When it comes to beautifully restored hotels in Singapore, it's hard to beat The Fullerton. But The Fullerton Bay Hotel is like a younger sister who just went for a fabulous plastic surgery. And wants to flaunt it. The once rundown Clifford Pier is now transformed into the stunning lobby of the hotel. And that's just the start.
Last night, Kamei and I went for the opening of their roof top bar Lantern. (Yes, another roof top bar! Is it getting too crowded on the roads below?) If you remember Kamei raving about 1-Altitude, you'll know feeling high rocks our socks. What Lantern lacks in height, it makes up with the view. The vista spans the entire Singapore River - you get pretty much a 360-degree view of the Marina Bay waterfront. As you can see, a gorgeous pool takes centrestage. It's all very glamorous without being overbearingly chi-chi.
We went to check out the rooms after the party. They're posh, ultra comfortable and boast great views. It was tempting not budge from the sofa. But we finally tore ourselves away. As nice as the hotel staffers who brought us around were, I don't think they'd appreciate us hijacking their rooms on the spur of the moment.
Imagine how great it would be to have one of these rooms to watch the national day fireworks. (Psst, if you're interested, there's an exclusive opening special rate of $388 per night for the Deluxe Room which includes set breakfast for two till August 31, 2010).
Till my next stay-cation, Fullerton Bay Hotel. In the meantime, see you at Lantern.
While channel surfing at 1am in the morning last Saturday, I chanced upon a really old Channel 8 drama series. The Chinese title was “Huo Wu Feng Yun”, otherwise known as A Time to Dance.
I first watched it as a primary school kid. In short, it was about the lives of three women who had to become dance hostesses due to their tragic circumstances. (Don’t ask me why I could watch such unhealthy TV at such a young age).
Fast forward 18 years and there I was, glued to the screen like I was watching it for the first time. There were Channel 8 old timers starring in the series such as Liu Qiulian, Chen Xiuhuan, Tang Miaoling, Sean Say and a very young Terrence Cao. Not only is the plot highly dramatic and exciting, it’s almost shockingly radical. The characters smoke on TV! A little girl is chased and knocked down by ruthless gangsters! A character contracts AIDS as a method of revenge!
Man, where did all these shows go to? I know I’m not the only one who’s nostalgic for the Channel 8 shows of yore. My friends all agree they used to be better –storylines were more innovative, the acting was more sincere and there was less of a need to be politically correct.
Seriously, what’s with the current Channel 8 trend of longwinded, noisy family dramas with more than 100 episodes? Yeah, yeah HollandVillage was a surprise success but does every other series need to replicate this formula? Poor Chen Liping! She’s practically forced to reprise her matriarch role in all her onscreen outings.
Channel 8 needs to go back to their archives and learn a lesson or two from the TV series they used to produce. Who could forget shows like the ultra creepy Strange Encounters and Mystery where a character ages mysteriously and featured a doll freakier than Chucky? There were also fun shows like Fann Wong’s and Thomas Ong's Wild Orchids and the touching ones like Teochew Family,Tofu Street and Stepping Out.
I leave you with links to two of my favourite shows which I uncovered from Tudou.com.
The biggest ballroom in Asia. 1,100 journalists and photographers. A media centre that’s all wired up and equipped with lightning-fast new computers, photo copiers and fax machines, and three large screen TVs. I've never felt like I’m breaking world-changing, earth-shattering news until this moment: It’s the official opening of Marina Bay Sands.
It’s a huge, huge deal. The buildings and facilities are more impressive than imagined. Plus celebrity clubs Pangaea and Avalon are opening floating clubs there. Louis Vuitton will also be having its flagship boutique in a four storey floating island. And my favourite part? World class celebrity chefs are descending with their much buzzed-about restaurants. I was delighted to speak to one of my favourites today at the opening.
See all the burger stores springing up in Singapore? Well, Daniel Boulud’s the man behind the haute burger craze that began in New York when he introduced his DB Burger stuffed with foie gras and short ribs back in 2001. But there’s nothing haughty or snooty about the chef. He’s utterly grounded, humble and very friendly and chatty. For some reason, he reminds me of Papa Smurf.
Don’t worry about paying exorbitant prices at his eatery too! Daniel Boulud wants to make his DBBistro Moderne at Marina Bay Sands accessible to one and all when it opens in September.
How is a restaurant that opens at a casino different from your usual restaurant?
There’s not much difference, except sometimes an opportunity is given by a project. In Singapore, this opportunity is Marina Bay Sands. Would I open my own restaurant in Orchard Road? No. I would need a partner. With Marina Bay Sands, it’s a destination, a place to gather even if you were to remove the casino from the equation. The fact that there is a casino integrated within things like hotels, shopping malls and entertainment options make it an even bigger destination.
Why did you decide to open a bistro at MarinaBay Sands given that you have different restaurant concepts to choose from? I didn’t want to open a three-star restaurant outside of Daniel (his fine dining restaurant in New York City). It could have been a concept like Café Boulud but DB Bistro is a good mix of the French American bistro. It’s a casual place, it’s affordable, and customers can come often. We take a lot of pleasure, care and work in making casual food affordable and good. We want to offer value to customers.
How do you feel about elevating humble fare like sausages and burgers?
I take a lot of pride in making the most casual food very good. Sausage is one food where I could lower myself without lowering my standards. We make sure we choose the best ingredients in making them. Everything is natural, healthy – there are no additives added. Fancy French food is not really for your generation. You can’t be spontaneous in making a decision to eat at a three-star restaurant at the last minute. I take more pleasure sometimes in making young people want to eat at my restaurants and they can come whenever they want.
P/s: Tomorrow Kamei and I will be speaking to more celebrity chefs. Check back in with us!
