Cameron Diaz committed up a fashion faux pas like no other recently when she horrified local Peruvians, who suffered decades of violence at the hand of a Maoist guerrilla insurgency, by touring there Friday with a bag decorated with one of Mao Zedong’s favoruite political slogans.
Newly single Cammy was in the Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru’s Andes in an attempt to escape all the press her ex Justin Timberlake is currently raking in as a result of his blossoming relationship with current GQ cover girl Jessica Biel. Strapped across Miss Diaz was an olive green messenger bag emblazoned with a red star and the words “Serve the People” printed in Chinese on the flap.
The slogan is the Chinese Communist leader Mao’s most famous political slogan.
History briefing: The Maoist Shining Path insurgency brought bloody havoc to Peru in the 80s and early 90s with a campaign of bombings, assassinations and massacres. At the end of it all, nearly 70 000 people were killed.
Anyone else think the bag was a “reconciliatory” gift from Jessica? Just a theory….
18 Comments
I am offended too. Since when did Mao become a fashoin icon? Asshole killed 30 million people, more than Hitler and he’s glorified by fashoin?!?! WTF!!!!!
I hope the bitched got stoned to death.
It seems strange to me that this happened. Cameron seems to be a pretty politically aware person and I don’t think she would buy a bag if she didn’t know what the slogan meant and its origins. Maybe she is unaware of the Peru’s history with Mao. But I agree Princess of Darkness, people like Mao and Hitler should NEVER be fashionable!! Nothing trendy there. I’m guessing it was just a mistake on her part but definately offensive to the people there.
really smart, Cameron.
some prints are so strange, i don’t know why they’ve become fashionable.. like those ones of che guevara’s face. i would never buy a t-shirt with someone’s face on it. it’s pretty odd when you think about it.. haha anyway, all these slogans have just lost meaning over time and so they’ve become so trivialised by use in fashion. it’s so stupid.. like people who wear shirts with chinese characters on them not knowing what they mean, and buying it just because the word looks pretty.. i saw someone with the character “table” once. cameron diaz is the same sort of fool.
the writing is japanese…
Obviously she didn’t do it purposely, I am pretty surprised she could do something like this though. Like Stephi said, Cam is said to be pretty politically aware.. Or maybe that’s just a front? Because she uses crystal deodorant doesn’t mean she is that into history. And she is NOT escaping Justin, GOD can’t she go on a trip to learn something? Does it have to be about an ex-boyfriend she broke up with 7 months ago??
Why is anyone surprised? She’s a celebrity fronting like she ‘cares about the issues’ but then she wouldn’t be wearing such an offensive bag. Unless you know, Communism is her kind of thing (she has been wearing black a lot….; )
She doesn’t care about any of this, its just about some fashion trend, too bad its such a huge one.
I second your comment, BJB
Oh please, not everyone can know everything. The slogan means to “Serve the People”- which is a nice saying, but it was used by a terrible person and now the words have a negative connotation. Obviously, she wasn’t aware of it and I’m not going to fault her for that. I doubt many Peruvians were offended- they are not going to put those kinds of expectations (associating the slogan with the guerrilla warfare) on a foreigner.
isn’t that what her handlers are for? to avoid a faux pas like this? and yes, bjb, you are correct…it’s time to move on from her relationship with justin. she has.
If the idiot had more than two functioning braincells, she would have known how insulting this was. I’m sure her response was, “Whatever!”.
this is such a made up controversy!
Like peruvians know how to read chinese…or like communist paraphernalia is therefore offensive to all countries with communist guerillas, or like Cameron takes part on any of the elements involved in this situation. Reading to much into it, with no real transcendent comment on the actual political situation= SILLY.
Da devil, you took the words right out of my mouth. I doubt the Peruvian guide is a student of political history.
i highly doubt anyone commenting on here would have known any better than Cameron. that means u too, MCPO Airhead. really, think a bit before u slam someone. slamming just for the sake of putting someone else down is really pathetic, especially if u know u would have made the same mistake. I doubt she knew the significance of wearing that in Peru - if she did i am sure she would not have worn it.
“I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently offended. The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China and I did not realize the potentially hurtful nature of the slogan printed on it,” Diaz said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press…I’m sorry for any people’s pain and suffering and it was certainly never my intention to reopen what I now know is a painful wound in this country’s history and wish for their continued healing.”
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Eh, I’m willing to cut her some slack. She’s sounds remorseful. Considering the number of people who have meaningless asian characters permanently etched in their skin, I’m willing to believe Cam did not know what the bag said and/or meant.
i believe that she had no idea and it was a mistake, but she has stylists and publicists and bodyguards and whatnot. SOMEbody had to have been looking out for her. someone should have known
I hate how when people go travelling they dress like a “traveller”. Seiously when has she ever dressed like this in the past? They think they look authentic but really they just look conceited and very contrived.