tnppostwoman.com archives

Seto Says: Being a comeback kid is hard. Just ask two artistes on opposite ends of the music spectrum - Britney Spears and Axl Rose.

Both have highly-anticipated albums dropping during the festive period. For Spears, it’s her way of proving yes, the cache of Video Music Awards trophies she picked up earlier this year wasn’t a fluke and she still has what it takes to be the princess of pop. For Rose, it’s his way of proving yes, he can resurrect the Guns N’ Roses brand name as one of the top rock bands in the past few decades.

Will they succeed? Only time will tell. Reviews for both Spears’ first single (off her new album Circus) and Rose’s new disc Chinese Democracy have been mixed.

But musical comebacks aren’t so easy. Sometimes fans are so put off, they may not bother sticking around. And in an online-dependant climate where album sales are declining, it’s hard to rely on fans anymore. For Spears, her fans are tired of her continuous personal problems and run-ins with the law. For Rose, his fans are just tired of waiting for an album that was supposed to have been out years ago.

Tell Us: What do you think of Britney Spears’ Circus or Guns N’ Roses Chinese Democracy? Are these megastars still worth listening to or are they has-beens?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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As a huge Guns N Roses fan all I can say is I found the album just ….. blah with a few listenable radio friendly tracks. Nothing in Chinese Democracy is going to end up a favourite rock anthem like Sweet Child O’ Mine.

If Axl needs more than a decade to come up with this then I’m certainly NOT going to wait another 15 years to listen to his next album. No doubt Axl still has that voice and can still sing his balls off, he sounds so “careful” like he is singing for the Pope in Chinese Democracy. So much for trying to live up to its name of being the Most Dangerous Band in the World.

I miss that I don’t care about you attitude that made Guns N Roses so huge.

I just hope Axl, Slash and all the former members will just “Get in the Ring” and let bygones be bygones as what made Guns N Roses so great was all their unique personalities and talents combined.

Metal Maiden

Charlene Says: Whenever homegrown talent JJ Lin pushes his artistic boundaries, he’s bound to receive flak. From mutilating a girl in his MTV to kissing A-do on the mouth, JJ has sold as many copies of his album as he has been called controversial. The latest incident is his riot-of-colours plaid look on the cover of his new album Sixology.

The 27-year-old singer, who has been honoured with awards such as Hong Kong, Taiwan Best Composer 2005, seems to be received with mixed feelings in Singapore. People can’t decide whether to celebrate his regional success or chide him for thinking a pictorial book with a picture of him on the toilet bowl (with his pants down no less) is humourous.

But I say: Singapore, give him a chance. JJ should be applauded for stepping out of the box and daring to be different. Besides, the guy is feeling hurt. He recently posted on his blog that he is especially hurt by negative feedback from his “home country”.
 
Perhaps we’re just not used to seeing him be so daring, thanks to his boyish, clean cut image. But boys do grow up. And I think it’s time the public does too.      

Tell Us: Do you think JJ Lin is daring in his artistic choices? Or do you think he is trying too hard to be different and failing? What do you think of the plaid look on his new album cover?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.

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Found nothing wrong with JJ Lin’s new look. It is refreshing.

If all album cover is with 3pc suit, and the usual type, then the album cover will be like uniform in school. Are we so square?

Mary Ho

JJ’s a clown? I totally don’t agree with the comment that some singaporeans gave. To me personally, as a malay guy and a big fan of JJ, he actually dresses well la. I adore his clothings la. This shows that he is daring to do differently,rather than appear in sleeveless top which other artiste love to do, which i find it boring and lame. In overall,he’s taste of fashion is superb. And no matter what he wears he will look good. So to those who say his a clown. Look yourself at the mirror.

Khairy AK

Charlene Says: Table tennis player Li Jiawei has been rumoured to be considering a career in entertainment.

After losing the spotlight to Feng Tianwei during the recent Beijing Olympics, I can’t say that I’m surprised. Credit has to be given where it’s due and Jiawei has fought to bring glory to the Singapore sports scene for the last 15 years.