I sometimes wish my love life was as exciting as an episode of Gossip Girl. Not that scheming and double-guessing are my Valium, but there’s a certain rush to be gotten from dating one guy to another. My love life is so staid now that I need to invent my own drama! It’s sad but true: Your life can be more interesting and your popularity deemed higher if you’re with a cool dude, while dating someone who’s not quite the crowd favourite won’t do you any favours.Nowhere is this more evident than in celebrity couplehood. When celebs have a change of heart and move on to their next squeeze, they are actually profit or lose from it. Let’s be realistic and call it trading up or trading down. These five celebs come to mind.
Trading up!
Miley Cyrus
Now: Liam Hemsworth Then: Justin Gaston
Not only is her fellow co-star in The Last Song the bro of future Thor Chris Hemsworth, he’s got a lot more going on than Gaston. The Nashville Star finalist is better known these days as an underwear model.
Rachel Bilson
Now: Hayden Christensen Then: Adam Brody
As much we heart Adam, his career is lagging behind as he languishes in supporting roles. Hayden Christensen is definitely a bigger star. Anyway how many stars can always say he has toy figurines made in his likeness as Anakin Skywalker?
Shia LaBeaouf
Now: Carey Mulligan Then: China Brezner
Who on earth is China Brezner? Exactly. Why do think Shia seems utterly devoted to his new girlfriend who’s not only an Oscar Best Actress nominee, a magazine favourite and all-round sweetie. She’s the “most talented actress” he’s ever met and he’s “grateful” she ever agreed to star in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps where they met. Geez Shia, we geddit!
Trading down!Taylor Swift
Now: Cory Monteith Then: Taylor Lautner
We’re a bit undecided on this initially but seriously, Cory Monteith playing a singing jock on TV really can’t compete with the hottest body on earth since Marky Mark. Yes, it has been that long. Taylor S, may your next guy be cooler as it’ll be quite hard to top Taylor L’s ripped abs. John Mayer
Now: Twitter Then: Jennifer Aniston
The notorious playboy last real relationship was with on/off ex Jennifer Aniston. He’s gone on to make several faux pas in interviews with Rolling Stone and Playboy where he badmouthed his exes before going onto his favourite platform Twitter to apologise repeatedly. He’d mentioned “Twitter is my girlfriend” but hasn’t Tweeted in a bit. Oh no John, ignoring even your virtual girlfriend? Looks like your love life has gone down the drain for now. Can you think of any other celebs? Lemme know. Even better, why don’t we compare notes when you come down for The CLEO Girls’ Night Out party on June 3, 2010 at Istetan Tampines Mall Atrium. Click here now to find out more! I hope to see ya there!
Contributing
Features Writer and Glambert Denise Li guest blogs this week.
I’ve been
called a music snob by my friends and colleagues, but this label makes me very
defensive. It’s true that I have a preference for Brit indie bands and
old-school rock bands like Maximo Park and the Rolling Stones, but I’m
definitely not one those poseur wannabe indie kids who dislikes an artiste or a
band just cos their songs are played on frequent rotation on radio.
I just
think that there is a lot more separating the wheat from the chaff where pop
music is concerned. There’s Madonna, who has managed to surprise her fans and
industry-watchers time and time again for her innovativeness and musical
breakthroughs for almost 20 years now, cone-shaped bras and leotards in tow …
and then there’s Ke$ha. Take the girl with the most annoying voice on the
planet, put her in a pair of hot pants, make her sing a stupid ditty … and for
some reason, she’s a star.
The pop
world is a crazy one indeed.
I’ve always
been quite ambivalent about American Idol though. On one hand, I loved how
Kelly Clarkson used it as a platform to really create her own niche and
identity as a credible recording artist. But it’s also produced a whole host of
dud “winners” like Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. I won’t be surprised to
find out that they’re now busking somewhere on some street in Hollywood trying to make ends meet.
I didn’t
follow season 8 of American Idol. I knew that two guys, Kris Allen and Adam
Lambert, were placed in the top two, but I had no idea what either sounded like
or what their signature style was. I knew about the existence of “Glamberts”
and cringed, cos it seemed just as lame as “Claymates”. Ew.
It was only
after “Whatya Want From Me” hit the airwaves that I started to sit up and take
notice of Adam Lambert. It was such a well-crafted pop song – instantly
identifiable guitar rift, soaring emotional chorus …
I was
hooked. I liked the slightly voyeuristic nature of the video, and I LOVED Adam
Lambert’s style, the tight jeans, the slightly BDSM chains and accessories he
always seems to be wearing … even his choice of androgynous makeup looks. He’s
like a more pop-orientated David Bowie of today.
The final
test was whether I could sit through his entire debut album. That is the true measure
of the credibility of any musician, pop or otherwise. He passed with flying
colours. And that was the day I became a Glambert.
Naturally I
was jumping out of my seat when I found out he was going to be here in
mid-March. When I found out that it was to be an exclusive fan showcase, I
started to plot how I could make every one of my friends buy a Deluxe Edition
version of his album for those precious tickets. I felt like Charlie in Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory.
Then the
kind people at Sony gave us two tickets and an interview with the man on the
day that he was to perform. I was heartbroken when I had to send our intern,
Anjali, for the interview instead, because we were smack in the middle of
preparing for our Bachelors Preview that was happening the next day. I was
going to die of jealousy when she told me she managed to get a picture with the
man, and how nice and candid he was.
Still, I
had the showcase to look forward to. The beauty writer from our sister mag, The
Singapore Women’s Weekly and fellow Glambert, Simone, was to go with me. And
man, did we have a good time, despite us both almost being late cos we were
both snowed under with work. I wondered how good he would be performing an
acoustic set in a rather large theatre like the one at Pantages Hollywood
Theatre at Universal Studios Singapore.
