The Bus Uncle

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The Bus Uncle

A screenshot of the Bus Uncle video with subtitles added.
Chinese: 巴士阿叔
Cantonese Jyutping: Baa1 si2 aa3 suk1

"The Bus Uncle" is a Cantonese video clip of a quarrel between two men aboard a bus in Hong Kong on April 27, 2006. While the older man (Chan), who came to be nicknamed the Bus Uncle, scolded the man seated behind him (Ho), a nearby passenger used his camera phone to record the entire incident to provide evidence for the police in the event of a fight. The resulting six-minute video[1] was uploaded to the Hong Kong Golden Forum, YouTube, and Google Video. The clip became YouTube's most viewed video in May 2006,[2] attracting viewers with its rhetorical outbursts and copious use of profanity by the older man, receiving 1.7 million hits in the first 3 weeks of that month.[3]

The video became a cultural sensation in Hong Kong, inspiring vigorous debate and discussion on lifestyle, etiquette, civic awareness and media ethics within the city, eventually attracting the attention of the media around the world.

Contents

[edit] Video

[edit] Incident

The incident took place aboard a Kowloon Motor Bus route 68X bus en route to Yuen Long.
The incident took place aboard a Kowloon Motor Bus route 68X bus en route to Yuen Long.

The video depicts the incident that took place on the upper deck of a double decker[2] Kowloon Motor Bus, Route no. 68X[4] en route to Yuen Long, Hong Kong at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 27, 2006.[5] It began when a young bespectacled male passenger tapped the shoulder of a middle-aged man in front of him, asking the man to lower his voice while on his mobile phone. The man in front turned around and reacted strongly[3] with a rant[2] about being unnecessarily provoked under stress:

“ Chan: Hey, don't call me "boss". For the sake of fairness, we don't know each other. Why did you have to do that? (faster tone) Why did you have to do that? Look, everyone in society suffers from stress. Now that you have done something very unfair, should I have a word with you?[1] ”

The younger man, who seldom talked back, expressed a desire to end the discussion. However, the middle-aged man insisted that the matter was not settled and requested an apology from him:

“ (Catchphrases in bold)
Ho: The matter has been settled. It's as simple as that.
Chan: It's not settled.
Ho: It's settled.
Chan: (raises voice) It's not settled!
Ho: It's settled.
Chan: (yelling very loudly) It's not settled!!! We both have to settle this right now! To put it simply, when you talked on the phone, did I interrupt you? Why did you interrupt me?
Ho: You were talking too loudly.
Chan: Look, when you were talking on the phone, did I say you were talking too loudly and disturbing other people? We're both talking on our phones. When people talk on the phone, there will be noise, but you, your voice... our voices are the same. Yes, and did I interrupt you for that? (Pause) What do you say?
(Silence)
Chan: (yelling) You're really asking for a fight! Fuck your mother! Are you asking for a fight? I am stressed, you are stressed, why did you provoke me?
Ho: (very softly) I didn't mean to...
Chan: What do you mean "You didn't mean to."? Apologise now![1]		 ”

The younger man apologised, reluctantly shook hands, and also warned the older man regarding the use of mother insults.[6] This last warning resulted in more profanities from the older man:[3]

“ Chan: If it's been settled, why did you warn me? I'm heavily stressed. I wanted to shake hands. You settle… you said that the matter is settled and now you warn me? What's the point, pal? This is pointless for both of us, is that right? Now that we've shaken hands…
Ho: Let me tell you, this matter is between the two of us. Don't drag others into it.
Chan: If you have to drag people into it, you do so. If you enjoy fucking, you fuck; if I enjoy fucking, I fuck. Fucking other people is harmless. Fuck, fuck and fuck! Should I punch you twice instead? Right? When it's been settled, it's settled. Don't warn me. Why did you warn me? I'm not half scared even if you do! I'm extremely stressed, don't you know that? Now, do you understand? You shouldn't warn me! It's settled, you get the point? If you warn me, it means the matter isn't settled! We should forget about this, having shaken hands. OK?
Ho: All right, I don't want to talk to you any more.[1]		 ”

The video ends with the older man receiving a phone call.[7]

