Saturday, June 29, 2013

Bieber in a scrape again

Los Angeles — Teen pop star Justin Bieber struck a photographer with his Ferrari sports car while driving away from a comedy club in Los Angeles on Monday night, but the accident was not considered a hit-and-run, police said.

A video taken outside the Laugh Factory comedy club showed Bieber behind the wheel of his white Ferrari, surrounded by photographers as he was pulling away.

Celebrity website TMZ said Bieber motioned the photographers to clear out of the way but apparently pinned one between his Ferrari and a parked car as he pulled out. He then drove away.

“It was not a hit-and-run,” Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Bruce Borihanh said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

He said the photographer’s injuries were not life-threatening.

A representative for Bieber declined to comment.

Bieber is under investigation in a separate driving incident in May after his neighbours complained that he had been speeding through his gated Los Angeles-area community.

The Canadian singer has been the subject of a series of headline-grabbing incidents over the past year. The German authorities seized a capuchin monkey Bieber had kept as a pet after he was unable to provide proper documentation for the animal at Munich airport. And in London, the singer got into a scuffle with a photographer outside a hotel during a European tour. Reuters

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Barbarella, Leticia and Lulu still in business

SINGAPORE — MediaCorp recently released a statement addressing the minor furore that arose last Friday, when actress Michelle Chong remarked via Twitter that she was being banned from playing the characters Barbarella, Leticia and Lulu.

On June 14, Chong had tweeted: “So what’s this I hear about Mediacorp’s Higher Management banning me from playing Barbarella from now on (sic)?”

She followed this with a Mandarin phrase to the effect of “There’s no need to be afraid if you have the goods”, and another tweet: “They not gonna sell character license to anyone to use my characters anymore so no more Barbs, Leticia, Lulu etc anywhere (sic)”.

All three characters, which were played by Chong, appeared in the first five seasons of the Channel 5 sitcom The Noose. Season Six, which ended its run a few weeks ago, did not have her as part of its cast. Nevertheless, Barbarella, Leticia and Lulu have resurfaced recently in advertisements for a condominium.

MediaCorp’s Vice President, Channel 5 Branding and Promotions Serene Choo said: “The characters played by Michelle Chong from The Noose have never been disallowed or decommissioned by MediaCorp. As shown in the recent TV advertisement, these characters will always be given due consideration as and when commercial interests arise.”

She added: “To bring a fresh and current perspective to Singapore Day 2013, the event will feature popular characters from the latest season of The Noose, which do not have characters played by Michelle Chong.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to clarify MediaCorp’s position on Michelle Chong’s characters in The Noose.”

In an e-mail reply today (June 17), Chong said: "I thank MediaCorp for this statement and also the audience for their kind support. I hope they will continue to support The Noose, whether or not I'm in it, and I look forward to rehashing my Noose characters should the opportunities arise, because it would have been a shame to say goodbye forever to these characters who have built a rapport with the audience over time."

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Singaporean comedian Fakkah Fuzz on making audiences laugh

SINGAPORE — If laughter really is the best medicine, then the next doctor you might want to see is Muhammad Fadzri, who goes by the moniker Fakkah Fuzz.

Some here might recognise him as “the Malay guy from Random Island” but Fuzz is one of the slew of emerging local stand-up comedians, which also include bright sparks such as Rishi Budhrani, Sharul Channa and Jinx Yeo. They make audiences laugh every week at Home Club for their Comedy Masala nights, or at the Blujaz CafĂ©, where they have the Talk Cock Comedy sessions.

And Fazz isn’t just tickling funny bones in Singapore. He has performed in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and he recently participated in the Sydney Comedy Festival, where he came in second in the Yo Mama Jokes competition — really.

On Thursday, Fuzz, along with Channa and Yeo, will be bringing their brand of comedy up north for Rojak! Live Stand-Up Comedy, which is part of this year’s Causeway Exchange festival held in conjunction with the George Town Festival in Penang.

Not bad for somebody who says he’s only just found his path in life. “It took me three years ... I haven’t even taken it yet, I just found it,” said Fuzz.

SENSITIVE JOKER

His set usually involves funny anecdotes and observational humour — although he’ll thrown in the odd one-liner here and there — about life, the universe and everything. Well, almost everything.

