China Bans New Winnie The Pooh Movie Because He Looks Like Their President
President Xi Jinping is not a fan of the cuddly bear.
By John Lim — 06 Aug 2018, 12:56 PM
The latest silver screen adaptation of Winnie The Pooh and friends won't be showing in China – likely because of comparisons made between the honey-loving bear and President Xi Jinping
According to Hollywood Reporter, the film - which follows Christopher Robin's reunion with his old pal Pooh - has been given a no-go by the country's film authorities
Although China has not given an official explanation for the ban, a source told the magazine that it was possibly due to netizens drawing a resemblance between Xi and the pudgy bear.
President Xi has reportedly not been fond of Pooh after this 2013 image of him strolling with Barack Obama was compared to another pair of influential figures
After the images went viral, Chinese netizens have habitually likened Xi to Pooh in memes and videos, resulting in the bear's name and brand from being banned on Chinese social media platform Weibo from time to time.
In June, China started censoring mentions of John Oliver and HBO after the talk show host ran a segment mocking Xi and his policies
"Clamping down on Winnie the Pooh comparisons, doesn’t exactly project strength. It suggests a weird insecurity [in Xi]," Oliver said.
