Idol chase

Was watching the trailers for the American Idol and came across the articles on our own SG idols in the papers once in a while.

No offence to fervent fans of such shows, but I do find it silly to call themselves idol when the only segment they perform is only singing. It is not more appropriate to call themselves something singer rather than idol?

Okie I shall not get into the actual definition of what an idol is. (Sure makes me think these people are made of clay and porcelain, and meant for worship purposes) *Laughs*
Now this is something I find most ‘affable’ – in the context that that apart from singing, I barely see them as good moral value examples.

Well, one man’s meat is another’s poison. To put it across, we all have different perception of things and issues. You might not concur with me and similarly do I have stomach the varied and often weird perceptions of many common folk. So the issue stops here.

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I was an idol worshipper before. Not in terms of religion, I meant to say in my younger days. I certainly believe everyone had their share of idol worshipping; it merely boils down to how the craze was among individuals.

These days, if you do want me to put a name down, I would not hesitate to put James Wong (Huang Zhan 黄沾) as a role model. Do not get me wrong, I am not relating to his ‘hua xin’ ways nor his ‘ham sup’ outlook in life.

I remembered immediately after his death, this deft writer had his life stories in full print out in the papers. What impressed me most was his chivalry towards his friends. It was mentioned that a friend seek his help in repaying a debt of a certain sum. He did not have the money off-hand and went around borrowing the money, only to find himself in heavy debt when this so-called friend absconded with the money.

It must be depressing to be betrayed but he laughed it off and took pains to repay those debts over the years.

The second incident was that of him contracting cancer. Being a heavy smoker and drinker, to survive through the cancer was a feat to beat. Many would wonder and say aloud it is not a big deal. But the fact that made him outstanding was that his condition was NOT known to all his friends and family until he was almost recovered. Now, try emulating that!

He wrote songs, advertisements and all things written during his life in this world. And one of his songs epitomise his outlook in life and certainly did influence me greatly. In the movie – ‘Swordsman’ played by Sam Hui and Joan Chen, the evil villain eunuch once said - not everyone have the right to laugh. But then this villain did not have the last laugh afterall.

Children are the best role models for us. As adults, there are often many instances where we unduly suppress ourselves for fear of looking silly. Even in one of our courtesy drive, we have to TELL our people to give others a smile. How sad it have become. Look at the sales staff in SG, tell me how many of them actually greet you with a smile?

As children, of course they have no fear of the sky falling down. They can laugh without a care, laugh at the smallest whimsical thing and most important, many do not mind laughing at themselves.

It is a stark truth these days, I once saw the look of one SG actress in her Benz looking so obnoxious, pretty much in her world that others are ‘low low below’ I would not expect her to put on her smiles all day long, it is tiring also. But lest she forgets, she have what she is today is all due to those who supported her. I am not sniping at her, more to use her as an example.

Quite often, many are bound tight by the society that we forgot how to laugh from the heart.

One small request to all of you, ask yourself when was the last time you really laugh to your heart’s delight?