Wednesday, October 26, 2011

McDull (麥兜)

Saturday morning, I was running on the TsimShaTsui East Promenade towards the Star Ferry when I spotted something in the distance on the Avenue of Stars.  At first, I thought it was the statue of Bruce Lee.  But it looked more rounded, more like a big ball.  But why would someone put a ball on the Avenue of Stars?

As I got closer, I realized it was a bronze of our favourite lard ball.  McDull was truly created in Hong Kong, by artists educated in Hong Kong.   He is not very smart; and he almost always fails.  But he has a good heart and many dreams, just like most of us.  He is easy to identify with, perhaps - a bit like Charlie Brown of the Peanuts comics in the USA.   

Life is really unpredictable, even for cartoon characters.  He started as a supporting character in the McMug comics; but has since acquired a huge following.  Now he has even got a bronze on the Avenue of Stars.  Who would have predicted it from the beginning?




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7 comments:

  1. Cane10:56 am

    so cute :D

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  2. StephenC11:10 am

    Yeah. My whole family like him, particularly my youngest daughter. She has lots of McDull stuff.

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  3. YTSL10:21 pm

    Hi Stephen --

    I find it fascinating that Hong Kongers identify so much with as well as like McDull. I think that in many other societies and cultures, people wouldn't want to associate with a character that -- as you wrote -- "almost alway fails"!

    I wonder if Jackie Chan is upset at the thought that McDull beat him to the punch in terms of having a statue up in his honor at the Avenue of Stars... ;b

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  4. StephenC11:05 pm

    I find it fascinating too. But I am not sure I agree with you about identification with "... fails".

    Charlie Brown is like that. And yet he has a huge following, including myself.

    Jackie Chan is certainly very successful, and entertaining. But I like McDull more. :-)

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  5. Cyiu Chau6:21 pm

    Well, I guess we all miss the days of being so young and innocent.

    And precisely because they (McDull and Charlie) are supporting characters, there are more rooms for imaginations.

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  6. StephenC10:29 pm

    I believe we all should stay young and innocent. At least try to. :-)

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