[edit] Title

The "Bus Uncle" title for the video was coined by members of an Internet forum in reference to the older man in the video. In Hong Kong culture, it is common to refer to an older man as "Uncle" (阿叔), hence the English translation "The Bus Uncle". The name is also a reference to football commentator Lam Sheung Yee (林尚義), who is nicknamed "Uncle" and whose voice resembles that of the older man. Lam's name appears as part of the title of the original video.[1] Contrary to reports in Western media,[4][7][8] the word "Uncle" (阿叔) was not used.[9]

[edit] People involved

[edit] Bus Uncle

As the video became well-known, reporters looked for the "Bus Uncle" near the end of the 68X bus route. Eventually, they found the 51-year-old[7] restaurant worker who resides in Yuen Long, Roger Chan Yuet Tung (Chinese: 陳乙東).[10] As of June 2006, after his identity was revealed, Chan was criticised for reportedly demanding remuneration for interviews.[11]

[edit] Young man

The young man scolded in the video is Elvis Ho Yui Hei (Chinese: 何銳熙), a 23-year-old[7] property agent of his family's property management company. On May 23, 2006, Ho (previously misidentified as "Alvin" or "Elvin"[12]) called a talk show on Commercial Radio Hong Kong claiming to be the young man involved in the argument. In a later interview with the South China Morning Post, Ho said he often takes long bus rides home and frequently asked passengers to lower their voices so he could nap. Despite being threatened, Ho said he forgave "Bus Uncle" and sympathised with whatever stress the older man was suffering.[5] His patience throughout the ordeal was inspired by tai chi chuan, a Chinese martial art characterised by slow movements, specialised breathing techniques and emotional internalisation.[6]

[edit] Cameraman

The person who recorded the video clip was identified as Jon Fong Wing Hang (Chinese: 方穎恆), a 21-year-old accountant and part-time psychology student.[4] After he called a radio station on May 25, 2006, Fong, who recorded the incident with a Sony Ericsson W800i mobile phone, claimed there was a second video yet to be posted online in which Ho fought back by making fun of "Bus Uncle" with a friend on the phone. Fong stated that the reason for the recording was to provide evidence to the police in case "Bus Uncle" became physically violent.[13] However, he "told reporters that he often takes videos as a hobby, and had just planned to share this one with friends."[4]

[edit] Aftermath

Elvis Ho expels Roger Chan and the press, rejecting the press-arranged meeting and demanding all reporters to hand over their business cards.
Elvis Ho expels Roger Chan and the press, rejecting the press-arranged meeting and demanding all reporters to hand over their business cards.

Chan stated that when Ho tapped him on the shoulder, he was under stress from an argument with his girlfriend and was calling the Samaritans suicide-prevention hotline for support. However, Ho claimed that Chan was just chatting with friends.[14] Sing Tao Daily reported that Chan visited Ho's office on May 31, 2006 in Mong Kok to apologise for the dispute and to initiate a business proposal for the duo to hold a "Bus Uncle Rave Party". Chan was quickly rejected and expelled by Ho, who expressed outrage towards the journalists who arranged the meeting and threatened legal action against the press.[15] No charges were pressed against Chan himself, although Ming Pao opined that his behaviour theoretically contravened the general code of conduct of bus passengers.[16]

The video clip has English subtitles which, while erroneous in parts, never stray far from the general tenor of the Cantonese version.[17] News of the video clip has penetrated Western media and has been widely syndicated, and reported in prominent international journals in late May 2006, such as Channel NewsAsia, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal.[10][2][6]

Next Magazine journalist went to Chan's home in Yuen Long where they interviewed him, and on June 1, 2006, Chan was on the front page of Next Magazine[18].

[edit] Social impacts

[edit] Effects on popular culture in Hong Kong

Poster of an event by Capcom, capitalizing on the tagline of the clip, which may be translated as "I have pressure! You have pressure!"
Poster of an event by Capcom, capitalizing on the tagline of the clip, which may be translated as "I have pressure! You have pressure!"[2][19][20]

The famous quotes of Chan are now frequently used, mimicked, and parodied in Hong Kong, particularly by teenagers.[21][22] A radio talk show host of Commercial Radio Hong Kong mentioned an incident involving his friend, a teacher, and his students at the end of an examination. When the time was up, a student yelled, "It's not settled! It's not settled!" (Chinese: "未解決！未解決！"), refusing to stop writing. Only when another teacher replied, "You may be stressed, but so am I," (Chinese: "你有壓力，我有壓力！") did the student agree to stop.[23][22]

