Back in 2018, professional wrestling star John Cena made headlines when he famously bowed out of the World Wrestling Entertainment show in Saudi Arabia over the gruesome murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a dissident journalist.
Today’s John Cena, however, is only a shadow of that champion. He is now only concerned with his career as an actor and would do anything to keep the cash flowing.
During a recent interview promoting his latest movie, F9, from the Fast and Furious franchise, Cena referred to Taiwan as a country, something China has for decades refused to acknowledge.
“Taiwan is the first country that can watch” the film, said Cena.
But naturally, when you make those kinds of statements, China will come knocking and not many celebrities have the spine to stand by the rights of millions of Taiwanese people to have their own country.
Unfortunately, Cena also lacked the essentials to stand by his statement because that would mean losing millions of dollars in revenue for the movie, which has already raked in $135 million in China and is estimated to hit $250 million.
“I made a mistake,” Cena said in Mandarin in a video apology he issue to the people of China. “Now, I have to say one thing which is very, very, very important: I love and respect China and Chinese people.”
“I’m very sorry for my mistakes. Sorry. Sorry. I’m really sorry. You have to understand that I love and respect China and Chinese people.”
Yes, our dear John had to say sorry, not once but thrice. Maybe because he has two other films that will be screened in China soon: The Suicide Squad and another movie he shot with Jackie Chan which will be released next year.
The message Cena and others like him are sending is clear: We will repeat whatever propaganda that pleases the Chinese leaders want us so long as it makes us more rich. For them money trumps human rights.