And the man
didn’t disappoint. You could hear every single emotional quiver loud and clear
when he sang “Whatya Want From Me” and “Broken Open”. He brought the house down
when he did a reprise of “Mad World” which garnered him mad accolades during
American Idol. He even did an unplanned and unrehearsed encore, singing “Down
the Rabbit Hole” which was a bonus track on the Deluxe Edition of the album.
And judging from the hysterical note present in the screams of the 500 fans who
won tickets sitting above me, they were loving every moment as much as I did.
Let’s hope
he comes down for a full concert within the next few months. You’ll see me in
the front row screaming my guts out, as proud as the rest of them that I am,
yes, a Glambert.
So drama, huh? As Kamei and I were watching it, we couldn't help giggling at the end when the actor known as "Ah Nan" terrorised the journalists and shouted at them to scram.
There have many who commented that his mistress Wendy Chong and the rest of the girls involved were simply being shameless media whores. Please. Give me a break. They have every right to come out to shame an exploitative man. Nobody should get away with sexual harrassment. Not even the president of the United States of America, right Bill?
What's even more appalling was he had allegedly tried hitting on a 16-year-old, and only backed off after her mother threatened to call the police.
If this had occured in the corporate world, you can bet such behaviour would have been more heavily penalised. Why should women striving to pursue a career in entertainment be made to feel afraid to speak up about being harassed? Some might say it's part and parcel of show biz. If that's the choice you make, fine. But don't succumb simply because you're frightened to offend those who hold the power.
I mean, what exactly did Wendy Chong get out of her relationship with Jack Neo? A measly forgettable role in a second-rate movie. So not worth it!
So the Golden Globes came and went. Nobody cared that much about Ricky Gervais’ brilliance, or that Meryl Streep made a wonderful speech, that Avatar is hardly best movie material or even how cute Jon Hamm looks with his beard.
Instead, the tabloids went crazy over the news that Jennifer Aniston was making out with her co-presenter Gerald Butler. They were apparently smooching and making out in the kitchen.
Poor Jennifer. After five years and everyone is still obsessed over her love life. The former Friend certainly doesn’t have much luck in the romance department after splitting up with Brad. Some say that she should have had happily ever after with Brad while others are firmly Team Bragelina. And does Bragelina even deserve happily ever after too?
That reminds me of a new movie coming up called Valentine’ Day starring the Taylors (Swift and Lautner). As everyone knows, the girl has since dumped the guy despite the gleaming goodness of his abs. For those of you who think the Taylors should be together forever and never will part, I disagree. Can’t you tell he’s too much of a puppy dog for her? She likes a guy who treats ’em mean so she can continue to write songs about the “Tear Drops on her Guitar”.
Moving from werewolf to vampire, let’s look at the romance between R-Pattz and KStew who’re finally reportedly together. Thank goodness. If there’s someone who can make him take a bath, it’s her. I presume they should be on cloud nine if they’re happy to slumm it out at dive bars where shots only cost U$1.50 each.
In other news, Jake Gyllenhaal is a free man. YAY! But it’s a shame that Jakey and Reese Witherspoon broke up. This is one couple that seems to should have their happily ever after. They not only look good together, they seem like a real fit, although rumours swirl that she’s just his beard.
Last but not least, I want to talk about my favourite male pop star. Justin (no last name needed).
Justin, Justin, Justin, are you or are you not with Jessica Biel? See how unhappy you look up there? You neither look like you're on cloud nine nor gunning after happily ever after with her. But with me, it could be different!
As these talk about you guys breaking up, is it for real? The latest goss is that the deed is now official. Well, you know where to find me!
Gross!! Of all the horrible acts I've witnessed on MRT trains -- fake sleeping when a pregnant woman is in front of you, leaning back on an entire pole leaving no space for other passengers in packed carriage, testing out Akon ring tones at full volume ---the incident on the train home yesterday takes the cake.
I was on the eastbound train about 6.30pm in the evening, and as usual it was pretty crowded. I moved towards the center and LO AND BEHOLD, what did i see? A woman spitting onto the ground! Right in front of where she was sitting!
I couldn't believe my eyes. Did she really just spit?? Was she crazy? (I mean, she might really be unsound so she didn't know what she was doing.) I took a closer look and she appeared relatively normal. And she wasn't even sick-looking. Or old. She was just a 30-something-looking, seemingly normal woman who thinks that spitting inside the train is perfectly acceptable! EEEKS!!!!! What's worse is that there is even a puddle of spit right in front on her! She had probably been spitting happily for a while and sharing her germs with the entire carriage!
If you don't believe me, I have photographic evidence below.
(It was the woman in an olive green jacket. See the puddle of spit in front of her?!)
It was shocking, appalling, disgusting, inconsiderate, utterly outrageous and DIRTY. I thought after years of Anti-Littering and Courtesty Campaigns would have erradicate the desire to show any lack of hygiene in public, but NO!
AND THEN SHE DID IT AGAIN.
Just like that! And i looked around and nobody said anything. Two women even continued sitting beside her and breathing in her germ-filled spit puddle. That was it. I couldn't 'tahan' anymore. I leaned over -- from a distance of cos -- and said loudly, "You're not supposed to be spitting in the train!"
She didn't even bother to look up. It was like she didn't understand English. She's Chinese but could be a foreigner. She continued staring into space and looking unperturbed. OMG, she didn't even have the decency to look embarassed! And everyone around me didn't even chip in to say anything. They just WATCHED. What's wrong with you too, Singaporeans?!
