Elton John's Shout-Out Could Get Him Barred From China

Chinese Elton John fans who missed his sold-out show in Beijing last night may never get another chance to see the superstar. In a move certain to infuriate authorities, the singer dedicated his "whole show" to dissident artist Ai Weiwei, the South China Morning Post reports. A murmur of shock went through the audience after John praised Ai's "spirit and talent," the AP reports.

After the concert, John posed for photos backstage with the artist and his son. "I really like him, although we only spent 10 minutes together. Sincere, generous," Ai tweeted. After Bjork dedicated a song at a 2008 concert in Shanghai to the Tibetan independence movement, China clamped down on Western artists performing in the county. (More Elton John stories.)