“There are topics that are taboo for everybody. Like, you don’t talk about rape. You don’t talk about incidents that happened too recently, like the Boston bombings,” said Fuzz. “I think people get offended a lot easier when you talk about those topics.” And no, it’s not about self-censorship but knowing what not to say. “Any joke can be done. But if it’s going to sound offensive, then you have to make it twice as funny. Generally I try to avoid (sensitive topics), but if something comes about that I can’t ignore then I will tackle it.”

“You remember the bus strikes that happened last year? I’ll say something like, ‘Oh you know, the Chinese bus drivers talked about going on strike, but they still went to work on time in their uniforms. What? Your idea of a strike is showing up to work? Mine is sleeping in. Now, that’s a strike’.”

And contrary to what some might think, stand-up comedy isn’t as random or impromptu as it seems.

“I have a notebook that I write stuff down in,” said Fuzz. “And yes, I do work out a set.”

But things don’t always go according to plan. “There was one time where I had written out my set, but I started with this one joke and everybody laughed so hard, and I was like, ‘Oh no, that joke has nothing to do with the rest of the set, and it’s going down another road’. But I took that other road and went on another tangent that wasn’t what I originally planned.

“Sometimes you have to give the audience what they want,” he continued. “If you want to get a good reaction, you kind of have to read the audience.”

NOT UNDERGROUND COMEDY

And Fuzz is happy that there is an audience here in Singapore. “Comedy is not underground any more, it has grown,” he said. “It used to be just Kumar. Or comedy was very theatrical. But now Singapore audiences are used to the idea of someone just standing there and telling jokes. So they’ve warmed up to that.”

While Fuzz said he loves performing in Singapore and Malaysia, one of his dreams is to take his comedy further overseas to the United States or Great Britain. And no, he’s not worried about whether what he says can be understood by someone overseas.

“There are a lot of things that everybody can relate to, like relationships, your job, stuff like that never goes away, or just life in general. You can try to make it relatable. I have a bit about how Singaporeans just suck at crime, you know? Like we’re not really safe, we’re just terrible at committing crimes — we just can’t do that really well, maybe because it’s not an exam subject.”

Would he like to do another TV series like Random Island? “Sure! It was lots of fun. I would love to do more,” said Fuzz, who helped co-write a lot of the characters on the show.

But the most important thing right now would be to write more good material. “You need to develop your craft. A lot of the comics go partying after their set, and that’s cool and all that. But most of the time, I prefer sitting down in a room with other comedians with a notepad and just talk about the craft.

“You have to remember that what got you there in the first place was that you took time to write good material and you actually cared about your act. You cannot forget that. That’s my main priority.”

Fakkah Fuzz performs every Tuesdays at Home Club for Comedy Masala, and every Wednesdays at Blujaz Cafa for Talk Cock Comedy.

Rojak! Live Stand-Up Comeday happens on June 20, China House, Lebuh Victoria, George Town, Penang.

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Johnny Depp gets trampled by horse

SINGAPORE — Ouch!

A new 2-minute promo for The Lone Ranger shows Johnny Depp being trampled by his horse after he falls off the animal in an accident while filming the scene.

Luckily, the actor was not seriously hurt, and reportedly sustained only a bruise on his stomach.

“I would say that the positive thing is, my coccyx didn’t take it,” said Depp to director Gore Verbinski in the featurette (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5qeI-nJVVI), post-accident.

The 50-year-old actor had previously called the film, which opens in Singapore on July 4, “the most dangerous movie [he’s] ever done”.

We look back at five other incidents where the actors were, unfortunately, not so fortunate.

***

VIC MORROW + 2 CHILD ACTORS. A helicopter spun out of control during the filming of one scene in the 1983 movie The Twilight Zone, decapitating actor Vic Morrow and killing two child actors.

BRANDON LEE. The 28-year-old son of martial arts star Bruce Lee was shot and killed on the set of The Crow in 1993. The actor was hit by a bullet from a gun that was supposed to have blanks, but was improperly loaded.

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE. The daredevil was seriously injured trying to do a back-flip on a motorcycle for Nitro Circus in 2008. His motorcycle’s handlebars hit him in the crotch, leaving him with a torn urethra. Since the accident, he’s reportedly had to use a catheter twice a day.