I was considering repeating it in Mandarin but for the life of me, i didn't know how / forgot how to say "spitting" in Mandarin! My shock-adled brain couldn't function properly. Urghs!
And my stop came up at Bugis just then where I was meeting a friend, so I sighed and left.
After bombarding my friend with the story, she was similarly outraged before convulsing with laughter. She then simply told me this: "Spitting in Mandarin is 'tu tan'. Better remember now."
That’s the first rule in medicine, and it’s one I feel some charity-doing celebrities should really learn. The phrase can be defined as, “given an existing problem, it may be better to do nothing than to do something that risks causing more harm than good." I know, I know, call me judgey and mean. What’s so bad about celebrities who embrace all the world’s problems like a Mother Theresa wannabe? How else would we know about Malawi or the intricacies of its orphan problem if not for Madonna’s ‘illegal’ adoption of David Banda which made news everywhere? Because just take these examples:
After the Material Girl went against Malawian laws to adopt David Banda who isn’t even an orphan in the first place, her charity Malawi Raising also ran into trouble. It was branded as “fake” after it was found out that it was a unit of the Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles. And you also have the likes of Paris Hilton claimed she was going to Rwanda after her jail stint for a charity mission, only to default and accompany then-boyfriend Benji Madden to South Africa.
More recently, Jon Gosselin of reality show Jon and Kate Plus Eight states he wants to get involved in children’s charities cos of his deep love for children. But if he loves kids that much, perhaps he should have spent more time with his eight kids instead of causing them much embarrassment by partying like an overgrown frat boy? By not taking their charity efforts seriously, these celebs risk undermining the real work that aid workers, non-governmental organisations and their more genuine celebrity friends do. The cause then becomes a publicity stunt. Real folks are probably more inclined to roll our eyes the next time we read about the next celeb jumping on a plane to war-torn countries on Perez Hilton. Thankfully there are still many celebs who truly know about their causes and devote real time, funds and committment to them. These are just three of my favourites:
1. Matt Damon
For the sheer extent of his involvement. He is supporting up to 20 charitable organisations and uses every opportunity to bring up the issue. He wrote about the importance of clean water in Parade magazine and used his guest role in Entourage to pimp children charity OneXOne. And this is coming from a guy who receives a lot less coverage than his fellow Ocean 11’s co-stars [read Brad and Clooney] for his charity work.
2. Natalie Portman
The petite actress sure knows how to work charity in a big way. She works extensively to promote women’s and children’s rights, including launching the Village Campaign with microfinance organisation FINCA, which provides small loans to poor people.
3. Oprah Winfrey
You can’t beat Oprah. She’s on the list of Forbes’ most generous celebrities. She gave US$52 million to charity in 2005 alone and provides US$100 to each of her 300-member audience to donate to a charity of their choice. Just how powerful is she? She’s meets up with the real movers and shakers of the world – Warren Buffet, Gorge Sorros and Bill Gates – to discuss the world’s problems.
As a child, I was more of a Polly Pocket girl than a Barbie girl. I guess it was cos I found it troublesome to fix up Barbie’s dollhouse.
These days, I wonder if girls still play with dollhouses, cos they seem to be a plaything of the past. (Just think: Care Bears, Smurfs, and My Little Pony) That’s why I was so surprised when I chanced upon these quaint dollhouses at Watsons Ngee Ann City yesterday evening.
Instead of stocking up on my toiletries as planned, I was very much distracted by these dollhouses. I found out that they are part of Majolica Majorca’s first year anniversary celebrations. Eight dollhouses with different chapters will be displayed at Watsons Ngee Ann City over a period of eight weeks. Featuring different Majolica Majorca dolls and backgrounds, each chapter represents a different fantasy realm.
Now, I’ve always been a fan of Japanese products, cos they pay so much attention to the little things. These dollhouses are so detailed!
I’m totally in love with Chapter 20 – it’s got a chaise lounge, vintage dressing table, birdcage, and even a bedazzled chandelier!
If you’ve got a favourite chapter, vote for it! You’ll receive a limited edition handphone charm just for doing so. What’s more, 10 lucky voters from the winning chapter will also receive a $100 Majolica Majorca hamper each!
And if that’s not enough, CLEO has something special lined up for our readers. All you have to do is to take a photo with your favourite dollhouse and upload it onto www.askCLEO.com.sg under CLEO Community, Snapshots. The ten submissions with the most votes will each win a Majolica Majorca hamper!
Chapters 20, 21, 22 and 23 will be on display from Sept 26 to Oct 14, and Chapters 8, 11, 15, and 16 will be on display from Oct 15 to Nov 2.
I just returned from meeting Lindsay. Actually, correction: I just returned from being in the same room as Lindsay Lohan.
Because Lilo totally blew us off. Not in a mind-blowing sort of way. But more like, "I can be weird and I don't want to mingle with anyone even though I was supposed to" sort of blowing off. Ughs!
I was crushed and pissed: Hellos Lindsay, I watched Mean Girls like five times! I even watched Parent Trap and Confessions of A Teenage Drama Queen, Freaky Friday and Just My Luck. (I think i just embarassed myself there). Why didn't you stay to mingle like the email invite said you would?? It was bad enough that only broadcast media got an interview with her. And they were limited to three questions tops each. But us press reporters didn't even get to talk to her. And just when we were comforting ourselves with the idea that she would be mingling for at least 15 minutes, she took off faster than an F1 Ferrari.
Well, I managed to get some pictures of her in the short, short, SHORT time she was here.
