Archive | February, 2010

A SORRY LOT

28 Feb

A SORRY LOT
Like Tiger Woods, these celebs also had to apologise recently, but are we ready to forgive & forget?
By Germaine Lim
February 28, 2010
 
 

AS the song goes, it’s too late to apologise – or is it?

Disgraced top golf Tiger Woods, 34, delivered not one but two apologies within a week for his extra-marital affairs.

The first came last weekend, when he apologised on TV for cheating on his Swedish wife Elin Nordegren and bedding at least 11 women.

The world watched – and most people didn’t buy it.

Then earlier this week, the couple issued a letter of apology to parents of Florida’s Premier Academy school, where his 21/2-year-old daughter goes to, for ‘any inconvenience… due to the increased media scrutiny surrounding our children’, according to Orlando-based television channel WFTV.

Woods certainly won’t be the last celeb to serve up a public sorry or two.

We read between the lines of other celebrity apologies and rate how sincere they were.

Kanye West, 33

Offence: The hot-tempered rapper crashed country singer Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards when she won Best Female Video, insisting it was fellow nominee Beyonce who ‘had one of the best videos of all time’.

His mea culpa: West apologised on his blog for ‘going on stage and taking away from (Swift’s) moment’.

He also told US talkshow host Jay Leno: ‘I have to analyse how I’m gonna make it through the rest of this life and improve.’

Forgive and forget? As if!

Hasn’t his track record proved that this obnoxious man is incapable of learning from his mistakes?

Seriously, West, grow up.

The world doesn’t revolve around you.

John Mayer, 33

Offence: In a no-holds-barred Playboy interview two weeks ago, the Grammy-winner singer-songwriter described his popularity with African-American celebs as having a ‘n””’ pass’ and compared ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson to ‘sexual napalm’ and an addictive drug.

His mea culpa: He took to Twitter to apologise for using the N-word.

He wrote: ‘I’ve created somewhat of a monster.’

During a recent Nashville concert, Mayer broke down and said: ‘In the quest to be clever… I did that at the expense of people I love and that feels absolutely terrible.

‘I quit the sound bite game, I quit the media game. I’m out. I’m done.’

Forgive and forget? Oh, for crying out loud. His tears won’t save his soul.

For all his vulgar verbal diarrhoea, his tearful apology screams pathetic.

We’d never thought anyone could trump West in the repulsive stakes. Mayer may just have.

Just too bad for Mayer. Simpson is reportedly going to get back at him when she appears on The Oprah Winfrey Show next month. Grrrl power!

David Letterman, 63

Offence: Sleeping with several female staffers on The Late Night show before his last year’s marriage to long-time girlfriend Regina Lasko.

His mea culpa: Four days after the news broke, talk show host Letterman swiftly apologised on his show, saying: ‘My wife Regina has been horribly hurt by my behaviour. Let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me.’

Forgive and forget? We give him credit for taking himself to task and being upfront about his adultery on national TV soon after news broke.

But he tried too hard to win audiences over by making lame jokes like how ‘my navigation lady wasn’t speaking to me’ when he got into his car the morning of the day he apologised.

He even threw in a joke apology to ex-Alaskan governor Sarah Palin for making fun of her teenage daughter.

We’ll let this slide but don’t push it, Letterman.

Chris Brown, 21

Offence: Last February, the R&B singer was charged with assaulting then-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna, leaving her with a battered face that took weeks to heal.

His mea culpa: Four weeks after pleading guilty, he issued a video apology on his YouTube page and acknowledged that what he did was ‘inexcusable’.

He added: ‘I have told Rihanna countless times, and I’m telling you today, that I am truly, truly sorry that I wasn’t able to handle the situation differently and better.

‘What I did was unacceptable, 100 per cent. I can only ask and pray that you forgive me, please.’

Forgive and forget? Brown said it was a moment of folly and had done it in a fit of anger.

Well, that’s what most wife-beaters say. And they usually never change.

According to LA Times, there had been two previous unreported acts of violence on Rihanna by Brown. She forgave him on both occasions.

We won’t be fooled. We will never accept physical abuse. We’ll be praying for you, future Brown girlfriend.

 

The NewPaper

Bollywood Legend Wins Best Actor At Awards Despite Boycott

28 Feb

MUMBAI : Screen legend Amitabh Bachchan has won the best actor title in Bollywood’s top awards, but he boycotted the ceremony because of a row with a tabloid newspaper.

The 66-year-old star won for his portrayal of a child with the rapid-ageing condition progeria in “Paa” (Father), which also featured his real-life son, Abhishek.

Both Bachchans stayed away from Saturday night’s ceremony, the 55th edition of the Filmfare awards, which are the Oscars of India’s Hindi-language film industry.

They boycotted the awards due to a story in the Mumbai Mirror newspaper – a sister title of Filmfare magazine – alleging that Abhishek’s wife, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, could not have children.

The family has demanded a public apology. It was not immediately clear whether Bachchan would accept the award.

“Paa” won two awards on the night, with Vidya Balan scooping best actress.

But it was Aamir Khan’s “3 Idiots” that virtually swept the board, picking up best film, best director, best supporting actor, best story, best screenplay and best dialogue.

The coming-of-age film – about three students struggling to cope with life at a leading business school – is now Bollywood’s biggest-grossing movie of all time.

Other notable Filmfare winners included A R Rahman. The composer dubbed the “Mozart of Madras”, who won two Oscars for his work on “Slumdog Millionaire”, won for best music on the film “Delhi 6”.

