“HERE at the White House there are so many firewalls blocking me from shopping online,” the 45th U.S. president complains to the “great people of China” in a video released Nov. 10, “that not even the President will be able to take advantage of those amazing deals you’ll see online during this holiday.”

    It’s Kevin Spacey, of course, reprising the role of Frank J. Underwood in Netflix’s popular TV series “House of Cards” in an advertisement for e-commerce giant Alibaba on China’s most lucrative online shopping holiday.

    “If this Singles’ Day is the excuse you’ve been waiting for to spoil yourself with a little online shopping,” he says, “then I must say, I’m more than a little jealous.”

    “In the words of your fellow countryman Jack Ma,” he adds, referring to the Alibaba founder, “today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”

    Also known as 11.11 or Double Eleven for its date, Singles’ Day is now an online sales bonanza.

    This year, Alibaba sold over US$1 billion of merchandise in eight minutes after the sales promotion started at midnight in Beijing. The event kicked off the night before with a television gala featuring appearances from Chinese celebrities and singers, as well as Adam Lambert, Daniel Craig and the video featuring Kevin Spacey as President Underwood. The gala was viewed by 1.78 million people.

    After saying hello and complaining about the White House “firewalls” blocking China’s shopping sites, the ruthless and entirely fictional U.S. president recommends Chinese consumers purchase: A burner phone, or 10 of them; presidential M&Ms; a replica of Underwood’s class ring from the Sentinel; a presidential desk; and his favorite costumes including a pair of glasses, a trench coat and a hat.

    “House of Cards” is one of the most popular foreign shows in China: the series’ second season was the top-ranked U.S. show on Chinese video-streaming site Sohu.

    Alibaba’s Ma had promised earlier on social media in China that the “White House” would show up for the kickoff gala. Some Chinese internet users responded that they were upset that the video featured Underwood, rather than actual U.S. president Barack Obama.

    Others said they couldn’t believe the video appeared at all. “It is absolutely the most surprising ad I’ve ever seen domestically!” one commented on Sina Weibo. “Seeing the appearance of Kevin Spacey, I sincerely exclaimed at the power of money,” another user wrote.

    (SD-Agencies)