Little Fatty
Encyclopedia
Little Fatty is an internet meme
involving superimposing the face of a boy on various photographs. Because of the internet meme and the resulting sudden fame, the boy, Qian Zhijun
, decided to become a public figure, and he became a major celebrity and an actor in China
.
, a student from Jinshan District
, Shanghai
, at a traffic safety event. Qian had volunteered to be a part of a "traffic safety day" along with his classmates.
Starting in 2003, his face was superimposed
onto various other images. The images that Qian's face was superimposed on included film posters, photographs of celebrities, and classic works of art. His face, described by Jane MacArtney of The Times
as a "slightly suspicious sidelong glance and cherubic cheeks," had been placed on people and characters like the Mona Lisa
, Marilyn Monroe
, Harry Potter
, and Austin Powers. Qian's face also replaced the faces of Jake Gyllenhall on a Brokeback Mountain
poster and Tom Hanks
on a The Da Vinci Code
poster. In one photograph Qian's face appeared on a man next to President of the United States
George W. Bush
. In another Qian's face replaced that of Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean
. A Chinese newspaper said that Qian's face was "the face that launched 1,000 clicks." Macartney said "No sooner has a movie poster appeared than Little Fatty’s features appear, replacing the face of the star."
An article in The Independent
said that a chemistry teacher "first tipped him off that he was rapidly becoming an online superstar." Qian said that he first discovered the meme when, at an internet café
, a woman asked him if he was the real "Little Fatty," and referred to an image of Qian's face superimposed on Harry Potter. Qian said that he felt humiliation and left the internet café. Some girls at a concert asked Qian to have a photograph taken with them. Qian declined and said that the incident was one of his worst moments. Originally Qian felt embarrassed by the internet phenomenon, but "I have tried to turn sorrow into strength. At least this makes people smile and I have had quite a positive response from many surfers."
Qian said that he did not mind the photoshops when they were "well-meant." He said that he liked it when his face is superimposed on bodies of heroes, such as the character played by Russel Crowe in Gladiator
. He said that he does not like it when his face is imposed next to the shoulder of a naked woman or when "touchup job is terrible." He also did not like it when his face was imposed on bodies of porn stars, and he did not like it when his face was imposed on the Buddha
.
Qian's mother told Qian that he needed to file a lawsuit, but the family did not figure out who they could sue. Qian decided to take actions to profit from his newfound fame. He contacted Gao Feng, an operator of xiaopang.cn, a website for obese people. Gao confirmed that the e-mail came from Qian, and Gao became Qian's agent and began promoting Qian on his website. Xiaopang.cn became a tribute site to "Little Fatty," and Qian became a member of the site. Because of the "Little Fatty" fame, Qian gained impersonators. Ultimately Qian became an actor, starring in two Chinese films, including Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
(as Liu Shan
) and The University Days of a Dog
.
In an interview Qian said that his idol was the Canadian actor Jim Carrey
. Hours after the interview was published, images of Qian's face photoshopped on posters of films starring Carrey, like Bruce Almighty
and Dumb and Dumber, appeared; the tag line in the altered photograph was changed to "Fat and Fatter."
said "So what does Qian
's story tell us about modern China? Well, it reflects two of the most remarkable themes. It shows how growing affluence has translated into a serious increase in the number of obese people. And it demonstrates how the internet is providing a platform for creative expression that the traditional, strictly controlled media can't even begin to match." Jane Macartney of The Times
said "[Qian's] is a tale of how China’s obsession with the Internet reflects the need of people to communicate openly and freely in a country with few other means for self-expression."
Internet meme
The term Internet meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the Internet. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although the latter concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information.-Description:...
involving superimposing the face of a boy on various photographs. Because of the internet meme and the resulting sudden fame, the boy, Qian Zhijun
Qian Zhijun
Qian Zhijun is a Chinese actor and entertainer. His fame began during the "Little Fatty" internet meme, and since then he has appeared in films and hosted a festival for people with alternative body types....
, decided to become a public figure, and he became a major celebrity and an actor in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
History
In 2003 a teacher took a photograph of Qian ZhijunQian Zhijun
Qian Zhijun is a Chinese actor and entertainer. His fame began during the "Little Fatty" internet meme, and since then he has appeared in films and hosted a festival for people with alternative body types....
, a student from Jinshan District
Jinshan District
Jinshan District of Shanghai is neighbouring Zhejiang and near Hangzhou Bay. It has a land area of 586.14 km² and a population 536,900 as of 2001....