But is she thinking about a career switch now because she knows her time’s up? Or does she really see herself gracing the big screen?

I’m not a table tennis fan and truth be told, know very little about the persona that is Li Jiawei. But having seen her famous mug on TV and in media publications over the years, I’ll admit that there is an air of vulnerability about her.

Perhaps it’s the worried glances that she shoots her teammates when they’re losing or her bouts of unabashed crying when they win, the image that she portrays is essentially that of the girl next door.

So can a table tennis player who wears her heart on her sleeve successfully make the transition to acting when sport is the only thing she’s ever known?

Snippets from the grapevine indicate that some are of the view that she shouldn’t as she lacks star quality and the elusive X-factor. Others seem to think that she would do well by leveraging on her current “celebrity” status.

Personally, I think Jiawei should consider a career in the entertainment industry if and only if she decides that she has nothing more to contribute to the world of table tennis. To give acting a shot while she remains a sportswoman, she risks becoming a jack of all trades and a master of none.

No one would want to be remembered as that if indeed they are remembered at all.

Tell Us: Do you think Jiawei has the goods to make it in showbiz? Or should she stop being distracted by her other personal aspirations and focus on winning medals?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number. 

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The competitive sporting life of a top tiered athlete is very limited and it is of no surprise that she is exploring greener pastures with news of her intentions to pursue a degree, get married and maybe even become an actress.It may be all well and good if she can juggle all the eggs but it is easier said than done. She still has years of top levelled competition ahead of her as she is still going to anchor the Singaporean female table tennis team for the upcoming 2012 London Olympics.It will be a real waste if her mind is set adrift and she loses sight of the bigger picture. As the adage goes, no pain no gain. If she has intentions to achieve even more, i believe it is important for her to maintain her focus and make suitable sacrifices and priorities. When her time in competitive table tennis is up, there will be many decades for her to pursue her various endeavors. She may have the potential to make it as an actress but a few years more wouldn’t rob her of such instincts.As it is , her niche remains table tennis and it will be dreadful if she’s remembered as a budding Olympics Champion who ended up acting in some third rate films because she chose the wrong course of action. That will be a disaster not only for her, but also for the countries which made her what she is. As the situations involving Gao Ning,Ms Lee Bee Wah,Antony Lee and perhaps most tellingly,Coach Liu Guodong reach a closure, Singapore’s best hopes for a gold medal come 2012 can give the nation a massive boost by declaring her focus ahead.I am sure Singaporeans will give her their full support when she hangs up her tennis paddles and starts acting in a few years time That won’t do anybody any harm in this lean economic times will it?

Peng Tie Lun

Germaine Says: Some of us aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

And enterprising celebrities have made their lifestyles accessible by launching personal products.

You may begin by spritzing Magnifique to smell like Anne Hathaway, who is the face of the Lancome perfume. For Halle Berry’s enviable complexion, put on some Revlon makeup.

Now, celebrities are banking on real estate endorsements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), even if there are no obvious links between both parties.

Hilary Swank, Brad Pitt and Shah Rukh Khan have been named as spokespersons for various properties in the UAE.

While Khan has played movie characters involved in the construction business, Pitt is perhaps the most accomplished ‘builder’ of the trio as he is involved in a rebuilding project in Hurricane Katrina-devastated New Orleans.

Champion golfer Tiger Woods has also swung his way into Dubai with a 200-membership residential golf community. Not to be outdone, design gurus like Donatella Versace, Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld are introducing their fashionable way of life with eponymous residences and hotels.

Do such ventures lead us closer to celestial living?

For one, you would need at least US$7 million to get your hands on one of these exclusive properties. And even if you are loaded, sale of projects like Swank-endorsed The World is by invitation only.

Tell us: Will you be sold on such brand name associations? Will you buy a property because your favourite idol is its ambassador?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number. 