JACKIE CHAN. He’s had so many accidents on set, he’s even got a YouTube video dedicated to them — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA1ZwbXHGyA. More notably, Jackie Chan suffered serious burns and was almost paralysed during the filming of the well-known pole-sliding scene in 1985 film Police Story.

HILARY SWANK. Well technically, she wasn’t seriously injured here, but this accident’s still pretty horrifying to us. Gerard Butler’s suspender strap suddenly snapped during what’s supposed to be a funny strip scene in 2007’s P S I Love You, hitting his co-star on the forehead. The poor actress reportedly needed stitches for her cut.

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Comedian Chris Tucker: ‘I never dreamt of doing anything else’

SINGAPORE — It has been quite a while since we saw Chris Tucker in what was probably his most memorable gig: The three Rush Hour films, where he played detective James Carter opposite Chinese superstar Jackie Chan.

But fans here will get a chance to see him once again when Tucker pops by Singapore as part of his stand-up comedy world tour. Dubbed The Return Tour, the show will take place on June 25 at the Kallang Theatre. And you can expect quite a few things when he hits the stage.

“I do a lot of improvisation and tell stories about my life. There is a lot of that. And I get to do a lot of characters. It’s different from a movie, when you have to play only one character throughout and there’s a script for you to follow,” he said over the phone.

But yes, he added that he would often ad lib his lines in the movies. “Oh yeah, I do. I mean, I want to make the character mine so I’ll ad lib some lines here and there. And I think that doing stand-up — because I act a lot in stand-up — actually prepared me for doing movies.”

Tucker’s interest in comedy began in school, and while watching Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor’s stand-up shows.

“I was always the class clown. Some of my friends said I was like Eddie Murphy and I didn’t understand the implications of that at the time. I just wanted to be funny and be the class clown,” he said.

While in high school, he did some shows in the local clubs, and progressed to professional comedy clubs after he was done with school.

He’s been making people laugh ever since, and not just onstage but on the big screen as well. Apart from Rush Hour, Tucker has acted in Smokey, which was his breakout role; The Fifth Element, where he was nominated for a Razzie for worst new star; and most recently, in Silver Linings Playbook, where he starred alongside Bradley Cooper and Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro.

“I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else,” he said. “I hope people will remember me for being a good guy ... and for making people laugh.”

And yes, we had to ask Tucker: Do audiences overseas understand the words coming out of his motor mouth?

“Yeah, they do! I do understand that there are different cultures and there might be the language barrier, but so far, no I haven’t had any problems with people understanding me in my shows. But I will try to get to know the culture and the people wherever I perform,” he said.

But don’t ask him to dish out the dirt on Jackie Chan. “Jackie’s a great guy. I can’t say anything bad about him. We do meet up; in fact, I just met him the other day … and Jackie did say that Singapore was one of his favourite Asian countries.”

And if you do bump into him on the streets, don’t expect him to be like his characters in the movies or his live act.

“I mean, sometimes you’ll find that I’m not that funny in real life. Because you can’t be (funny) all the time. There has to be a balance, I think,” he said, adding that he tries to keep his private and public personas very separate.

However, come show time, you’ll see the spitfire, a-laugh-a-minute guy that everybody recognizes — even on days where he’d rather not be onstage.

“Yeah, it’s tough, and sometimes you don’t feel like doing a show. But you have to remember all the good things about doing this. There isn’t really any bad thing about doing what I do,” he said. “And you have to remember that for the people who come and see you, it means a lot to them. Usually, the energy starts to come as you get into the show.”

Tucker certainly has his work cut out for him. Apart from completing his tour, he said he has a film being made about the tour coming out later this year, and he’s looking to do more cinematic features as well.

“I’m going to be busy for the next six months or so,” he quipped.

Chris Tucker’s The Return Tour is on June 25, 8pm, at Kallang Theatre. Tickets from Sistic.

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Alfian Sa’at thinks retrospectives are ‘a bit scary’

He’s known for making bold statements with his work, but it turns out Wild Rice resident playwright Alfian Sa’at is actually — some might say — uncharacteristically — coy when it comes to talking about Alfian Sa’at: In The Spotlight, a 17-day festival of sorts celebrating his career.

In fact, Alfian admitted that he was a bit “overwhelmed” and “embarrassed” in promoting a festival dedicated to showcasing his work.

