Tycoon Cecil Chao made world headlines this week when he offered the unusual marriage bounty after learning that his daughter, Gigi Chao, had eloped with her lesbian partner to France.
"I'm actually on very, very loving terms with my father. We speak on a daily basis. He just has a very interesting way of expressing his fatherly love," the 33-year-old told The Associated Press.
CNBC's Robert Frank has all the details on the story about Gigi Chao's father who is offering $65 million to any man able to marry her.
She said her father offered the reward because he was upset after learning she had "a church blessing in Paris" with her girlfriend of the past several years.
"What this whole episode really highlights is that perhaps still, the Chinese -- or in fact the Hong Kong mentality -- can perhaps tolerate the 'don't ask, don't tell' view of sexuality," she said. "But as a social statement, it's still very much a sensitive issue."
Hong Kong decriminalized homosexuality in 1991 without yet legally recognizing same-sex marriage.
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Ashley Wells and Seven, Wisdom Quarterly (COMMENTARY)
This story will never die because it is being immortalized by Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Bruno," "Ali G"). He plans to make his next movie, which may be a comedy for a change, imagining how this dowry offer could turn out.
Many men might be interested anyway, but when $65 million is hanging in the balance, there are some who would learn Chinese, move to Hong Kong, and hang around the worlds of HK high finance and Parisian fashion... all just to score. Good luck, players, but consider that Gigi might be happy now and ask yourself, Would you make her any happier?