Sighs. I knew it was too good to be true. One of Hollywood's most infamous hell-raiser in town to host F1 Rocks. I was bubbling with excitement while in the cab with Web Editor Cheryl. But La Lohan kept everyone waiting for one hour and 45 minutes! During lunch time! Hurrumph! To think that she actually tweeted, "F1 Rocks Press Event-i heart Singapore! Worlds First 180 countries!!" She hearts Singapore, indeed! And what does that next sentence even mean?
Hopefully all the other celebs at F1 Rocks are cooler - and punctual. Like Black Eyed Pea, Beyonce and Gwen!! I wonder what they will be Tweeing while they're here.
I know for sure Will.i.am of BEP will be using his INQ phone which has inbuilt Facebook and Twitter function which was recently launched by SingTel last week.
I am still annoyed with Linds. I think I am going home to throw out my Mean Girls DVD. Naah, maybe not. I love that show. How about uploading a pix of Mean Girl Lindsay instead? I used to heart you Lindsay.
I am a sucker for celebs. It's even better when celebs pash and hook up with other celebs. With great stardom comes great attention: Are JT and Jessica breaking up? Is Chace Crawford really dating Bar Rafaeli who’s recovering from her split from Leonardo DiCpario? And look, ScarJo’s husband, Ryan Reynold, even joins Renee Zellweger and boyfriend Bradley Cooper on their date. Do you know how exhausting it is for a “kaypoh” celeb watcher like me to keep up with the ins and outs of these couples? Why can’t they just stay at home and enjoy domestic bliss instead of flaunting their love affair for all to see?
I have a theory about this. It’s nothing groundbreaking, and probably quite obvious. Anyhow. Me thinks all these celebs are just making use of each other. Sure, some celebs are obviously and blindly in true blue love – Seal and Heidi Klum come to mind – but there are others who simply know the math equation that 1 + 1 = Twice the star power, twice the coverage, twice the following. Whether they realise it or not, these celebs are, one way or another, manipulating their lover.
Let's take the following examples:
Couple A : Bradley Cooper and Renee Zellweger
He:
Sorta rising stud
Best known for his roles in surprise hit The Hangover and the cheating husband in He’s Just Not That Into You
Photographs well. Well, he’s in his prime at 34
She:
Last dated the likes of C-lister Luke Perry
Dimming star power. Had a flop with the movie New In Town
Not quite photogenic in recent years. She’s 40
Verdict:
Ever since their romance was outed, the pair now enjoys a steady presence in the tabloids. His career certainly got boosted. She got a new lease of life as a hot cougar. Coupled up, even a lunch date is considered newsworthy.
Couple B: Penn Badgley and Blake Lively
He:
A star in Gossip Girl
Known to be smart and witty, much like the role he plays
In short, makes a likeable, down-to-earth arm accessory
She:
The star of Gossip Girl
Known to be more interested in fashion, much like the role she plays
In short, makes a glamorous arm accessory
Verdict:
When you’re a celestial blonde goddess, you’re likely to incur much hate and scorn. Unless you can prove you ain’t a bimbo by dating a regular Joe. Or, at the very least, as regular a Joe as Hollywood can throw up. Bonus points if he's also your co-star to drum up ratings. As a Hollywood regular Joe, you prove your attractiveness by snagging an extraordinarily good-looking woman. Judging by their regular PDAs session papped on the tabloids, the sex must be pretty awesome too. Win, win and win.
Couple C: Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron
He:
The prettiest male actor in Hollywood
Sings
Dances
She:
The actress with a nudity scandal
Sings
Dances
Verdict:
As a squeaky-clean Disney star, having a girlfriend is always useful when rumours surround your sexuality. Even better, that she apparently shares the same hobbies as you. And nothing helps a scandal-hit actress more than having a supportive boyfriend who's beloved by all. But the couple is said to have drifted apart. Zac has been reported to have wanted space and even avoids her call. How convenient since his career has taken off like a rocket.
Couple D: David and Victoria Beckham
He:
Great looks
Soccer star
Rumoured to be hen-pecked
She:
Great fashion sense (especially since moving to America)
Ex Spice Girl
Rumoured to be the one in charge
Verdict:
Probably one of the most successful coupling in celebrityhood. Victoria and David combined have wielded an influence that would have been impossible to achieve alone. Before Posh, David B was just another Manchester United Player; pre Becks,Victoria was a member of a girlie group whose stardom was starting to wane. But together, they sparked the public's imagination. They have fronted perfume and underwear ads, conquered United State, made friends with TomKat and become a bona fide brand. Even though Posh is said to keep Becks on a tight lease which resulted in the Rebecca Loos extramaritial affair, the couple appears unshakeable. When alll is said and done, a divorce is not worth it when you are so much better (off) together.
Can you think of anymore celebrity couplings you love to hate or think they simply in a symbiotic beneficial relationship? Tell us!!
"If you are what you say you are A superstar Then have no fear The camera's here and the microphones and they wanna know Oh oh oh oh ..."
I love "Superstar" by Lupe Fiasco. How could you not dig its hynoptic beats and lyrics that promise a glamorous life so shiny and glaring, you can't help but be drawn in? That's why we at CLEO have changed our annual CLEO Covergirl Search to Be A CLEO Star. It's just not good enough to be a covergirl. They're a dime in a dozen. Cover girls on magazines get replaced monthly, heck, every weekly. But a star ... now that's different.
We certainly knew our different it was from Covergirl Search at our first round of auditions held last weekend at Bugis Junction. In streamed girls who aren't just pretty: they are vivacious, they ooze confidence, they even brought their supporters; man, did they blow our socks off. Some sang, some impressed with their eloquence, one even danced. They were a star in the making in our books.
