Intel was caught in the whirlpool of contention over "sexism" induced by its latest advertisement which has "sexist" stand-up comedian Yang Li as a spokesperson. 

In an advertisement for Intel Evo-certified laptops, which was posted on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo on Thursday, Yang said that "Intel is so picky on laptops, more selective than my taste for men."

The ad soon drew the ire of some male netizens who commented under the post that Yang was not qualified to serve as Intel's spokesperson, most of whose buyers are male, in that her rise to fame came from "hate-inciting" views against men. 

Some even vowed to boycott Intel products and claimed that "women know nothing about electronic products." But some hold a contrary view, noting Intel is also having a male stand-up comedian as a spokesperson.

Yang joined the comedy business in 2018 and managed to secure a place in Tencent's hit stand-up comedy series Rock & Roast. The young comedian became a national sensation overnight after she mocked men as "they look so mediocre, yet they manage to be so confident" during a show in August 2020. 

Yang was besieged by a ferocious backlash of online trolls from then onwards, yet she managed to amass a huge following and earned rave reviews from women who call her "a cold, ruthless killer" of "straight men cancer" – sexist men who are stubbornly supportive of traditional gender roles.   

"We have noted the widespread controversy regarding Yang Li, which we hadn't bargained for. Diversity and inclusion act as the mainstay of Intel's culture. We fully understand and cherish the diverse world we live in and we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and social environment with partners from all walks of life," Intel responded.

Intel has removed the ad posted on Sina Weibo, but the hashtag #IntelYangLi trended on the social media platform's hot search site time and again as bickering over Yang's "sexist" remarks continues to simmer.