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LETTERS VIA E-MAIL

Branding is a very delicate business. When a celebrity is linked with a product because of obvious connections, it can be a mutually beneficial arrangement. For example, if Korean actress Song Hye Kyo flashes her fair skin as she convinces TV viewers about the benefits of a skin whitener, Miss Song will have a heavier wallet and the cases of skin whiteners will disappear instantaneously from storehouses. They will make their way to the hands of adoring fans who wants to emulate their favourite stars’ skin. However, if there is no direct bridge between the product and the celebrity, it can appear misguided at best and mercenary at worst. How many dodgy advertisements featuring celebrities and inappropriate products do we need?

Singapore is a very pragmatic society and people will not be easily swayed when it comes to expensive products. It’s one thing to convince someone to shell out a few bucks and another to make them take up a massive commitment like a house. Just think about the massive endorsement fees that the celebrities will command and where all the money comes from. As much as I like a celebrity, I will not spend my hard-earned money lining his pockets to such a massive scale. A CD, concert, or even a perfume in his name, sure. Getting a ‘Song Hye Kyo’ apartment for twice that of a similarly positioned but unbranded unit is simply out of the question.

In such economically lean times, people will err on the side of safety and it’s intriguing why people would shell out massive sums. As the gap between the rich and poor widens, social ills will becoming increasingly dominant. The money that a single rich person spends on luxuries can serve the needs of many poor folks. May the rich always retain their social consciousness!
Peng Tie Lun

Shah Rukh Khan has this exclusive property in UAE - The Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard - and from endorsing watches to budget cars (which of course he does not use) to satellite TV operators, the list goes on.

It leaves me to ponder why we have given celebrities so much importance in our lives, that instead of trying to find ourselves, we are caught aping others.
Clothes, watches, perfumes are understandable. But why would I want to stay in a place that has walls painted of Shah Rukh? It doesn’t make sense. If we try to build a home where we would live with peace and love, then what is Mr Khan doing there?

The fault is clearly in us, as we have been time and again misled, wearing the same shoes as Beyonce doesn’t make you Beyonce, applying L’Oreal makeup doesn’t make you Aishwarya Rai and living in The Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard doesn’t make Mr Khan your neighbour.

How realistic would such a world be? Isn’t it enough that we see them weekly for three hours of entertainment? But letting them take over our lives like this is complete madness. I guess those houses were built for the hardcore SRK fans, who would wait hours at the airport to get a glimpse of him, and now they’d just prefer to wait a lifetime.

I would hardly buy a perfume if my favorite celebrity is an ambassador if I don’t like it. But I guess there is a majority of people out there who would, that’s why such brand associations are made. What leaves me perplexed is do people get the brands because they are good or solely based on the fact that it is endorsed by their favourite celebrity?
Sadhna Rai

Jeanmarie Says: The new James Bond movie Quantum Of Solace is out this week, making it Daniel Craig’s second stab at the franchise.

But even though it’s setting UK box office records, it’s also been getting mixed reviews for being inferior to Casino Royale.

Maybe that’s the reason why Quantum opened first in Europe and will only reach the US next week - the producers were probably concerned that a highly-negative reaction in the US would scare off the rest of the world.

Those looking for non-stop action will not be disappointed. The rest of us expecting the trademark sly quips, cool gadgets or even a decent sex scene will be wondering if we stepped into the wrong cinema hall.

And remember the brouhaha surrounding the casting of Craig as the super-cool spy? He redeemed himself admirably in Casino Royale, but without a buzzed-about scene like the one with him emerging from the ocean in his trunks (which he has retired for good) in Quantum, he gives a performance worthy of a Madame Tussauds waxwork.

It’s hard to believe that producers can bring themselve to rave about how he’s “the greatest Bond”. Hello, what’s Sean Connery then?

Craig has confirmed he’ll be back for a third go-around because we all know Bond movies never die, but I’m already over him.

Tell us: Is Quantum Of Solace on your must-see list this year? Or do you disagree with the producers, who call Craig “the greatest Bond”?

You can leave a comment here or e-mail us at tnpshow@sph.com.sg. Don’t forget to leave us your contact details: name, age, occupation and e-mail address or telephone number.