“To deflect the attention, I sometimes say that this is not the Alfian Sa’at festival but it’s actually the budget Singapore Theatre Festival,” he quipped, referring to the biennial festival that was put on hold, due to a lack of funding.

Be that as it may, In The Spotlight will present three works: A new play, Cook A Pot Of Curry, and two revivals that have not been staged in Singapore for over a decade. And the retrospective, he confessed, can be “a bit scary” as it will be a test of whether his work is “able to endure”.

A prolific playwright, Alfian’s plays have a reputation of being politically and socially charged. When asked about this label of being a “political” playwright, Alfian said that he doesn’t reject it, “as long as he isn’t stereotyped”. For example, one of the revivals, The Optic Trilogy, a very lyrical work, is on the surface a “romantic duet between a couple”.

“While some might consider this to be more personal than political, I feel that all writing is political,” he said.

Such a perception is also due to his plays having the tendency to explore the taboo topics of Singapore. He mentions the need to be “artful” when presenting issues that are “new to public consciousness”, where tools like satire can be employed.

As a result, “you’re a lot more nimble and that happens because your work can be read on multiple levels”, he said.

Cook A Pot Of Curry, his latest play, focuses on the topic of immigration —and its title is a nod to a familiar issue concerning two neighbours that made the news a couple of years ago. It’s done documentary-style, much like his previous play Cooling-off Day. Alfian doesn’t see the messiness of such a format being a problem because the presentation of it can be a “ragbag” of opinions, but not without focus as his voice is largely shown through the act of “curating” this piece.

Ultimately, he hopes that the play will be able to put a face to the conversations and the people involved in these conversations, Singaporean and foreigner alike. “I think what’s most important for me in doing this (play) is that you have real people who are sharing their life experiences, and that this kind of context is what humanises the discourse.”

For our complete interview, visit For Art’s Sake (http://tdy.sg/artssakeblog).

Alfian Sa’at – In the Spotlight is from July 3 to 20 at Lasalle College of the Arts. It includes workshops and free stagings of the play Cooling-off Day. Tickets for the three plays are from S$40 in Sistic.

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Dick Lee joins Steinway Artist list

SINGAPORE — Singaporean performer and composer Dick Lee will join the ranks of Diana Krall, Billy Joel and Harry Connick Jr on July 8, when he will be conferred as a Steinway Artist, according to a statement issued by Steinway Gallery Singapore, on behalf of renowned piano makers, Steinway & Sons.

Lee will be the first Asian Steinway Artist in the pop/contemporary genre. The Steinway Artist programme features musicians who choose to use Steinway pianos exclusively. Steinway & Sons only appoints one upon careful examination and reviews.

Celine Goh, general manager of Steinway Gallery Singapore, said Lee was chosen for “his musical talent not only in the country but across the globe with numerous awards to his name”.

“Having him to join the ranks with other esteemed Steinway Artists is a great celebration in the local music scene,” she added.

“I have always loved playing on a Steinway piano because of the instrument’s unparalleled sound quality,” said Lee. “Being part of the Steinway family is a dream come true and I hope this will inspire future generations of Singaporeans to realise their goals in music.”

To celebrate Lee’s conferment, Steinway Gallery Singapore will donate a Steinway-designed Essex 108 upright piano to the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), a charity organisation funded by Community Chest Singapore.

“The donation of the Essex 108 is part of Steinway Gallery’s CSR program to assist AWWA particularly with regards to their children’s programmes,” said Goh. “We believe that music is a powerful tool that can enhance lives everywhere regardless of age and background.”

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Aspiring musicians Irwin Tan and Samantha Rui gear up for YFest

SINGAPORE – It’s time once again for another edition of YFest, the annual festival for youth organised by the Esplanade.

And yes, it will be packed with stage shows featuring music and dance, a parkour performance, as well as stalls for wares, a karaoke booth and more. It’s not only a celebration of youth, but also a chance to show Singapore what the youth can do.

For two of the performers in the Y-Singsations programme — a showcase for up-and-coming musicians — it will be more than just a chance to strut their stuff.

Irwin Tan and Samantha Rui only started performing live this year, and the YFest showcase will be one of their biggest gigs. But while they hope to engage the crowd, there’s a particular group of people they want to impress: Their parents.

