Chu Ke-liang

Having terminal colorectal cancer for three years, Chu died in the National Taiwan University Hospital on 15 May 2017 due to liver failure. He was 70. A private memorial was held on 16 May. A public funeral attended by 2,000 people took place in Banqiao on 20 June.

Chu was diagnosed with stage II colo-rectal cancer in 2014. He feared the adverse effects that came along with the cancer treatment especially the installation of colostomy, leading him to delaying to have intensive treatments until September 2016 when he had severe ascites and poor health status where he were left no choice. (It's reported that Chu had tried many other regimens and unknown treatments both are not proven to be effective instead of the surgery and chemotherapy which are proven to be effective in treating cancer.) Whereas, even though he finally returned to the hospital to accept surgery of removal of the malignant tumor, his cancer of colo-rectal had advanced to the final stage. When interviewed subsequent to the surgery, he said "I should have believed in evidence-based medicine two years ago."

Chu also had a major part as a city councilman in the 2011 hit movie Night Market Hero, a role which cemented his comeback.

On 16 September 2010, Chu released his first music album, Dōngshānzàiqǐ (東山再起). In the following month, he was recognized in the Golden Bell Awards as Best Variety Show Host, together with his co-host, Rene Hou.

On 19 February 2009, correspondents from the tabloid Apple Daily followed Chu in various areas of Kaohsiung and Pingtung Counties before confronting him in a Yongda Road swordfish oden noodle restaurant in Pingtung City. With his trademark hair now slicked back, he told the reporters he was "still on the lam" and still very poor. He was reportedly working at a temple at the time.

Following Chu's exposure in an Apple Daily cover story, Sanchong legislator and entertainer Yu Tian, on 23 April 2009, announced an advertising deal between Chu and Tsann Kuen 3C whereby Chu would receive NT$2 million. The following day, Chu announced plans for a comeback in a short speech aired on Taiwan's major TV channels. Chu euphemistically said that he had been "studying abroad" for ten years but that he was grateful to the media for "photographing me eating oden". He said he had always wanted to come back but did not have the courage.

On 5 June 2009, Golden Throne Communication TV Co., Ltd. announced a series of new video-on-demand shows starring Chu. Recording of a new variety show hosted by Chu, Zhūgē Huìshè (豬哥會社), began in July 2009. Chu received NT$300,000 per show for his new program as of 2009.

Reports of Chu's whereabouts occasionally surfaced. In 2002, Chu was spotted in a He Xian Gu temple in Wandan, Pingtung County. However, generally, the media took pains not to expose him. Chu's performances were available on videotape and were occasionally shown on Taiwan television, so his audiences did not forget him.

Chu racked up gambling debts over NT$100 million (US$3.5 million) from playing Taiwan's illegal lottery and Hong Kong's Mark Six despite an income of NT$60 million per month. He is said to have owed his boss, Yang Tang-kuei, NT$120 million. As a result, he fled into hiding to escape this and other debts to underworld figures in 1995. He briefly returned to the public eye in 1997 but again absconded in 1999.

In 1994, Chu campaigned on behalf of James Soong in his candidacy for the governorship of Taiwan province. Soong successfully used support from Chu, who was at the time Taiwan's most popular entertainer, to help convince Taiwanese to support a candidate with a mainland Chinese background.

In 1980, the Chu Ke-liang Cabaret Show (豬哥亮歌廳秀; Zhū Gēliàng Gētīng Xiù) broke onto the scene in Taiwan and Chu's popularity took off. In the show, Chu had a mild-mannered persona but often used coarse language and double entendre. He would get into quarrels with the guest singers and tell off-color jokes. Along with Chang Fei, Frankie Kao, and Ni Min-jan, Chu was one of Taiwan's biggest TV stars of the 1980s.

Hsieh Hsin-ta (6 December 1946 – 15 May 2017), professionally known as Chu Ke-liang (Chinese: 豬哥亮; pinyin: Zhū Gēliàng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ti Ko-liōng or Ti Ko-liāng) was a Taiwanese comedian, actor, television show host and singer. He was known for his "over-the-top appearance" with unusual clothing and hair styles and his coarse humor.