, who was a wandering singer with a loose but talented personality. He wants to make him famous. The combination concept of "Copycat Spring Festival Gala" came into being, "it will definitely be popular." Lao Meng judged at that time. Before getting off the train, he thought of a slogan - challenge the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. "CCTV is in the spotlight, so let's make something for the humble people." After returning to Beijing from Zhengzhou, Lao Meng was so excited about his great idea that he decided to suspend all current business. He set up the organizing committee in an office of more than 130 square meters next to Lishuiqiao, then set up a blog and recruited several friends from the literary and art circles to help. But this painstaking arrangement failed to get a response from the original protagonist, the wandering singer--the other party's cultural company had just closed down and was riddled with debt. Lao Meng decided not to wait. At the end of November 2008, he spent 140 yuan to put a promotional banner of "Copycat Spring Festival Gala" on his van and drove it through the streets. "I need to discover excellent programs and talented people from society." Lao Meng said, "Moreover, this can attract reporters' attention."

On November 28, 2008, a reporter from the "Beijing Times" received a An old man called and said there was a strange van running down the street. Reporter Li Huibo met Lao Meng downstairs in a residential complex. "He seemed very honest and honest." During the half-hour hurried interview, Lao Meng talked eloquently, “This copycat version of the Spring Festival Gala is to allow the lower-class people in Beijing, especially migrant workers and college students who cannot go home during the New Year, to gather together and have a lively New Year. "

"I will do whatever you want, but I am better than you in some aspects," Lao Meng said at the time. "I am confident that I can compete with CCTV in creativity." He also specifically founded CCSTV (China). Shanzhai TV) website, everyone looks at CCTV when looking at the logo. As soon as the press release "Citizens Want to Host a Copycat Spring Festival Gala to Challenge CCTV" appeared in the newspaper, the website immediately reprinted it frantically, and two days later, the media swarmed in. Words such as "PK CCTV", "subverting tradition", "national entertainment" and "the rise of grassroots culture" occupied important pages, and netizens also applauded.

A thrill-loving man with an ambitious plan was thrust into the spotlight as he wished. In just half a month, the organizing committee received more than 700 programs. Lao Meng had to publish a notice on the website to terminate the program collection early.

Some other people came to the door. They are businesses, hotels, cultural companies, planning groups and art dealers who smell business opportunities. Whenever a company representative comes, Lao Meng invites the other person into a separate room and refuses to allow the media to observe. Lao Meng said that many companies have put forward various demanding requirements to him - monopolizing naming rights, spending money on programs, joining the organizing committee, or soft advertising in the form of on-site slogans, leadership speeches and prizes. A cultural company simply put a considerable amount of money in front of Lao Meng, hoping that he would package and transfer the "copycat Spring Festival Gala".

In mid-December 2008, a Beijing newspaper revealed that "a copycat Spring Festival Gala attracted millions of sponsors," making Lao Meng immediately suspected of making money. The media began to switch sides, saying it had degenerated into a commercial farce. "It's all misled by the media." Lao Meng said, "I don't even have a penny in sponsorship fees." He still insisted that the party did not sell tickets, had no advertising, and had no appearance fees. It was a pure grassroots entertainment. But few believed it. From 700 programs, we filtered down to 100, then selected 50, and finally compressed it to 35... This made Lao Meng feel very painful. There were too many good programs. But Lao Meng thought very far. In a conversation with sponsors, he put forward his idea: those excellent programs that were not selected can also be organized into other styles of evening parties for commercial performances. "He has already done market research and evaluation in this area." A member of the organizing committee who requested anonymity said, "The goal of the copycat Spring Festival Gala is to make at least two hosts and five singers or actors popular." This member said It was also revealed that Lao Meng has five or six cultural companies under his name, all of which are empty shells. When some of the actors in the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala" become popular, they will sign contracts with them in the name of these companies and perform commercial performances. But Lao Meng himself has always kept secret about these contents. On December 13, 2008, Hu Shu, a producer of Guizhou Satellite TV’s special program department, walked into Lao Meng’s office and saw Lao Meng’s copycat Spring Festival Gala online. Five days after the first meeting, the two parties reached an intention to cooperate in broadcasting, and agreed that this would be a pleasant and win-win combination - Guizhou Satellite TV relied on the high popularity of the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala" to form a brand effect, and the latter had the coverage of the former of 500 million viewers.

