Famous US talk show host Conan O'Brien and a practically unknown Chinese online presenter have become unlikely soul mates after feuding over the opening sequences of their programs.
In this Feburary, Conan was surprised to find the Dapeng Talk Show - an online Chinese program that copied the opening sequence of his show - on Youtube.
During his Feb 27 program, Conan called it "ripping off" and "unbelievable".
"That's insane," he shouted, "I should rip off their show and see how you like it!" His visual effects team tossed some random Chinese characters onscreen to express his "fury".
Two days later Charles Zhang, CEO of Sohu, the Chinese website that produces the Dapeng show, apologized in his micro blog for copying Conan's opening, and said he has been working hard with major studios to crack down on online piracy of American TV series, which he hoped could make up for his mistake.
In Dapeng's show the following day, the opening was just two Chinese characters saying "opening" against a black background.
"Welcome to our local, copycat talk show," Dapeng said. "As you see, we have no opening now. We lost face for the Chinese people and feel sorry about that, but my ex-girlfriend actually regrets dumping me because she saw me in an American talk show."
He then apologized to Conan and his production team. Hoping Conan would accept his apology, he performed an amusing "sorry sorry dance" with his crew.
Dapeng, or Dong Chengpeng in real life, told China Daily that after doing the self-mocking show he was nervous about how Conan would react.
To his joyous surprise Conan responded on March 5 with his own "you don't have to apologize and sorry for making you feel bad" dance in his show.
"I now feel bad that I made you feel bad," Conan said in the show. "You are only a small online talk show in China. Frankly I am flattered that you ripped us off. I took it as compliment."
