Lisa a hottie? Surely you jest. The girl from Crouching Tiger, now there's a hottie. Lisa, on the other hand, hmmm.
This has nothing to do with The View other than she used to be a cohost on there and was back just to promote this special.
Globalsuperstar Yao Ming helps kick off Lisa Ling's new show By MIKE McDANIEL Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle There's no looking back for Lisa Ling, who this week bows as the new host of MSNBC's National Geographic Ultimate Explorer. And look who she's got with her: Yao Ming. Lisa Ling goes one-on-one with Houston Rockets center Yao Ming on National Geographic Ultimate Explorer. "I have wanted to get back to doing this kind of work for a long time," said the former co-host of The View. "I had a great time on The View; it was challenging and fun. But I missed telling international stories." It was her idea to go after Yao, for a report on China's emergence as a global superpower. Her report, "Basketball Diplomacy: From Mao to Yao," airs 7 p.m. Sunday on MSNBC. "Yao Ming is the window into that," she said. "He is the best symbol of China's growth. He's having a much more profound impact diplomatically between two countries that have had a somewhat contentious relationship than politicians. We went to China and documented the changes going on there and spent time with Yao in Houston." Her interview here didn't take place in the Rockets' locker room, at the new arena or at Yao's home. It happened in the back seat of his SUV. "I asked him to give me a sense of his typical day, so after practice he took me to lunch where he normally eats outside his home," Ling said. "I thought, `Great. Maybe Houston's best Chinese or maybe a steak.' In fact, it was the drive-through window at Burger King. Because he's so hungry after practice, all he wants to do is eat in privacy, but you can't do that when you're 7-foot-6." Ling set the stage for Sunday's interview two years ago, establishing a relationship with Yao agent Bill Duffy. "I knew this guy (Yao) would become an incredible bridge between cultures, with the potential to change people's mindset about Asia and Asian people," she said. So, despite the crush for Yao's attention -- from media, fans, advertisers, the Chinese community and friends -- Ling got in. She found him to be "a guy with a big heart, gracious and humble." "The only negative is that he's been catapulted onto such a superstar stage, he's lost so much personal time. Yao is not just a Chinese superstar, he's a global superstar. He's a 22-year-old kid with responsibilities unparalleled. He's got a nation of 1.3 billion with all of its hopes on him. That's a lot of pressure for a kid." She finds that "really sad in a way," but added he couldn't be a better choice to represent a country. Gracious as ever, Ling phoned Yao the day after her interview to thank him. "Guess where he was. In the parking lot of Pizza Hut."
lisa : so yao : have you seen me before? yao : Yes, my humble friends and teammates mo taylor and eddie griffin invite me over one night, when we wake up, they are sampling the magic plant and watching your show. lisa : thats nice, what did they say yao : My humble friend mo taylor said you should bend over more so he could see the real "view" and my teammate Eddie laughed for 10 minutes straight and then we go to "taco bell" and eat many "chalupas" lisa : ....
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0529_030530_lisaling.html TV Host Lisa Ling on New Ultimate Explorer, Yao Ming Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News May 30, 2003 National Geographic Ultimate Explorer host Lisa Ling most recently brought her perspective on the world to millions of Americans as a co-host of ABC's popular morning talk show, The View. Now Ling will be breaking out of the studio to tackle some of the most challenging assignments, immersing herself in far-flung locations and cultures, investigating critical issues, and presenting highly personal stories that cover the world and all that's in it. Ultimate Explorer premieres Sunday, June 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MSNBC. Photograph by Breton Littlehales, copyright NGT&F Ultimate Explorer premieres Sunday, June 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MSNBC with Basketball Diplomacy: From Mao to Yao. In the debut episode of National Geographic Television's Ultimate Explorer, host Lisa Ling travels to China to report on budding NBA star Yao Ming and the changing face of his home country. National Geographic News recently spoke with Ling about her new show and basketball phenomenon Yao Ming. What's new about Ultimate Explorer? What should viewers expect to see? Well, the show has an international focus. The stories are told by correspondents who provide a kind of experiential, first person storytelling. I like to say that the series mixes the best of reality TV—and yes there actually are some redeeming qualities to reality TV—with the best of reporting. You worked on getting access to Yao Ming for two years. He must be incredibly busy. He's probably one of the most swamped people in the world. The press follows him everywhere. I've been out with Brittany Spears and other huge celebrities, but no one has gotten the kind of attention that Yao has. It's incredible. He can't exactly put on a hat and glasses and sort of blend into the crowd. I'd been following his story for two years. When I first found out about him I was very intrigued because I saw him as having such huge potential to access the Chinese market and found him fascinating as a marketing tool—beyond being a fantastic basketball player and a generally great guy. So is Yao Ming the Michael Jordan of China? Everyone in China knows him, and he is now absolutely everywhere. For China, he encompasses everything that they want to be: He's larger than life, strong, intelligent, an international star, a family man, and a team player. He embodies much of what China is becoming, he's really a symbol of where they want to be. They are very proud of Yao. Is it safe to say the Houston Rockets, the NBA team Yao plays on in the U.S., also have high hopes for him? They are definitely counting on him. They are hoping that he'll fill seats in this enormous new stadium that they're building. I went to the site and one of the construction workers called it the "House of Yao." I just thought, "What an amazing statement that was for American construction workers to make about a Chinese national." What about his life here in America? It's a tremendous change for a young man, from growing up in China to superstardom in the United States I think he is starting to assimilate a bit. He has his license. So he drives. His buddies on the team embrace him. So he's adjusting. But he just can't sort of go around like anyone else. All the time, he really recognizes his responsibilities and he carries himself so elegantly. He takes the pressure very seriously. It's important for him to maintain a clean reputation. He's carrying the weight of over a billion people's hopes. Yao is one of a kind, but