TV's 'material' girl shrugs off fuss
By Qin Zhongwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-10 14:38
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Don't judge a book by its cover - or in this case, don't judge a girl by what she said on just one TV show.
Ma Nuo, a 22-year-old Beijing model, has been dubbed the "most vicious money-driven girl" by Chinese netizens, all because of her words on a live TV matchmaking show called If You Are The One.
In an interview with METRO, Ma shrugged off controversy, saying she is not the person Chinese audiences think.
Before this year, Ma was a student at the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy and worked as a part-time model to "earn some pocket money". But that changed when she took part in If You Are the One.
Around that time she was feeling low as she had just broken up with her boyfriend, and one of her friends suggested she take part in the show.
While she did not find true love on the show, she gained instant fame for her "spicy" comments and "cruel" attitude toward male guests through the program.
When she met a man who disgusted her, she said, "Borrow me a whip." Her most widely quoted remark was when she rejected a man's invitation to ride with him on his bicycle. "I'd rather cry in a BMW car (than smile on your bike)," she said.
After the show, the BMW remark was uploaded and received millions of clicks overnight, which instantly made her well known.
At the same time, netizens said she was "the most vicious material girl in the history" for displaying her worship of money.
Some people say Ma does not just speak for herself as her views resonate with today's youth.
Others say her remarks do not represent mainstream Chinese society, which is why she has been singled out.
But Ma said she was misread and there is no need to be serious in an entertainment program.
"I was just saying something for fun. It is not serious," she said when recalling the controversy.
"I just didn't like the guy. And I happened to remember the sentence that I had come across some time ago. But it doesn't mean I am that type of girl."
Ma reflected that if she had the chance to do it again, she probably would not say that.
Ma, who was born in the city, thinks of herself as a typical Beijing girl, who is not as tender as girls from south China but is more straightforward and outspoken.
"Love or hate, there is nothing in between," she said.
And her attitude toward money and relationship is also that of a typical Beijing girl.
"As long as we have some money to satisfy basic needs and have fun, that will be enough," she said.
"I don't think I belong to the rich man's world, even now."
She has no regrets about saying in a TV interview that one of her ex-boyfriends had no stable job, and that when they were together, everything depended on her.
Her "it is not a big deal" attitude is also typical of Beijing girls, although she was initially angry when she found so many people attacking her on the Internet, with some even leaving their real names on her forum.
"People cursed me in various ways on the Internet, and I am just curious as to why they are not embarrassed," she said.
"But one thing I am really unhappy about is someone saying I am ugly. To be fair, I don't think I have anything to do with this word, right?" she said, with a giggle.
And although some photos and videos showing her using foul language and smoking have also been uploaded, Ma continues to make news.
She has been invited to to appear on various TV shows and was recently asked by Anhui Satellite TV station to be a guest host for a popular show.
"To be honest, I don't have a career plan, but I hope it lasts as long as it can," she said. "After all, it is my dream."