Out of Synch in Beijing

And, in the category of being a complete jackass, China takes home another gold thanks to the idiot who dreamed this one up.

Just days following the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the internet is buzzing with blog posts and mainstream media reports of a scandal that is brewing over a lip-synching stunt involving 9-year-old Lin Miaoke, who sang "Ode to the Motherland" when the Chinese flag entered the stadium.

Everyone fell in love with the cute little girl in the red dress much like we fell in love with Rudy Huxtable in the 80’s. Or, the same way we sponsor all the cute children first through Compassion International.

But, it wasn't the “smiling angel” (as she was dubbed—no pun intended) singing after all. The ceremony's music director spilled the beans and told the world the angel voice belonged to 7-year-old chubby-cheeked-crooked-teeth girl named Yang Peiyi.

There must have been a great reason for this, right? The little girl was frightened? She was too young? She had stage fright? No.

Apparently, the little girl behind the voice was robbed of her moment at the last minute because her looks were considered “not suitable” by a "senior Communist Party official" (who is probably obese and bald but that is besides the point).

The fix? Milli-Miaoke.

It was then reported over Beijing Radio "It was for the national interest . . . the child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings and expression."

What the hell is wrong with us?

I want to kick this official in the teeth. In the Lord, of course.

Someone may need to lip-synch and overdub the words I am actually speaking out loud in a censorship move.

I feel bad for both of these precious girls. God forgive us for raising our children with this understanding of beauty.