“I want my parents to come to the YFest show, because they haven’t … well, they’ve seen me at home, obviously, but I’d really like my parents and family to see me perform and to see that perhaps music is something that I can do,” said Tan, who goes by the stage name Irwin Zephyr.

To that end, the Mass Communications final year student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said that he’s been mugging for his grades, if only to prove to his parents that he can juggle both studies and music.

“My dad did stress to me that music should be a sideline, and I don’t blame him for it, because his understanding is that in Singapore, it’s really hard to work as a musician. That’s one of the reasons why I’m also working hard academically. I guess my parents are showing support by allowing me to do what I want to do.”

As for Rui, her parents allowed her to take a gap year from her studies at the School Of The Arts (SOTA), where she studies visual arts. But they weren’t particularly keen on her doing music at first.

“My parents thought it was a big dodgy for me to want do music, like, ‘It’s bad enough you’re drawing in school, now you want to play guitar?’” she quipped.

“But (my parents) really do support me a lot. Because I don’t have a job, they support me financially. They’ve become a lot more open to this, more than I expected. And even though it’s sometimes embarrassing to sing when your parents are in the crowd, it means a lot that they bother to come down — even though they don’t quite approve of what you do.”

Speaking of support, both musicians — who incidentally are also enrolled in The Apprenticeship Programme of Noise Singapore conducted by the National Arts Council — said they were pleased at how the music community is growing. But they still hoped that the public would show more emphatic signs of appreciation.

“I think many people think supporting local music means ‘Oh, I know who they are’,” said Tan. “But it’s more than that. When we release our EPs, a good show of support would be to buy our music. That’s what keeps us wanting to do more. Or even leave supportive comments on YouTube.”

Tan said it was such support from fans and friends that spurred him to take his music to the next level.

“These are the people who will help us become better musicians, because if what we do is not good enough, they’ll tell us as well. It allowed me to venture forth and be more expressive in my art.”

Rui also credited her friends for giving her the impetus to carry on.

“When I was in CHIJ, I took part in the school carnival. That was my first public performance. My friends did a couple of videos for me and posted them (online). They’re like my publicity department and I was like, ‘Wow, some people actually like my stuff’. So I thought, maybe I should keep working at it,” she said, adding that festivals like YFest really help younger musicians as well.

“I mean, other festivals seem to rope in the same established musicians. I think there should be opportunities for younger musicians to come up through the ranks. We want to break into the scene, but we don’t know how to do it. So I like that there are all these platforms for new talent: YFest, Noise or even TV shows like The Final 1.”

So why should somebody go watch them perform? “This is what the youths have to offer and hopefully this is something that will garner your interest,” said Tan.

“I would like for people to see the shows and say, ‘That’s something that Singapore can be proud of, that we have rising talent like this’.”

“Plus, it’s free,” quipped Rui. “And there’s air con in the Esplanade!”

YFest happens on June 21 to 23. Samantha Rui performs on June 22 at 6.30pm and 9.30pm. Irwin Tan performs on June 23 at 4.30pm and 7.30pm. Both at the Esplanade Concourse.

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Art review: Ambiguous Portrait Of A Cunning Linguist | 3.5/5

SINGAPORE — A picture, the old saying assures us, paints a thousand words. However, the latest exhibition at Ikkan Art International, called Ambiguous Portrait Of A Cunning Linguist, suggests, at least, that it’s not that cut and dried.

The show brings together a surprisingly diverse range of artists and artwork. It’s got big names like Lawrence Weiner and On Kawara, younger artists such as Dawn Ng and Nicola Anthony, as well as the Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia. You might call it eclectic, but given the underlying theme of verbal imagery in art, it’s hard to see how it could be otherwise.

Many of us are used to a gulf between words and images — on this side of the line, there’s literature, and on the other, there’s visual art. It seems like a simple distinction to make, but simple distinctions are rich material for artists to pick at, play with, and re-imagine in all manner of strange and fantastical ways. As the show’s curator, Andrew Herdon, notes, our minds work in both visual and verbal modes, and language allows for a more direct path to think beyond the immediate appearance of what’s in front of us.