One of our contestants was among the Top 50 in Singapore Idol. So she didn't make it to the final 24. Who cares? We don't. That girl has charm and talent in spades even if the three judges of Singapore Idol failed to recognise it. Did she slink away, never to fulfill her dream? Nah uh! The world is so much bigger than one missed opportunity.
Talking about Singapore Idol, I had the chance last Thursday to preview the 24 contestants who'll be performing tonight and next Wednesday. They are a lively, rambunctious bunch, postively brimming, no, make that overflowing with hopes - hopefully not misplaced - of becoming a star. They already had the requisite celebrity trappings: rumours of contestants coupling up, sex tape scandal flamed by a spurned suitor, famous fathers ... If that's anything to go by, the latest season of Singapore Idol is shaping up to be a pretty exciting season.
It was pretty fun chatting to them. And since I have a wee bit of a problem remembering their names, I asked them to come up with a nickname or label for themselves to help the audience remember them better. After all, didn't Paris Hilton coast by on her "heiress" and "airhead" tags to get to where she is? Check out what they came up with.
First group of 12 performing tonight:
From the back (from left):
Syltra "chick with a pick" Lee; Frances "the laugh" Maria ; Douglas "law student" Wong; Tabitha "Pocahontas" Nauser
Second row: Jannah "firecreacker" Shaharuddin; Charles "beatboxer stitch" Wong; Ryan "blowfish" Lee; Farhan "acrobat" Shah Malaque "the hair" Mahdaly
News of Michael Jackson's death flew fast and furious over the weekend. The heart attack rumours. The conspiracy theories that he was faking it. The fact we couldn't stop Twittering or Googling for more information. All of a sudden, MJ was back in our consciousness. It's been said so many times that it's become a cliché, but music really does transcend cultures. We see it in packed concert halls in different cities, in sky-high album sales and rampant downloads across the globe. Last week, we saw it in how the passing of music's biggest icon brought thousands around the world together to grieve and mourn.
My last posting had been about Lady Gaga. Here's a pop genius of the future who was reportedly hysterical and in tears upon hearing about MJ's death. Much of the music world is. From Madonna to Justin Timberlake to even the cast of High School Musical, Michael Jackson's indelible influence touched every corner of pop culture.
But he wasn't a star who remained out of orbit with the rest of us. He was everywhere when we were growing up. We saw his brilliance in the screams, tears and countless - and usually crappy - moonwalk impersonations he inspired. We loved his songs, his dances and his crazy far out MTVs which nobody, not one single other musical artiste, could ever have produced. And we couldn't look away when he started to show that he was painfully more flawed and freakier than any of us could have ever imagined with his loony behaviour and string of scandals, each one more bizarre than the last. Soon, everyone started making jokes at his expense: we laughed at him, sniggered at his headlines and finally stopped caring, dismissing him as a has-been.
But this year was supposed to be different. MJ turned 50 and had lined up 50 concerts starting on July 13 in a comeback tour eerily called This Is It.
This really was it.
My Dad actually called me Friday morning to tell me Michael Jackson had passed away. (We're talking about my father who only calls when necessary.) I guess even for him, it was hard to digest news of MJ's death. I remember listening to "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" as a kid because my maid would turn on the radio while doing her housework. My sister and I were endlessly amused and laughed until we were red in our faces whenever she put on her pink rubber gloves and tried yelping like MJ.
This is how I would like to preserve my MJ's memories. When I got an SMS at 7.30am on 26th July that he passed away, my first thought was, "Is it real? Did he really die?" On further thought, I realised, what's death to man who's already immortalised?
As a tiny tribute to the man, his music and that magic, we got everyone of us CLEO girls to share our MJ memories. Do tell us what's yours.
"I think I was about 5 years old when I saw an MTV of ‘Beat It’. I thought it was a terrible, but also terribly catchy song. As I was more of a rock fan, my knowledge of Michael Jackson remains pitifully little over the years. I truly respect MJ because he was a guy whose hunger for success, and love for performing far surpassed any entertainer we've seen in recent times. My first reaction when he died was to message everyone I know at 7.30am because it's too shocking a news to keep to myself."
Deborah, Editor
"Michael Jackson was really cool in the 80s. When I was a teenager, his songs were all the rage. Lots of people were trying to imitate him and learn how to do the moonwalk. Yes, including me! I could do it then. Even after I got older, I still liked his albums, especially HIStory. I'm still in shock over his death. How else do you react to the passing of a real legend?"
Cynthia, Beauty Editor
"I've been a fan of Michael Jackson since I watched ‘Thriller’. I remember being spooked by the music, but I was also totally blown away by the MTV. I even asked my father to bring me to watch his concert when he performed here in 1993 as I was only 9 years old. It was the first concert I've ever been to. My first response when I heard about his death was, ‘Don't bluff.’ It's really sad."
Wai Sum, Graphic Designer
"I think I had cassette tapes of Michael Jackson when I was in primary school. All of us knew the lyrics to his songs back then. And when I was in JC, I did a project about the Nanking Massacre and used his song ‘Heal The World’ for my PowerPoint slides. It was pretty powerful. I heard the news on the radio when I was coming to work. I couldn't believe it then."
Denise, Editorial Assistant
"My first encounter with Michael Jackson was listening to his songs in the school bus at 6am every morning. That was how happening my school bus uncle was! He must have really liked MJ. That was also how I grew to like Michael Jackson's music. I only found out about his death when I reached the office. I was really busy with work and couldn't check the Internet. The news really only hit me when I managed to go online. I couldn't stop Googling to read more about it after that."
Annabelle, Sub Editor
"My sister was a real crybaby and she would only stop crying whenever ‘Beat It’ was played on the stereo. We loved Michael Jackson. He was a true rock star. I mean, girls used to faint and cry whenever they saw him. And that whole ripping off his shirt thing? You couldn't get any cooler than that. I received word of his death via SMS in the morning. I couldn't process it properly. It could also be because I was still very sleepy."