The catch phrases appear on Internet forums, posters, and radio programmes.[24][6] Various music videos have been created using the catch phrases, including pop,[4] karaoke, rap, dance and disco remixes.[2] Merchandise such as cartoon T-shirts and mobile phone ringtones have also been produced and sold on the Internet.[24][6]

In June 2006, TVB television made a parody of the Bus Uncle video in promoting its coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, featuring its sports commentator Lam Sheung Yee (林尚義), whose voice resembles Chan's, on a bus playing the role of the Bus Uncle. In the advertisement, a passenger sitting behind Lam Sheung Yee (played by Lam Man Chung) questions whether Lam Sheung Yee feels pressured for his responsibilities in the upcoming World Cup, which would be his last TV appearance before retirement. Turning around, Lam replies that there is no pressure and emphasises the issue (i.e. the viewers' demand for World Cup coverage) has been resolved. The passenger then offers to shake hands with Lam Sheung Yee, calling for a truce.[25]

In addition, sitcoms of ATV and TVB imitated the video in argument scenes. In episode 67 of the TVB sitcom Welcome to the House, the young bespectacled main character tried to stop a man from talking too loudly on the mobile phone in the cinema. As a result, he was harshly rebuked by the man. Once his family knew about the incident from a video uploaded on the Internet, they taught the character to be more assertive and not to allow himself to be bullied. In the end, he was able to stand up to the same man when they met again in the cinema and remove him from the premises.[26]

[edit] Closer look at life in Hong Kong

Although many found the video humorous and entertaining, others warned that it hinted at a more alarming and sinister prognosis of life in stress-filled Hong Kong, particularly inside buses, nicknamed "flying cars of death"[6] and other overcrowded areas. The fact that Chan was runner-up "Person of the Year" announced by Radio Television Hong Kong indicated that it might have struck a chord with the general population.[27] There was support for Ho's desire for a lower volume as well as sympathy for the stress felt by the "Bus Uncle."[27] Others maintained that Chan's actions were atypical of etiquette in Hong Kong.[6]

To Kit, a well-known columnist and broadcaster, commented about the incident on Commercial Radio. He described Chan's behavior as "noise raping" and said that the incident was a manifestation of underlying social tension as well as the mindset of a common "Hongkonger." He criticised Ho's speechlessness as being too weak, likewise a stereotype of present-day Hong Kong youth. In addition, he noted that the incident implied that harmony in the neighbourhood was somehow upset.[28]

Lee Sing, director of the Hong Kong Mood Disorders Centre at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, warned that Hong Kong's high-stress working environments are spawning a city-full of "Bus Uncles." Lee estimated that one of every 50 grumpy Hong Kongers suffers from intermittent explosive disorder,[2] turning one into a "ticking time bomb" of rage and violence.[29]

Journalism professor and internet expert Anthony Fung Ying-him also attributed the popularity of the low-resolution video of a "trivial event" to the emotional climate of the city.[29] While other viral videos are favoured by specific demographics, this one spread widely due to its universal[30] expression of "the true feelings of ordinary people."[2]

On the other hand, Ho Kwok Leung, an applied social science lecturer at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, held that attention surrounding the video reflected the boring lives of Hong Kong people. With few interesting topics to discuss, they savour the pleasure of spreading information to a vast audience and the creation of Internet memes. Furthermore, the banning of the use of some video catchphrases in certain schools made the incident more appealing. This lifestyle, according to Leung, is fertile ground for the cultivation of a "video clip culture".[31]

[edit] Civic awareness concerns

Bus passengers are advised to lower their voices while talking on their mobile phones in Hong Kong.
Bus passengers are advised to lower their voices while talking on their mobile phones in Hong Kong.

Ah Nong (阿濃), a popular literary figure and artist in Hong Kong, believed that the incident highlighted the apathy of the common Hong Kong people. He emphasised that during the heated exchange between Chan and Ho, not a single bystander came to Ho's aid. He recalled an incident a few years back where he confronted a man smoking on the lower deck of a bus and was scolded for the rest of the journey. He said it was useless to complain to the bus driver who would not bother to waste his time, let alone the other passengers. Ah Nong argued that in such a society, a person can be accused of wrongdoing despite good intentions.[32]

