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10 lip-synching hall of shamers

MADE IN CHINA: The perfect child

By Denise Martin and Stephanie Lysaght,
Special to The Times

MADE IN CHINA: The perfect child

When Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and their ilk are caught lip-synching in lieu of the real thing, it’s hardly a surprise. After all, when celebrities dabble in music, we know they’ll need a little extra help.

The recent revelation of lip-synching during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics, however, was decidedly more unsettling. Seven-year-old Yang Peiyi (left) sang "Ode to the Motherland," while 9-year-old Lin Miaoke (right) mouthed the words before an audience of billions. Days later, musical director Chen Qigang revealed that both Miaoke's voice and Peiyi’s appearance were deemed unsuitable for the performance.

Beijing organizing committee spokesman Sun Weide continues to defend the bizarre switch, saying: "There were a number of candidates to sing that song, and at the end of the day, the artistic directors picked the best voice and the best performer."