Kamei, Features Writer
"My mum used to play Michael Jackson's video tapes for me to watch when I was young so she could keep me occupied and do her housework in peace. I was totally fascinated. I would watch it quietly and when it ended, I'd bawl, and my mum would rewind it for me to watch again. I was really upset when I heard about his death. I put on a black and white dress by way of tribute and came to work." Bernice, Graphic Designer
"My first memory of MJ was listening to him from the back of car. I think it was ‘Heal The World’ that was playing then. I thought he was awesome. He was such a childhood icon. All the cool kids in school knew his songs. I heard the news that he passed away over the radio when I was getting ready for work. I wanted to wear a white t-shirt to work to remember him, but I couldn't find it, so I donned a blue v-neck and skinny jeans instead." Daphne, Fashion Editor
"I loved the brand United Colours of Benetton, and the MTV for the song ‘Black or White’ was so similar to the ads! I fell in love with the song and with MJ. My all-time favourite song is ‘Billie Jean’, which cheers me up no matter how down I am. Just a few months ago, I was watching MJ videos on YouTube because I was excited about his comeback tour. My brother laughed at me for being a dork but he’s watching the same videos as well! I was awakened by a text message in the morning saying ‘MJ is DEAD!’ and I was so surprised. The news really only sank in when I got to the office."
I hate Sundays. For the same reasons everyone does. Because come mid afternoon, you have the sinking feeling in your stomach that Monday is less than 12 hours away – and it’s a whole week of toil again. The only thing that made Sundays remotely bearable when I was growing up was this really lame Taiwanese variety show called Super Sunday. (Does anyone remember it or the crazy Japanese spice girls they had on their show?)
But I had one of the best Sundays ever two days ago when I got to see Lady Gaga! It’s all thanks to SingTel’s cool music platform AMPed music service that allows subscribers to unlimited music downloads and get up close with their favourite artists totally freeeeeee. To launch this massive service, SingTel got her royal lady to our shores
Annabelle and I were somewhat dreading waking up early to make it down for the press conference on a SUNDAY morning. But we were absolutely awake once we got there. The excitement in the air was contagious. And talk about electrifying. Lightbulbs flashed everywhere the moment Lady Gaga appeared in the Mandarin Oriental ball room. Wearing a bejewelled head band – and pants! – the lady strutted in the room all sparkly, glowing and absolutely star-like.
What really surprised us was how soft spoken she was in person. She sounded thoughtful and sweet in her answers, but also impressively candid. She talked about how fans in Asia loved giving her presents, her collaboration with her childhood idols New Kids on the Block, and how she crossed over to Glutton’s Bay to eat Singaporean spicy noodles and met a girl who told her, “Wow, you look so much like Lady Gaga.”
Then things got juicier. When asked if a member of the Pussycat Dolls really propositioned her, she said, “The girls and I are really close. I don’t like to kiss and tell.” Ooooohhh…. Way to get the rumour mill working overtime.
Another question came up about how she is coping with fame and success. To which Lady Gaga simply replied. “I’ve worked really hard and played in clubs since I was 15 … after eating shit for so long in the business, I’ve learnt to be really grateful and excited about the success. I say hello and thank you to everyone.” Isn’t it a cool answer?
And one of the most extreme thing a fan has done for her is to get a tattoo of her likeness on his arm! (Lady Gaga has 7 tattoos herself).
Armed with our concert passes, we snagged a picture with Lady Gaga('s poster)
Now the concert bit: We skipped dinner and trooped inside the specially constructed Dome at Merchant Road by 7.30pm. Starving and feeling sticky, we stood around and waited impatiently for the show to start. The crowd roared every time the emcees Daniel Ong and Young mentioned her name. But she didn’t appear till … nearly 9pm.
And when she did, the crowd went crazy, nuts, gaga … you get the picture. In the short showcase that lasted less than an hour, she made three costume changes, and had everyone bouncing to her hits. The highlight must have been when she stood on her piano chair and continued playing “Poker Face.” It was soo awesome. It was such a shame she only performed six songs. We want more!
The good thing about being so early is that we managed to get a place like 2cm away from the stage.
For fans who didn't get a chance to see her, don’t worry, she’ll be back in August! Stay tuned!
Sorry Adam fans! Guess America didn't quite want a Cher 2 to take the crown.
Forget about I said earlier, Kris is THE winner of American Idol! And if you watched the result show, you'll know what a humble sweetheart he is. He was totally in shock and said Adam deserved it. Aww!
Rumour has it that Danny Gokey's pastor tweeted all believers and Danny supporters to vote for Kris with the Tweet: "Everyone who voted for @dannygokey should vote for Kris Allen! We need a believer to represent! "
(Doesn't this sound like a saga with a local woman's association we encountered not so not ago??) But never mind, Kris won!
By time you read this, the winner of American Idol will probably be announced. My money's on Adam Lambert although I really support Kris Allen. In fact, I am arguing with my friend over MSN about this as I'm writing. I can hear her screaming despite her sore throat, "WEI! Adam sings much better than Kris!!"
The girls in the office are appalled that I am supporting cheesy boybander Kris when there is the awesomely talented, awesomely amazing, awesomely awesome Adam "Glambert" wowing the crowds every week. "Slim, this is not America's Next Top Model Lookalike Singer," they say and shake their head at my teenybopper ways. I know Adam's the better singer, perfomer, dancer and what have you. That man has been on Broadway for goodness sake. But how do i say this politely ... I can't possibly support an Idol who looks like my father's idol, Elvis - only with more eyeliner! No wonder my Dad enjoys watching him every week.