Apple Tse Ho Yi, minister of the Hong Kong Christian Service, carried out a survey of 506 students over the age of 12 about the Bus Uncle incident and civic awareness in general. Of the respondents who claim they regularly encountered people speaking loudly on the phone on buses, only 47 percent said they would intervene by talking to the phone user or alerting the driver. Reasons for inaction include fear, apathy and inability to solve the problem. On civic awareness, the majority of the respondents did not consider chatting loudly on the phone to be wrong. Tse concluded that the current generation of Hong Kong young people have poor civic awareness, and it is natural that disputes often occur due to inconsideration.[33][34]

Ng Fung Sheung, a social science lecturer of the City University of Hong Kong, explained that Hong Kong people tend to chat loudly in public places. She attributed this phenomenon to the television screens found in many vehicles and trains, which broadcast programmes at high volumes. She suggested that the government should provide better civic education for the public to make them more considerate of others. When it comes to schools which banned the usage of catch phrases like "I'm stressed!" Ng stated that teachers must be able to distinguish whether the students really face pressure or are simply following the trend, and provide guidance if necessary.[21]

[edit] Criticism of Hong Kong media ethics

Hong Kong newspapers have been criticised for their sensationalist techniques.
Hong Kong newspapers have been criticised for their sensationalist techniques.

Some denied that any social insight could be gleaned from the video clip, arguing that the frenzy was artificially created by sensationalist newspapers in order to boost circulation and profits. Clement So York-kee, Director of the School of Journalism at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, warned that methods to uncover the incident between Chan and Ho "did not seem to … [involve the] traditional practice of news reporting."[30] For example, several media outlets offered rewards on unmasking Bus Uncle's identity. In late May 2006, a group of journalists and photographers initiated and followed Chan's second meeting with Ho. After Ho's refusal, they brought Bus Uncle to a dinner and karaoke session.[19] Although the session was widely reported, many believed it was artificially created news and unworthy of front-page attention.[35]

Ta Kung Pao stated that the Bus Uncle incident tested the professionalism of the Hong Kong mass media, its editorial noting that Chan sought remuneration for interviews and made many extraordinary claims about himself which were published without verification. The editorial concluded by advising journalists not to fabricate news, but instead to emphasise the verifiability of stories and consider carefully whether an incident is newsworthy.[36]