As you might expect, there’s a variety of approaches on show. Perhaps the most intriguing, in being a little out of place among fine art, might be the collection of drawings and photographs of Russian criminal tattoos. The drawings range from home-brewed simplicity to florid complexity, and offer a glimpse into the rituals and violence of Russia’s criminal underworld. To an outsider, they might be nothing more than random imagery, but they convey nuanced meanings to the insider — a reminder that language can conceal as well as communicate.

Another type of concealment in language takes the form of censorship, which is addressed to great effect in Glenn Ligon’s The Red Portfolio, consisting of little more than white-on-black printed text. They’re terse descriptions of sexually graphic scenes, originally from a campaign mounted to censor the photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe, and now re-appropriated as art in their own right. The difference between the images’ descriptions and the stark lack of those images (similar to the pieces by Tom Gallant on show) generates a cold, anticipatory tension, and free-wheeling imagination of what those scenes might have looked like.

The show’s young artist contingent also includes two photographs from Dawn Ng’s Everything You Ever Wanted Is Right Here series. Short phrases (with a humour akin to urban artist SKL0 or Sticker Lady’s) are cut out of photographs of local scenes — for instance, a collection of security cameras bears the legend, Kind Of Kinky. With its clean design and emphasis on the here and now, it’s hard to shake the impression of looking at a tourism campaign from a parallel universe Singapore.

As a whole, the exhibition offers many ways to think about language and art — some breathtaking, others not quite — an overall impression, as it were, of the ambiguity set forth in the show’s title.

Ambiguous Portrait Of A Cunning Linguist runs until July 27, noon to 7pm, Ikkan Art International #01-05 39 Keppel Road. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays. Free admission.

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5 TV characters we miss

SINGAPORE - So it’s not goodbye forever to Barbarella, Leticia Bongnino and Lulu after all.

MediaCorp clarified today that the company will consider letting actress Michelle Chong reprise her former Noose roles “as and when commercial interests arise”.

We guess it’s their way of saying, “tanks, everybirdy, tanks”?

Here’s a list of other characters we want to see back on TV.

***

FANG LAO SHI. The English had Hugh Grant in the 1990s, and we had Chen Hanwei. Okay that’s a bit of a hyperbole, but who can forget the actor’s turn as the caring and, more importantly, carelessly handsome, floppy-haired teacher Fang Laoshi in Morning Express? The 1995 local drama serial also starred Fann Wong as his fresh-faced love interest, and Ann Kok as her even fresher-faced sister.

DARIA MORGENDORFFER. There’s something about the MTV character’s caustic wit and deadpan humour that makes our own pathetic lives seem just a little better. Come back, Daria, we’ll even let you stand on our necks.

MISS MO AND YU LOK TIN. We adore TVB’s meandering, 100-episode comedy War Of The Genders for one and only one reason: The insanely hilarious quibbling couple Miss Mo and Yu Lok Tin, played by Carol Cheng and Dayo Wong. We don’t know how much of their bickering was scripted or ad libbed — but they sure have some of the greatest on-screen chemistry we’ve ever seen.

JACK DONAGHY. Yea, Tina Fey is funny and smart. Heck, she’s even hot now. We get it. But the one we truly miss — but not really, thanks to re-runs — is 30 Rock’s ridiculously dapper and inappropriate Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). If you don’t know who Jack Donaghy is, this exchange should sum things up:

Liz Lemon: Why are you wearing a tux?

Jack Donaghy: It’s after 6:00. What am I, a farmer?

PHUA CHU KANG. Not! Yes he was, for a while, very funny. But after eight seasons, a movie and even a musical, we can safely say we’re not hankering after Gurmit Singh to make a comeback as PCK anytime soon in Singapore, JB and some say Batam.

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Kim Kardashian has baby girl

LOS ANGELES — Reality television star Kim Kardashian has given birth to a baby girl fathered by rapper Kanye West, celebrity magazines People and Us Weekly reported on Saturday.

Both magazines posted a story on their respective websites citing an unnamed source in confirming the birth of the daughter to the celebrity couple. Representatives for Kardashian and West could not immediately be reached for comment.

People magazine said Kardashian, 32, gave birth on Saturday ahead of schedule, with the baby reportedly due in early July.

Kanye West and Kardashian began dating in April last year. Reuters

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Nigella Lawson’s husband cautioned by police for assault

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

5 things to have during a zombie apocalypse

SINGAPORE — Guys, the zombie apocalypse is inevitable, and you know it.

