In a move that came as no surprise to the well-known celebrity Pretty Woman star, China does the unthinkable and bans Richard Gere. The star, turned Tibetan Buddhist, became an active supporter of the Dalai Lama. His advocacy for human rights for the nation of Tibet and passion for his cause, led him to found the Tibet House. His public stance supporting the Tibetan Independence Movement earned him a permanent ban from the country.

In 1993, he was summarily Banned from being a presenter at the prestigious Academy Awards in 1993, after he continued his affront to China's regime and rule and openly criticized them for refusing to grant Tibet independence.

Gere continued to rock China's proverbial boat when, in 2008, he called for the boycott of the China Olympics games in an effort to continue his efforts to force China to grant Tibet their independence.

No doubt, his public appearance with the Dalai Lama must be an affront to China. The final straw was the Fiat ad in which he is the star driving a Lancia in a Tibetan village and in which they make a handprint in the snow.