The following is an update to this previous post. So here's another video gem from Supreme Master TV, uploaded and blogged by Robert Popper.
Why doesn't every television news network run stuff like what's in this clip? Say what you will about "God's Direct Contact," at least her broadcast devotees say thank you to journalists and photographers for doing all we do for "humans and animals," and "especially while on duty." I'd like to hope they think that what we do here at Boing Boing "uplifts the atmosphere of the world."
A number of Boing Boing readers responded to my earlier post with personal stories of (apparently quite tasty) meals eaten at the vegan restaurant chain owned by personality cult leader Supreme Master Ching Hai. But BB reader HiTek LoLife takes the tofu cake, with a personal anecdote re-blogged in full after the jump.
My story about "Supreme Master's" crazy cult and restaurant:They opened a restaurant in downtown San José on Santa Clara st. back maybe 15 yrs.(?) ago conveniently named "Supreme Master of Meditation Suma Ching Hai's International Vegetarian House Restaurant" (they were somehow able to fit all of that plus a picture of "Supreme Master" herself on a tiny awning over the door). The name has since been shortened but I used to love reciting it verbatim to folks as a vegetarian restaurant suggestion.
Anyway, when it first opened I dropped in on a whim one day and was treated to a giant screen indoctrination video of "Supreme Master" (pre blond bleach job) addressing a soccer stadium full of hapless minions while I enjoyed a reasonably good vegetarian meal in the otherwise empty dining room.
As she launched into some rant about being able to bring the "true beauty and peace of the world" into my life I heard shouting coming from the open window I was seated next to and was treated the spectacle of a drunken vagrant in the parking lot pissing himself while loudly fighting an invisible opponent.
Just as she raised her hand and said something like "Now feel the power of God!" he took a staggering dive and hit the pavement, (evidently K.O.d by his invisible opponent). He then lifted his head and puked profusely, stared down at his output and exclaimed "Now who the fuck did that?".
The last thing I remember her saying was something like "Remember that here today I have shown you God's beauty and power at work in the world".
The whole experience was just so perfectly synchronized for unintended comedy.
Sometimes I think life's random events just conspire to entertain me.
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Well I'll be in Houston next weekend so I guess I'll have to give it a try.
Why is it that this video reminds me of a cross between Woody Allen and Monty Python?
I've really enjoyed the confusion this post has caused me. It does make one question what the hell anything is about. What makes it more confusing is that her art has elements of terrible and interesting mixed together. The video reminded me of the passage from the Four Quartets in which the bard praises the sailors leaving shore and wishes them a safe return.
I'd be very ok with this if it weren't for the 'Supreme Master' name, millions of $s this person made, lavish clothes and lifestyle, and letting people treat her like a deity thus not denying she actually thinks she's better than everyone.
If she lived in a modest home, worn cheap clothes, and donated her profits to ones who don't have it, then yeah I'd join the cause. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Gandhi was fine in a bed sheet and a pair of sandals.
No uplifting of the atmosphere, please, I need it down here to breathe.
My sister bought me a book by her for my birthday (as a joke, of course). It is by far the funniest and scariest thing I own. Now only is a wonderful example of terrible photoshop usage and typography skills, but the amazon page is ENTIRELY REVIEWED BY THE "SUPREME MASTER" HERSELF.
See here: http://www.amazon.com/Birds-Life-Supreme-Master-Ching/product-reviews/9866895149/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Supreme Master has a pretty big following and show up en masse at all the Vegan/Vegetarian related events in So Cal. They seem to be very into giving out free vegan food as a way to talk to/convert people. The followers seem to be pretty devoted and very tech savvy, they always have multiple camera setups to document events they are at. I was interviewed for Supreme Master TV at one of the events we were both had booths at and they kept asking me what I thought about their TV station. All I could muster up is that I liked the food at their restaurants...
I've eaten at one of these places in San Francisco. Don't. Of the 3 dishes we ordered, one was middling-decent, one was nothing worth remembering and one was ass-tastic.
The title of the founder reminds me of this classic Onion bit. =D
"Crazy cult" goes a bit far in describing it. My aunt was a follower for a couple years and it seemed to consist mainly of not eating meat or eggs and lots of meditation. The worst thing that happened to her while participating was that she accidentally drove into a bus on her way to meditate.
i think people probably get the wrong idea about this thing. we used to go to the one in phoenix (had the super long name as above, but was always just referred to as "veggie house" and ten or fifteen years ago was about the only place for decent vegetarian food in the city). i always joked about the crazy cultists that worked there, but they never tried to indoctrinate myself or anyone i've ever known that went there. they just blissfully served their food and tea. there was a lot of literature available, but it was all pretty goofy stuff. the best thing about it back in the old days was that the music they played in the background. it was a constant loop of the supreme master playing "canon in d" on a casio keyboard. eventually they changed it to some of her singing stuff, but that bloopy keyboard thing always cracked me up.
The layout of the screen in groundbreaking with the subtitles in 14 languages covering all but a small area. Still it works. It is an "english only" supporter's nightmare. They have posted at least 4,000 videos to YouTube. This one has the feel and soundtrack of disaster movie preview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C0NjXNliUU
This pro-vegan that is completely professional looking with the exception of the pidgin English quote from the supreme master could have come from PETA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6U4sOcG6Po
"The layout of the screen in groundbreaking with the subtitles in 14 languages covering all but a small area. Still it works"
Unfortunately, it doesn't. The subtitles change so fast (sometimes every half a second) that it's impossible to follow - waste of time.... What works is: 1) selectable audio channels, 2) selectable digital subtitles, or 3) one set of in-vision subtitles for one other language.