do you foresee be other Chinese players breaking into the NBA? There will never be another Yao, but everyone is on the lookout for the next superstar player from China. When I was in China there was a scout there from the NBA. Even though they are not supposed to be there, people are combing the country. Every time I go back, it's just unbelievable how much it changes. Economies around the world are struggling and multinational companies continue to pour money in there because it's a population of over a billion consumers. And a lot of them aren't even profitable right now—they just want to be there. When Yao plays basketball, 300 million people watch him. That's more than the population of the United States and only a fraction of the population of China. You can imagine what that means in terms of marketing dollars. In times when marketing dollars are tight, Yao has money thrown at him. This story has a personal aspect for you because your family left China when the Communists took over. Now Yao is a symbol of a changing China and perhaps even of a closing gap between your traditional home and your new one. It's been such an incredible learning experience. Growing up as an Asian American, I was conflicted. I never felt entirely American nor entirely Chinese. It's pretty extraordinary to have a guy who both sides cheer for so fervently. He' s helping to change the perception of not only China but of Asian Americans in this country, and I think that's pretty extraordinary.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0530_030530_yaoming.html Yao Ming: NBA Giant Is Big in U.S., Bigger in China Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News May 30, 2003 National Geographic Ultimate Explorer host Lisa Ling scores a rare interview with NBA superstar Yao Ming. Photograph by David Shadrack Smith, copyright NGT&F "Basketball Diplomacy: From Mao to Yao" airs Sunday, June 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MSNBC in the premier episode of Ultimate Explorer. The flagship National Geographic series EXPLORER gets a new look, a new name, and a new high-energy take on documentary filmmaking. The result is Ultimate Explorer, an hour-long, correspondent-driven series hosted by Lisa Ling. Ultimate Explorer correspondents will immerse themselves in far-flung locations and cultures, investigating critical issues, and presenting highly personal stories that cover the world and all that's in it. On the court and off, Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming is a true giant. During his rookie year, the Chinese sensation created a stir in the NBA and across the globe. Battling both Shaq and the skeptics, the seven-foot-five-inch (226-centimeter) center displayed skills that silenced the critics and earned him a trip to the All-Star game. While Yao could quickly become one of the league's dominant players, his off-court impact is already colossal. At 22, he is a marketing megastar. Like Madonna or Elvis, Yao needs a first name-only reference—as sure a sign of superstardom as any. He's come to symbolize the aspirations of a rapidly changing China—while undergoing some serious life changes of his own. The business that is the NBA is global, both on and off the court. This spring NBA teams included 65 international players from 34 countries and territories. The diverse product on the court helps attract new audiences around the world. And perhaps the most important foreign player to suit up is the Rockets' Yao. To understand why, one only need look to China's 1.3 billion residents—and potential basketball fans. Two other members of the Chinese National Team play in the NBA. Wang Zhizhi plays for the Los Angeles Clippers, while Mengke Bateers suits up for San Antonio Spurs. But Yao is in a class all his own. The National Team star is a towering hero in China and elsewhere in Asia. Yao has made the NBA a hot proposition in the emerging markets of the Far East. That means major league business opportunities. And Yao may be the ultimate marketing tool for the rapidly growing Chinese market. As China's economy continues to grow larger and more global, multinational companies continue to compete for pieces of the country's enormous consumer market. Within China, Yao appears ever present, a marketing icon ready to connect China with global markets. "The Little Giant" Yao was the first number one NBA draft pick to come from an international basketball league. In the 2002-2003 season, "the Little Giant" proved he was up to the competition, ranking among the league's top 20 players for rebounds and blocked shots. While those are very solid numbers for a rookie, Yao posts even more impressive stats. "When Yao plays basketball, 300 million people watch him," said Lisa Ling, the Ultimate Explorer television host who recently profiled Yao. "That's more than the population of the United States and only a fraction of the population of China. You can imagine what that means in terms of marketing dollars." It also means a tremendous amount of pressure on the basketball star. But with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, not to mention that of his team and the NBA, Yao handles the pressure and responsibility with aplomb. "All of the Chinese people, the Asian people say, 'Oh Yao Ming, you are all the Chinese, all of Asia's hopes,'" Yao told Ultimate Explorer. "That's a lot of pressure," he said. "I'm just a basketball player." But to many, Yao is more than that. He's a symbol of China's emergence on the international stage, a commercial powerhouse with the second largest economy in the world. Same Planet, Different Worlds Yao is also a source of unabashed pride. "For China, he encompasses everything that [people] want to be," Ling said. "He's larger than life, strong, intelligent, an international star, a family man, and a team player. He embodies much of what China is becoming," she said. Lost in the hype is the fact that Yao is a 22-year-old experiencing a dramatic lifestyle change. Both of Yao's parents played for China's national teams. From a young age, he lived and played basketball at state-run facilities for elite athletes. That prestigious but insular world could not have prepared him for the culture shock of superstardom that followed the Chinese government's decision to allow him to jump to the NBA. (The Chinese government collects half of his U.S. $18 million dollar annual salary, and Yao remains obligated to play on China's national team.) Now in the U.S., Yao lives inside a media crucible few others experience. "He's probably one of the most swamped people in the world," said Ling. "The press follows him everywhere. I've been out with Brittany Spears and other huge celebrities, but no one has gotten the kind of attention that Yao has. It's incredible. He can't exactly put on a hat and glasses and sort of blend into the crowd." While Yao's career in the NBA is just beginning, his stardom is already realized on two continents. It's a lot to ask, but this 22-year-old basketball player might just become a symbol of how the two worlds can grow together.