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, at a traffic safety event. Qian had volunteered to be a part of a "traffic safety day" along with his classmates.
Starting in 2003, his face was superimposed
Superimposition
In graphics, superimposition is the placement of an image or video on top of an already-existing image or video, usually to add to the overall image effect, but also sometimes to conceal something .This technique is used in cartography to produce photomaps by superimposing grid lines, contour lines...
onto various other images. The images that Qian's face was superimposed on included film posters, photographs of celebrities, and classic works of art. His face, described by Jane MacArtney of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
as a "slightly suspicious sidelong glance and cherubic cheeks," had been placed on people and characters like the Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
, Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...
, and Austin Powers. Qian's face also replaced the faces of Jake Gyllenhall on a Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee. It is a film adaptation of the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx with the screenplay written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry...
poster and Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
on a The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
poster. In one photograph Qian's face appeared on a man next to President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. In another Qian's face replaced that of Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
. A Chinese newspaper said that Qian's face was "the face that launched 1,000 clicks." Macartney said "No sooner has a movie poster appeared than Little Fatty’s features appear, replacing the face of the star."
An article in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
said that a chemistry teacher "first tipped him off that he was rapidly becoming an online superstar." Qian said that he first discovered the meme when, at an internet café
Internet cafe
An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
, a woman asked him if he was the real "Little Fatty," and referred to an image of Qian's face superimposed on Harry Potter. Qian said that he felt humiliation and left the internet café. Some girls at a concert asked Qian to have a photograph taken with them. Qian declined and said that the incident was one of his worst moments. Originally Qian felt embarrassed by the internet phenomenon, but "I have tried to turn sorrow into strength. At least this makes people smile and I have had quite a positive response from many surfers."
Qian said that he did not mind the photoshops when they were "well-meant." He said that he liked it when his face is superimposed on bodies of heroes, such as the character played by Russel Crowe in Gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
. He said that he does not like it when his face is imposed next to the shoulder of a naked woman or when "touchup job is terrible." He also did not like it when his face was imposed on bodies of porn stars, and he did not like it when his face was imposed on the Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
.
Qian's mother told Qian that he needed to file a lawsuit, but the family did not figure out who they could sue. Qian decided to take actions to profit from his newfound fame. He contacted Gao Feng, an operator of xiaopang.cn, a website for obese people. Gao confirmed that the e-mail came from Qian, and Gao became Qian's agent and began promoting Qian on his website. Xiaopang.cn became a tribute site to "Little Fatty," and Qian became a member of the site. Because of the "Little Fatty" fame, Qian gained impersonators. Ultimately Qian became an actor, starring in two Chinese films, including Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is a 2008 Hong Kong film loosely based on parts of the Chinese classical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms. It was directed by Daniel Lee with a reported budget of US$25 million...
(as Liu Shan
Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
) and The University Days of a Dog
The University Days of a Dog
The University Days of a Dog is a 2010 Chinese film. The director is Lu Zhengyu, and the lead actor is Jacky Xue .-Cast:* Jacky Xue * Deng Xifei * Jiang Luxia...
.
In an interview Qian said that his idol was the Canadian actor Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
. Hours after the interview was published, images of Qian's face photoshopped on posters of films starring Carrey, like Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. It stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down-on-his-luck TV reporter who complains to God that He isn't doing His job correctly, and is then offered the chance to try...
and Dumb and Dumber, appeared; the tag line in the altered photograph was changed to "Fat and Fatter."
Significance
Clifford Coonan of The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
said "So what does Qian
Qian Zhijun
Qian Zhijun is a Chinese actor and entertainer. His fame began during the "Little Fatty" internet meme, and since then he has appeared in films and hosted a festival for people with alternative body types....
's story tell us about modern China? Well, it reflects two of the most remarkable themes. It shows how growing affluence has translated into a serious increase in the number of obese people. And it demonstrates how the internet is providing a platform for creative expression that the traditional, strictly controlled media can't even begin to match." Jane Macartney of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said "[Qian's] is a tale of how China’s obsession with the Internet reflects the need of people to communicate openly and freely in a country with few other means for self-expression."
External links
- Xiaopang.cn, a tribute site (Archive)
- "Fatty - Popular face on the Internet." China DailyChina DailyThe China Daily is an English language daily newspaper published in the People's Republic of China.- Overview :China Daily was established in June 1981 and has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in the country...
. November 15, 2006.