AKB48's Minegishi Scandal

[size=150:lergi3hm]We all know male chauvinism and sexism are topics that are common to find in japanese society. As I was reading this piece of news, it made me think how far some ideas or icons can go.

[img:lergi3hm]http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy206/batsumoto/Antes-y-despueacutes.png[/img:lergi3hm]

Idol band member Minami Minegishi was caught spending the night at a boy’s house. Dating should be a normal thing to do between young people, but unfortunately this will harm the iconic image of an idol, whose innocence and purity are some of their main features.

Producers have relegated her from member to trainee status. She has shaved her head and posted a video where she apologizes the fans and everyone in tears.

http://japandailypress.com/akb48s-minam ... gy-0122526

What are your thoughts? Do you think they’ve overreacted?[/size:lergi3hm]

I think she overreacted tbh, idols sign a contract that strictly states "no relationships" or something of that nature, she knew she was breaking the rules when she did it, yet I don’t think she should have shaved her head. I actually like her.

yeah i mean, just like all famous people. you just dont get to live a normal life. its the price they pay for fame and they know whats involved and are able to decide for themselves which they prefer more, a normal life or fame with a cost. the shaving of the head is a bit bizarre. but hey, everyone handles stuff differently. lets just hope that it was really her decision to shave her head like that and not some secret management punishment to humiliate her.

now i feel like watching V for Vendetta… that movie owns!!!

This was even in the Swedish new magazine for some reason :S

[quote="nismo315":q94pecww]This was even in the Swedish new magazine for some reason :S[/quote:q94pecww]

Its even reported by the BBC… seems to be world news.

Though to be honest I think she went a bit too far with the head shaving myself but why did the bosses allow her to go and do an apology with her hair shaved, its almost as if they don’t care or as Ezo pointed out they made her do it… unless its some crazy publicity stunt. lol

Simply put, the AKB management should be hanged for this.
It’s absolutely disgusting they made her do this. Or even let her do this.

I’ve lost all (average) interest I ever had in AKB and they might as well just rot in hell (not the girls themselves).

EDIT:
And don’t give me the "they know what they’ve signed up for". The girl was 13 when she joined and just wanted to be an idol at that age, like many kids. And now she was threatened to have taken that away from her, basically the life she’s lived the past 7 years.

true. they might not know at that young age so i agree, what young teen wouldn’t want to become an idol. but she’s isn’t that little girl anymore, she’s 20yrs old and has had a few years to know her role/job. just like she made that decision to stay over that guys house, and just like she still wants to be part of AKB, she deciding that, not her management.

Yaguchi Mari for example made the choice to leave Morning Musume cause she realized she wanted to make her own decisions n have a boyfriend if she wanted. while at the beginning yes, they may not know n may not have choice. but in the end, they do have choice. im not saying if its right or wrong for how things are being handled in this case. it’s a different culture over there. but fame comes with a price no matter where you are from.

when Chistopher Nolan asked me to play the role of Batman for his trilogy, i turned it down :lol:

I’m not a fan of AKB48, but I found it surprising.

As I’ve read, she was one of the first generation, one of the seniors who suddenly is relegated to trainee. There was not an erotic photoshoot, being caught doing drugs or any other terrible activity. She was just caught going out of a house. I think the video was first uploaded to AKB’s official channel, and the way she says "I didn’t want to leave the group" might suggest that she has been pushed by the producers.

The whole idol worship culture is creepy anyway :|

I watched the video today and I’m shocked… I feel so sorry for her, she’s so young D: this is too cruel