Several stars have been accused of trying to take advantage of scandal as an effective way to become famous, but fans apparently find the approach ‘boring’.

The Vietnamese showbiz industry is racking up scandal after scandal, but the question is who is being manipulated and who are the real victims?

Fans who have feasted at a veritable smorgasbord of scandal no longer consider them tasty titbits; and have started to wonder if such incidents are being used by stars to burnish their celebrity status.

Despite its negative meaning, ‘scandal’ has become a watchword for stars willing to take a short-cut to fame.

Kieu Trinh’s sexy video

Actress Kieu Trinh in her video clip

Audiences were wowed by a salacious video clip “Trinh oi, dung so”, laterally translated as “Trinh! Don’t be afraid” made by actress Kieu Trinh, one of several major characters in the hit Vietnamese movie “Bi! Don’t be afraid”.

Trinh explained that she sent the clip to her friends for their amusement, but it had been doctored by a crazy fan who added sexy photos to the clip. As a result, Kieu Trinh garnered more publicity.

Ngoc Trinh ‘lacking in model behaviour’

Model Ngoc Trinh received strong criticism for being “too honest” in a recent interview with a magazine.

Trinh stated that she had given her answers in good faith and had not intended to create a scandal. However, the odd character of the interview triggered audience doubts about her integrity.

Some even wonder if tycoon Vu Khac Tiep had deliberately intended to push Vietnam’s Lingerie Queen further into the limelight before she took part in Miss Vietnam International 2011.

The word ‘scandal’ is often used to describe an unfortunate or badly judged incident that accidentally comes to light, often at the expense of someone well-known. However showbiz media watchers are beginning to suspect they are being manipulated for cheap publicity reasons, and the scandal-mongers could well face a backlash from their fans.

Model Ngoc Trinh