On that note, the cameras should also stop zooming in on Adam's face. His foundation is terribe. (Adam, check out July's issue of CLEO with our annual Beauty Hall of Fame to find out which foundation provides the best coverage!)
Before I get pelted by Adam lovers, I wholeheartedly agree that he seems like a very cool guy. It takes a brave man to admit that he's putting weight on tv (amongst other things he admitted). Adam said in Clear Channel interview he looks fat and fans are even sending him XL tees. That's true body confidence for you.
In some ways, I am dreading the end of American Idol season. As someone who measures her age by TV seasons, the start of summer has also meant the end of some of my fave tv shows. Gossip Girl season 2 finished yesterday, season 5 of Grey's Anatomy wrapped up last week. As did 30 Rock and The Office. After tomorrow there'll be no more heated arguments about American Idol or avid discussions of the epic-ness that is Blair and Chuck on Gossip Girl.
With my reel life taking a break, my real life begins tomorrow. Urghs, how depressing. Now I really need Kris to win.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the whole of last week, you’d know that a bevy of celebs made a whirlwind pit stop in Singapore last week. Let’s bring you up to speed.
David Archuleta
Altogether … scream now! Isn't the baby face American Idol runner-up from last season is just soooo cute?? It’s kinda embarrassing, but surely I’m not the only overage fan who thinks so. Archie (as he’s popularly known) had fans mobbing him at the airport when he arrived in the wee hours of the morning and was greeted by the sight of nearly 2,000 squealers screaming at a pitch enough to burst the bubbles adorning Iluma when he performed at the mall.
Check out the pixs here:
Of course, CLEO was part of Archie’s itinerary too! Stay tune for an upcoming issue of CLEO to find out more about our time with him. But we leave you with some very interesting quirks about him we discovered:
He doesn’t like seafood but he lurves chicken. In fact, he slurped up an entire bowl of double-boiled chicken soup (during our lunch together) and had a $33 plate of chicken rice on the last day.
He is as much of a cam addict as the rest of us. He brought his camera everywhere.
He’s a human jukebox. He’d start humming and singing whenever he can, like get him talking about John Mayer and the next thing we knew, he was singing “Waiting for the World to Change”; mention desserts and we were serenaded by “American Pie.”
Archie, you can sing to us anytime!
Edison Chen
The fallen bad boy was here to promote his new/old movie The Sniper – previously put on hold because of his scandal early last year – now that it’s finally released. Obviously he didn’t have to worry about any snipers in super safe Singapore as he was back barely a month after his quick appearance for Adidas Originals 60th Anniversary Party.
Nevertheless, he was still gunned down at the press conference. Regional reporters bombarded him with questions about his filial piety since his father is now declared bankrupt and about the bullet threats he received. It was painful to watch: He kept wincing, frowning and looked like he would do anything to flee to Carl’s Jr. See evidence below.
Biting fingers, nervous tic and glazed expression ... now this is yet another side of Edison exposed.
Model X
One Swimsuit Illustrated bombshell came to town too. Unlike the breezy, lovely clothes of the brand she's ambassador of, the model wasn’t exactly a bundle of sunshine. She reportedly threw a hissy fit at a photoshoot for a local man’s magazine and insisted on cutting back the time allocated for the shoot. Interview times with other media were also slashed and her answers were similarly curt. We can only say, honey, that diva attitude is so 1990s. And you’re no Naomi Campbell. Perhaps Leo’s ex Gisele Bundchen could teach her a thing or two about being a real supermodel.
Rachel Yamagata
This week hasn't scored too badly on the celeb scale. Indie songstress Rachel Yamagata flew 25 hours for a concert at the Esplanade and still managed to impress the crowd with her voice and wit.
While Rachel was undoubtedly the star, we spotted her very cute Zac Efron lookalike bassist. Don't believe us? Take a look.
As I type this, there's another Hong Kong star holding his press conference for his concert today. Now Aaron Kwok is a certified hunk, but surely he can't expect us to drool over him in this outfit. What on earth is that anyway?! A pair of trunks worn as a bra? Some kind of shield? His home-made superman logo? Will somebody enlighten us?
Yes, I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic tonight thanks to an invitation from Star Movies VIP Access. Lest I give any details away, let's just say that this is a movie plenty of girls - and some guys - would identify with. Oh, the joy of getting new clothes immaculately wrapped up and tucked into a crisp paper bag. There I was going along with Becky Bloomwood's (CLEO's April cover girl, Isla Fisher!) headlong dive into conspicuous consumption until I overheard a dude whispering loudly to his friend, "Wah, this woman damn scary!" After another 15 minutes, he added, "Don't these girls know got recession, meh?"
Don't people know not to talk when watching a movie??
It was a particularly irritating comment not just because he said it in a really judgey and obnoxious tone, but more duh, we know there's a recession, OK? Does he think that women are ignorant bimbos armed with 12 credit cards? Excuse us, but the last time we checked, this is a movie. As Joker would say, "Why so serious?"
Thankfully he thought better of giving a running commentary in a cinema predominantly filled with the deadlier sex. That peeve aside, the movie was enjoyable enough although it was no great shakes. And it wasn't Becky's spendthrift ways I found frightening, but her ghastly wardrobe. The costume designer for the movie is the great Patricia Fields who styled Sex and the City into the cultural phenomenon it is today. But in this movie, the relatively petite Fisher looks like she's drowning in some of the couture that appeared to be picked out by a colourblind stylist.
And that's probably the best reason for stopping shopping: When you've ran out of things to buy and you're even getting the eeky stuff. That could be a lesson for some of the disasters we see on the streets.