Plus, with the number of films about zombie invasions out there, you can’t say you weren’t warned.

While the good folks in World War Z have the indomitable Brad Pitt on their side, we would have to fight our own way to survival.

Here’s a list of five things we would borrow from the world of film, TV and fiction to defend ourselves against the walking dead.

***

THOR’S HAMMER. There’s no guarantee that we can pick it up — unless one of us is Thor. In which case, hello sexy. But if we do manage to wield the hammer, we’re pretty sure we’d be able to crush some pretty zombie skulls.

JANE AUSTEN. If there’s someone who should be annoyed by the presence of zombies, it’s Jane Austen. The monsters have been introduced to her beloved Pride And Prejudice by the audacious Seth Grahame-Smith, and Elizabeth Bennet turned into a — gasp — zombie hunter. If we could bring Austen back to life, we’re guessing she and her army of fans would be more than happy to kick a few zombie butts.

STAR TREK’S USS ENTERPRISE. As the 36 Strategems rightly advise — flee, if all else fails. And how better to run away from a zombie invasion than to hop on the USS Enterprise and shoot to the nearest inhabitable planet at warp speed?

A CHINESE ODYSSEY’S PANDORA’S BOX. If none of the above work, we’ll have to resort to using the Pandora’s Box from Stephen Chow’s A Chinese Odyssey. The box will allow us to travel through time to escape. Even if it doesn’t work, yelling “bo yi bo lor mi” at the moon should be cathartic.

BANE’S MASK. Only because none of us will survive anyway, if this haze gets out of hand.

World War Z is scheduled for release in Singapore on June 20.

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The Final 1’s 11 finalists want your vote

SINGAPORE — Channel 5’s reality talent show The Final 1 has been gradually whittling its contestants down and moving steadily towards determining who will be the last one standing.

Last week’s episode threw audiences a curveball, though, when 11 finalists were put through to the next round of competition instead of the expected 10. Lucky number 11, Shaun Jensen, is probably still breathing a sigh of relief right now.

Since the results are based on audience votes, it’s up to these finalists to sell themselves in a bid for the grand prize of S$50,000 in cash and a recording contract worth S$50,000. We’ve given them a chance to lobby for your vote right here — by asking the big question: Why should we vote for you?

The Final 1’s Top 11 weekly showdown begins on Wednesday, June 19, 8pm on MediaCorp TV Channel 5.

***

JEAN KYAW, 19

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop ballads.

So that I can prove to my neighbours (who complain a lot) that I create music, not noise. And so that I can continue to showcase my versatility as a performer – I know I am more than just “outdated erotic moves” – and to inspire and touch the hearts of those who believe in me.

***

SHAUN JANSEN, 27

Occupation: PMEB. Musical style: 80s and modern rock.

Because I want to connect with you, at home, through the TV, with raw emotion and poetry in music.

***

YURESH BALAKRISHNAN, 20

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Alternative, soul, indie.

Music is not only something I do, it is also a big part of who I am. Please vote for me so I can continue to grow as a musician. I promise to give 110% with more sincere and heartfelt performances.

***

GLEN WEE, 19

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Indie pop/rock, R&B.

This musical experience has been a real eye opener. It has opened my eyes to what I am capable of as an artist. Please vote for me as I am not done with this competition. There are still a lot of things I want to learn. I can only promise that I am here to entertain and hopefully you will like my performances.

***

MERYL JOAN LEE, 24

Occupation: Freelance singer. Musical style: Jazz and Top 40s.

Vote for me not just in support of my voice, talent and hard work, but also if you believe in having the courage to pursue your dreams even if it means leaving the “Singaporean Dream” behind.

***

GAIL BELMONTE, 17

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop, soul, R&B.

You should vote for me because I sing for you with all of my heart and soul. I want nothing more than to touch your hearts and inspire you.

***

FARISHA ISHAK, 18

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop, soul, R&B.

You should vote for me because I have a unique tone in my voice and I believe that I have something to offer to the music scene in Singapore. Furthermore, I wish to be given the opportunity to touch the hearts of people with my music.

***

HASHY YUSOF, 18

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Acoustic renditions.