Others held that the frenzy was not the product of a media conspiracy, but rather a reflection of the public's curiosity and Hong Kong's competitive consumer-driven media market.[30] The situation also allowed camera phone marketers to highlight the potential comedic value and draw attention away from privacy concerns.[19]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Fong, Wing Hang (2006-04-29). X尚義聲線高壓呀叔搭巴士途中問候後生仔 (the original "Bus Uncle" video) (Cantonese). YouTube. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bray, Marianne. "Irate HK man unlikely Web hero", CNN, June 9, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-05-03. "The encounter … became the most viewed video on YouTube.com in May, with nearly three million people flocking to see the original and its incarnations, like the Karaoke version, the rap remix and the dance and disco take." 
  3. ^ a b c Lee, Min. "Grumpy Man Is Internet Hit", CBS News (AP), May 25, 2006.  Also published by The Standard as "Video of whinging bus rider a hit on Net", May 26, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-05-03. 
  4. ^ a b c d e Howard Kurtz. "Cats and Dogs Edition", The Washington Post, 2006-06-08. Retrieved on 2007-05-04. "Mr. Ho called him 'uncle,' a familiar way of addressing an elder male in Cantonese."  Quotes from a Wall Street Journal article.
  5. ^ a b Lam, Agnes. "Bus Uncle taught me a lesson: take a different bus", South China Morning Post, 2006-05-30. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Geoffrey A. Fowler. "'Bus Uncle' craze in Hong Kong reflects city stress", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (The Wall Street Journal), 2007-06-07. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. 
  7. ^ a b c d Eugene Robinson. "When Life Makes You Cry Uncle" (The young man uses a Cantonese word that can mean "Uncle" to address his elder, hence the video's title.), The Washington Post, 2006-06-09. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. 
  8. ^ Lane DeGregory. "Elvis and the Bus Uncle", St. Petersburg Times, 2006-06-15. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. 
  9. ^ Fong, Wing Hang (2006-05-11). 巴士阿叔 - Bus Uncle (雙語字幕 - Bilingual Substitle) (Cantonese and English subtitles). YouTube. Retrieved on 2007-06-07.
  10. ^ a b Fowler, Geoffrey A. "Hong Kong's "Bus Uncle" beaten up by three men", Channel NewsAsia, June 8, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. 
  11. ^ "The Bus Uncle requires a payment of at least HK$8000 for interviews (「最少八千」 巴士阿叔受訪要收錢 兩度報名參選特首 自稱身價5000萬)", Ming Pao, 2006-06-01. 
  12. ^ Collection of news articles related to the Bus Uncle. EastSouthWestNorth Zone Europa (2006). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
  13. ^ "巴士阿叔短片攝影師現身 ("The Cameraman revealed")", Sina.com Hong Kong, May 26, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. (Traditional Chinese) 
  14. ^ "巴士阿叔痛哭　「我想自殺」 (Bus Uncle sobs, "I want to commit suicide!")", Next Magazine, 2006-05-31. Issue No. 847. Retrieved on 2007-04-20. (Traditional Chinese) 
  15. ^ "「阿叔」何許人也!", Sing Tao Daily. Retrieved on 2007-04-17. (Cantonese) 
  16. ^ "搭巴士地鐵講粗口違例 ("Profanity on buses and the MTR is against the law")", Ming Pao, 2006-05-26. Retrieved on 2007-04-25. (Traditional Chinese) 
  17. ^ Bus Uncle with Chinese and English Subtitles. YouTube (2006-05-11). Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
  18. ^ EastSouthWestNorth: The Bus Uncle Interview in Next Magazine
  19. ^ a b c Patrick Lejtenyi. "Bombs and Bus Uncle", Montreal Mirror, June 8–14, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-05-06. 
  20. ^ "Three men beat up Hong Kong's 'Bus Uncle'", The Star (AP), 2006-06-08. Retrieved on 2007-05-06. 
  21. ^ a b "The Bus Uncle reveals many problems with society (巴士阿叔揭示社會問題)", Ta Kung Pao, 2006-05-28. Retrieved on 2007-04-27. (Traditional Chinese) 
  22. ^ a b "Afternoon segment". 香港幾咁好　為人民服務 (Commercial Radio Hong Kong). 2006-05-23.
  23. ^ The sentence was a common misquotation. The exact phrasing, which is grammatically incorrect, was the other way round, "我有壓力，你有壓力！"
  24. ^ a b 長鬚 ("Long Beard"). ""大熱! 巴士阿叔效應" ("Hot! Bus Uncle Revealed!")", Apple Daily, May 19, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-25. (Traditional Chinese) 
  25. ^ Lam Sheung Yee (林尚義). TVB Version Bus Uncle [Television, archived on YouTube]. Hong Kong: TVB.
  26. ^ "人善人欺欺不欺". Welcome to the House (高朋滿座). 2006-07-11. No. 67, season 1. Transcript. (Chinese)
  27. ^ a b DeGolyer, Michael. "Commentary: The power of the people", Hong Kong Standard, January 4, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-23. 
  28. ^ "巴士怒坑". 光明頂. 2006-05-23. (Chinese)
  29. ^ a b Law, Niki. "City full of 'bus uncles' just waiting to explode: experts", South China Morning Post, 2006-05-28. 
  30. ^ a b c Lam, Agnes. "Along for the ride", South China Morning Post, 2006-06-03. 
  31. ^ "Scholar: Boring lifestyles lead to a video clip culture (學者﹕生活苦悶 造就小片段文化)", Ming Pao, 2006-05-26. (Traditional Chinese) 
  32. ^ 阿濃, Ah Nong. "Dispute on the Bus (車上糾紛)", Ta Kung Pao, 2006-05-30. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. (Traditional Chinese) 
  33. ^ Benjamin, Wong. "Only half of youngsters would give phone pests and earful", South China Morning Post, 2006-06-01. 
  34. ^ "Youngsters mostly dislike spitting (港青年最憎隨地吐痰行為)", Ta Kung Pao, 2006-06-01. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. (Traditional Chinese) 
  35. ^ "由巴士阿叔，到星島造新聞實錄 ("From the Bus Uncle's appearance to the fabrication of news by Sing Tao")", 香港獨立媒體, 2006-06-01. Retrieved on 2007-04-27. (Traditional Chinese) 
  36. ^ You Jin, 尤金. "The coverage of the Bus Uncle should come to an end (「巴士阿叔」新聞應告一段落)", Editorial, Ta Kung Pao, 2006-06-02. Retrieved on 2007-06-13. (Traditional Chinese) 

[edit] External links