On December 18, 2008, a press conference for the Shanzhai Spring Festival Gala was held. Lao Meng specially chose a building next to the "Bird's Nest". In the hall crowded with dozens of media, he could not suppress his excitement. It had grown from a one-person idea to a popular event with hundreds of millions of viewers. "This is a party organized by the people of the whole country." During the speech, Lao Meng missed the script several times and bowed with fists from time to time. "I have absolute confidence that she can succeed." At the press conference, Lao Meng and Hu Shu signed a television broadcast intention protocol. Guizhou Satellite TV will provide professional support for the copycat Spring Festival Gala. In addition to providing a film and television base in Beijing, it will also provide artistic and technical guidance.

Hu Shu suggested to Lao Meng that in order to avoid the negative connotation of "copycat", it would be more appropriate to rename the "copycat Spring Festival Gala" to "Grassroots Spring Festival Gala" or "Public Spring Festival Gala" and view it from the perspective of a television station. A certain amount of censorship is done when the program is broadcast. Lao Mengyan followed the advice. In addition, under Hu Shu's suggestion to "be modest and pragmatic", Lao Meng removed radical slogans such as "challenge" and "PK" from the website, and stated on many public occasions that he "wanted to learn from the CCTV Spring Festival Gala" . These were later regarded by the media as signs that the "copycat Spring Festival Gala" was being recruited. Lao Meng countered that the TV station only provided a broadcast platform, and the right to choose programs still rested with the organizing committee. "The copycat Spring Festival Gala will not change its flavor." After just one weekend holiday, before Hu Shu even had time to plan the next step, the TV station received an instruction, which basically stated that radio, film and television organizations should not contact copycat programs. This is undoubtedly a "military order." In order to save the cooperation with the "Copycat Spring Festival Gala", a deputy director of Guizhou TV Station and a leader of the local authority immediately went to Beijing and submitted a written explanation. Hu Shu also held a "wait and see" mentality and refused to explain to Lao Meng for the time being.

After a few days, after confirming that there was no room for maneuver, Hu Shu told Lao Meng the truth on December 27, 2008. On the other end of the phone, the excitement that lasted for less than a week came to an abrupt end. "The broadcast of the entire evening party will definitely be gone." Hu Shu said, "But it cannot be ruled out that some outstanding programs will be broadcast in certain columns." The two parties peacefully terminated the contract.

The bad things are not over yet. The withdrawal of Guizhou Satellite TV has brought an inexplicable psychological vacuum. The company has withdrawn its sponsorship intention; some actors have asked to withdraw from the show. Even within the organizing committee, there was negative sentiment. "Lao Meng is the most uncomfortable." A member of the organizing committee said, "It's not his fault, but it's all up to him."

Lao Meng has returned to his early days, driving a van all day Frequently checking out the venue, lighting and sound, while also keeping the secret of why the collaboration was discontinued.

The Spring Festival is getting closer. Lao Meng also finally decided on the performance venue, a super large resort. The other party took care of all expenses such as performance venues, actors' housing, food, etc., spending tens of thousands of yuan a day. The resort also took the opportunity to launch a "soak in hot springs and watch the Spring Festival Gala" promotion to build momentum for the Spring Festival consumer boom. Now, two Internet companies have promised to provide online live broadcast services for the copycat Spring Festival Gala. Starting from January 15, 2009, all actors will enter a closed rehearsal stage. If nothing happens, they will not officially perform until 9:09 pm on New Year's Eve, January 25.

"I'm always waiting for that exciting moment to come." Lao Meng said, but his words were full of exhaustion. A spectacular copycat Spring Festival Gala, whether the parties involved admit it or not, is becoming no different from an ordinary paid performance.