Vote for me because I am not just a singer, I am a musician in my own right. I am also adaptable and experimental in my music. I have a unique tone. I am not looking at branding myself as (just) another artiste but to brand myself as Hashy Yusof. I am actively writing and I feel that my music is very personal, so it’s real and relatable.

***

LOUISA KAN, 17

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop.

You should vote for me because I have a baby face but a mature voice when I sing. I learnt how to brand myself and that will definitely help me create an impactful image. I am willing to make sacrifices to get what I want. I am extremely passionate about music. I am happiest when I sing, especially when I have my keyboard or piano with me. I want to make your day with my music.

***

DEBBI KOH, 16

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop, rock, R&B.

Because I feel that I have the potential to grow so much more as I am the youngest contestant in this competition. And music is my passion. I could never live without singing or listening to music. Also, once you get to know me, I can brighten up your days with fun and laughter.

***

FAITH NG, 17

Occupation: Student. Musical style: Pop, Top 40s.

You should vote for me because I have pink hair. I’m the only one with a really crazy hairstyle. I feel very strongly that I have the drive and determination to push myself in this competition because this is my dream. When something is or becomes your dream, it’s so important because it’s what you’ve always dreamt of doing and you would do almost anything and everything to make it happen. It’s that important. People should vote for me because I can show my flexibility and versatility in my performances. I would dare to try something new, yet make it relatable. This is my dream and only you can make my dream come true.

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Science Podcast - Improving Agriculture From the Ground Down - AAAS Meeting [Feb 17, 2013]

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Science Podcast - Super-strong graphene, Mars and radiation, science in India, and more (31 May 2013)

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Science Podcast - Innovative imaging, protecting genomic anonymity, oxytocin hype, and more (18 Jan 2013)

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Science Podcast - Lab-grown guts, development mysteries, Pacific paleoclimate, and more (7 June 2013)

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Science Podcast - Grand Challenges in Science Education (19 April 2013)

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Science Policy Podcast - Catastrophic Risks (8 Mar 2013)

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Science Podcast - Do Scientists Need Social Media? - AAAS Meeting [Feb 15, 2013]

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Science Podcast - Exoplanet habitability, weird planets, mantle geochemistry, and more (3 May 2013)

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Atomic Layer Heterostructures—More Is More

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Science Podcast - Paying for blood, cockroach resilience, Isle Royale, and more (24 May 2013)

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Too Much or Too Little

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Science

[cover] 10 May 2013
Vol 340 #6133 [cover] 3 May 2013
Vol 340 #6132 [cover] 26 April 2013
Vol 340 #6131 [cover] 19 April 2013
Vol 340 #6130 Science Express Listen to stories on an ancient strain of leprosy, detecting the planet’s water from space, results from EarthScope, and more. (43:37)


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Science Policy Podcast - Marcia McNutt, new Editor-in-Chief (7 June 2013)

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Science Podcast - Macroscopic uncertainty, cosmic rays, opsins outside the eye, and more (15 Feb 2013)

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Science Podcast – Making Crime Prevention Pay - AAAS Meeting [Feb 16, 2013]

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Science Podcast - Reprogrammable cancer cells, fairy circles, our black hole, and more (29 Mar 2013)

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Monday, June 24, 2013

Science Policy Podcast - Farewell from Bruce Alberts (31 May 2013)

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Science Podcast - Van Allen belts, wild pollinators, cyber attacks, and more (1 Mar 2013)

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Common Water

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Science Podcast - Sleeping sickness, kids' science books, the GRAIL mission, and more (7 Dec 2012)

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Science Podcast - Advances in Oral Reconstruction - AAAS Meeting [Feb 15, 2013]

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Science Policy Podcast - Drug Regulations (22 Mar 2013)

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Science Podcast - Plant Virus Ecology - AAAS Meeting [Feb 15, 2013]

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Science Podcast - Psychology of change, negative absolute temperature, & the death of a star (4 Jan 2013)

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Science Podcast - Benefits of HIV treatment, nuclear North Korea, saving seeds, and more (22 Feb 2013)

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Science Podcast - New Whale Species, Mussel Glue, Coal Plants, and more from ScienceNOW - AAAS Meeting [Feb 18, 2013]

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Science Podcast - Fracking and water quality, science software, flavor science, and more (17 May 2013)

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