Bai Xianying (right) the viral pancake vendor, has remained humble and never exploited Jay Chou’s fame. - Weibo/Douyin
BEIJING (SCMP): A doppelganger of “King of Mandopop”, Jay Chou, in the form of a street food vendor in China has recently opened an eatery, attracting a large number of customers.
This lookalike is being celebrated as the “biggest winner among all Chou doubles”.
42-year-old Bai Xianying, a stuffed pancake vendor from a small town in northern China’s Hebei province, is well-known as “porridge and pancake Jay” or “Zhou Binglun” in Chinese – a playful nod to the Taiwanese star’s pinyin name – since 2020.
Bai skyrocketed to online fame after a customer posted a video of him selling pancakes, accompanied by a song from Chou as background music. His Douyin account now boasts 1.8 million followers.
After the opening of Bai’s stuffed pancake store in Tianjin municipality on Oct 15, long queues formed outside, as people clamoured to see him in person and take photographs together – all for just 8 yuan (US$1) per stuffed pancake.
His popularity stems from his relatable and humble attitude towards life.
Despite receiving numerous invitations from multichannel network (MCN) companies to become a full-time influencer or e-commerce live-streamer, Bai declined, emphasising that he is “just a man who makes pancakes”.
In contrast, many other Jay Chou lookalikes have sparked controversy by profiting from their resemblance.
One such doppelganger from central China’s Shaanxi province, known as @heilun, embarked on a concert tour across bars in China, charging attendees up to 6,000 yuan (US$840) for a single show – more expensive than tickets for the real Jay Chou’s concerts.
Another lookalike from Henan province, referred to as “Zhoukou Jielun”, faced online backlash for endorsing a counterfeit iced tea brand, leading to his account being removed from Douyin.
Legal experts have warned celebrity doppelgangers that they could face serious legal repercussions if the celebrities choose to sue for violations of portrait and name rights.
Experts warn celebrity lookalikes of potential legal consequences if celebrities sue for portrait and nam
Bai has never performed any of Jay Chou’s songs, despite repeated requests, citing his lack of singing ability.
He also refrains from wearing make-up or undergoing cosmetic procedures to look more like Chou, a practice some other lookalikes have adopted.
The only “starlike” endeavour he has taken on since his rise to fame is his national “pancake tour”, during which he sells his stuffed pancakes across China.
Bai attended Jay Chou’s concerts in September last year and May this year to support the artist who helped him achieve fame and success.
He chose to open his first eatery in Tianjin, close to his home province of Hebei, to secure an official hukou residency, thereby benefiting his teenage child’s education.
“The only thing I want to do is sell pancakes well,” he stated.
An online observer remarked: “He has gone viral for four years, yet he remains grounded and has never exploited Jay Chou’s fame. I truly respect him.” - South China Morning Post
