A Celestial Star in Piccadilly: Anna Chen presents Anna May Wong, BBC R4

Anna Chen aka Madam Miaow presents a half-hour profile of Anna May Wong, Hollywood's first Chinese movie star, tomorrow morning on BBC Radio 4.

Starring with Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express, killed off in most of her movies, a huge hit in Europe, reviled in China, Anna May was the most visible Chinese woman in the world during the 1920s and 30s. Stuck playing dragon ladies and lotus blossoms all her career, who wouldn't crack? So what happened to her?

To be broadcast 11:30, Tuesday 13th January 2009, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the making of Anna May's British hit, Piccadilly.

A Celestial Star in Piccadilly is Pick of the Week in the Guardian (Saturday Guardian Guide), Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

Media on Anna Chen's last radio series, Chinese In Britain
“A fascinating story” - Chris Campling, The Times
“Each episode sounded effortless only because it had been crafted with such supreme care” - Gillian Reynolds, The Daily Telegraph

Please come back — more later tonight.

Weblog Awards 2008: two days to go

Click on logo to vote Madam Miaow

A reminder to all my lovely readers that there are only two more days to go til it’s all over. That’s two more days to vote for your favourites.

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN EACH CATEGORY ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS PER COMPUTER

So far, 620,000 votes have been cast, and 1.2 million visitors have perused 2 milllion page views in the Weblog Awards.

If everyone who read this blog — ever — voted, Madam Miaow would walk Best Culture Blog. As it is, I’m ... oooh, only about 2,400 behind the leader. But, hey, mustn’t be pessimistic. You never know. 2,401 visitors might say, “That Madam Miaow. Sure is a fine read. I must spend the 15 seconds it takes to click here and vote for the darling in the face of some of those big boys and girls.”

It’s been a riot. This is only a small one-person operation in the vastness of the blogosphere, and I'm up against some giants. But it’s great the way the Weblog awards competition opens it up for all-comers. I'm currently neck and neck for sixth place and, exciting as it is, it would be very nice we could at least widen the gap.

To vote for me, please click on the logo above or here

You might also like to vote for Neil Clark who was winner of the Best UK Blog 2007 but is way behind right-wing blogger Melanie Philips this time around.

I’m also recommending a vote in the category of Best Middle East or Africa Blog for Informed Comment.

Please vote for Slacker Chic in Best Fashion Blog for her wit and irreverance and as a much-deserved reward for keeping me entertained.

Remember, you are allowed to vote once per computer every 24 hours.

A huge thank you to everyone who's voting — you are stars.

Weblog Awards 2008: two days to go

Click on logo to vote Madam Miaow

A reminder to all my lovely readers that there are only two more days to go til it’s all over. That’s two more days to vote for your favourites.

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN EACH CATEGORY ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS PER COMPUTER

So far, 620,000 votes have been cast, and 1.2 million visitors have perused 2 milllion page views in the Weblog Awards.

If everyone who read this blog — ever — voted, Madam Miaow would walk Best Culture Blog. As it is, I’m ... oooh, only about 2,400 behind the leader. But, hey, mustn’t be pessimistic. You never know. 2,401 visitors might say, “That Madam Miaow. Sure is a fine read. I must spend the 15 seconds it takes to click here and vote for the darling in the face of some of those big boys and girls.”

It’s been a riot. This is only a small one-person operation in the vastness of the blogosphere, and I'm up against some giants. But it’s great the way the Weblog awards competition opens it up for all-comers. I'm currently neck and neck for sixth place and, exciting as it is, it would be very nice we could at least widen the gap.

To vote for me, please click on the logo above or here

You might also like to vote for Neil Clark who was winner of the Best UK Blog 2007 but is way behind right-wing blogger Melanie Philips this time around.

I’m also recommending a vote in the category of Best Middle East or Africa Blog for Informed Comment.

Please vote for Slacker Chic in Best Fashion Blog for her wit and irreverance and as a much-deserved reward for keeping me entertained.

Remember, you are allowed to vote once per computer every 24 hours.

A huge thank you to everyone who's voting — you are stars.

Weblog Awards 2008 voting opens: Best Culture Blog Finalist

Click on the logo and vote for Madam Miaow

The Weblog Awards opens at last and Best Culture Blog Finalists are off like hares out of a trap.

I’m surprised by how excited I am about this. Thanks to everyone who’s voted so far, I’m not last :-)

In fact, thus far, I’m a repectable third out of ten. ... EEK! They're catching up. Three of us neck and neck for third place.

You can vote every day in each category for the next eight days(closes 13th January). I’m feeling like Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris, complete with butterfly ballots and hanging chads.

Vote early, vote often! Vote Madam Miaow!

STOP PRESS
Please also vote for Slacker Chic as Best Fashion Blog. She writes some of the funniest rants in the blogosphere and entertains me hugely in moments of boredom or when I have something important to do and I'm trying to put it off.

Vote for Neil Clark against some horrible right-wingers in the Best UK Blog category.

Weblog Awards 2008 voting opens: Best Culture Blog Finalist

Click on the logo and vote for Madam Miaow

The Weblog Awards opens at last and Best Culture Blog Finalists are off like hares out of a trap.

I’m surprised by how excited I am about this. Thanks to everyone who’s voted so far, I’m not last :-)

In fact, thus far, I’m a repectable third out of ten. ... EEK! They're catching up. Three of us neck and neck for third place.

You can vote every day in each category for the next eight days(closes 13th January). I’m feeling like Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris, complete with butterfly ballots and hanging chads.

Vote early, vote often! Vote Madam Miaow!

STOP PRESS
Please also vote for Slacker Chic as Best Fashion Blog. She writes some of the funniest rants in the blogosphere and entertains me hugely in moments of boredom or when I have something important to do and I'm trying to put it off.

Vote for Neil Clark against some horrible right-wingers in the Best UK Blog category.