Ranbir Kapoor, touted as Bollywood’s next male superstar, won the critics’ award for best actor for his films “Wake Up Sid”, “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” (An Amazing Story Of Strange Love)” and “Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year.” – AFP/ms

Channel News Asia

'Syair Melayu' Art Fazil Hangat Di Jepun

27 Feb

KETIKA Art Fazil merakam album Syair Melayu yang melestarikan himpunan lagu kanak-kanak, beliau tidak tahu sejauh mana ia akan berjaya di pasaran kerana kurangnya nilai komersial terhadap keseluruhan konsep album tersebut.

Siapa sangka, album Art baru-baru ini telah menarik perhatian sebuah stesen radio di kota Osaka, Jepun, yang tidak saja kerap memutarkan lagu-lagu Melayu daripada album itu menerusi stesen fmosaka, bahkan wakilnya sanggup turun ke Singapura beberapa kali untuk membeli CDnya untuk di jual di negara matahari terbut itu.

Deejay fmosaka, Encik Maruhashi Motoi, orang yang bertanggungjawab memperkenalkan lagu Art di Jepun, ketika ditemui wartawan menjelaskan, beliau pertama kali dikenalkan kepada CD Syair Melayu ketika mengunjungi toko muzik Muzika di Joo Chiat Complex pada akhir tahun lalu.

Selain bertugas sebagai deejay radio yang mengendalikan rancangan berkonsep muzik dunia, beliau juga mempunyai toko muzik menjual CD yang didapatkan daripada seluruh dunia.

‘Sebulan sekali, saya akan menjelajahi negara-negara tertentu di pelbagai pelosok dunia, untuk dapatkan muzik terbaru dan unik untuk rancangan siaran saya. Ketika berada di Muzika, saya minta disarankan album Melayu Singapura yang baik dan mereka mengesyorkan saya membeli Syair Melayu.

‘Pertama kali saya mendengarnya, saya cukup tertarik kerana irama Melayunya tersangat unik dan asli. Ia kedengaran mudah, tetapi mendalam,’ kata Encik Motoi, dalam bahasa Inggeris yang cukup asas.

Apabila pulang ke Osaka, album Art menjadi pilihannya untuk rancangan dedikasi World Music, diputarkan setiap hari selama seminggu. Stesen itu juga boleh diikuti menerusi Internet, menerusi laman fmosaka.com.

‘Berdasarkan maklumat yang saya dapatkan daripada syarikat pengedar album Life Record, saya menjelaskan kepada pendengar tentang latar belakang album itu dan bercakap tentang Art Fazil.

‘Nampaknya siaran selama seminggu itu mendapat sambutan, sebab di toko muzik saya, terdapat permintaan untuk membeli album Syair Melayu,’ tambah beliau.

Sehingga kini lagu-lagu Art masih diputarkan di stesen tersebut dan sudah mula diintai stesen-stesen Jepun yang lain.

Justeru, apabila beliau mengunjungi Singapura lagi, beliau membeli secara langsung sehingga 200 unit Syair Melayu sekali gus. Beliau juga merancang menjalinkan kerjasama dengan pihak Life Record untuk mengirimkan bekalan daripada katalog yang lebih luas untuk pasaran Jepun.

Apabila ditanya tentang trend muzik di Jepun ketika ini, Encik Motoi berkata J-Pop masih menguasai pasaran, tetapi trend penjualan CD dikatakan cukup lembap kerana Jepun juga dilanda fenomena muzik muat turun menerusi Internet.

‘Mereka akan hanya membeli CD yang susah untuk didapatkan di Internet. Penggemar muzik dunia juga lebih suka beli CD. Justeru, muzik dunia seperti Syair Melayu masih berpotensi dijual di sana,’ ujarnya.

Art, yang turut diinterviu Encik Motoi untuk rancangan radionya, mengakui beliau tidak menjangka albumnya dapat menarik perhatian pendengar bukan Melayu. Di Singapura, kira-kira 1,000 album tersebut telah terjual.

Selain Jepun, Art berkata, label di Indonesia, Bravo Music, juga bakal memasarkan album itu di sana. Pengubahsuaian pada kulit album juga dibuat untuk kedua-dua pasaran Indonesia dan Jepun.

Di Malaysia, Art telah mendapat penghormatan untuk muncul dalam kesemua 13 episod rancangan kanak-kanak, Shana Nina, terbitan TV1. Rakaman rancancan itu sudah pun selesai dijalankan dan episod pertamanya dijangka ke udara pada 17 Mac.

Dalam rancangan itu, Art menyanyikan lagu-lagu yang terdapat dalam Syair Melayu seperti Air Pasang Pagi, Bangau Oh Bangau, Ikan Kekek, Lagu Tiga Kupang, Nenek Si Bongkok Tiga dan sebagainya.

‘Walaupun album ini mengumpulkan lagu kanak-kanak, namun pendekatannya dibuat secara dewasa. Kita menghormati penyusunan muziknya dengan teliti, menggunakan instrumen- instrumen tradisional yang betul, bukan setakat diiringi keyboard biasa.

Saya kira, sebab itulah ia dapat dihargai masyarakat luar yang tahu kualiti muzik.

‘Saya tak berani meletak harapan terlalu tinggi tetapi berdasarkan maklum balas, saya rasa album ini akan berada lama di pasaran,’ ujar Art.

‘Syair Melayu’

Art Fazil

Cyberita

He Treats Son Like A Good Friend

27 Feb

He treats son like a good friend
HK actor Joe Ma takes liberal approach to raising his son
By Tan Kee Yun
February 27, 2010
 
 

MATURE: Joe Ma says his son doesn’t bat an eyelid watching him do romantic scenes. TNP PICTURES: KUA CHEE SIONG

SHOULD his claims of being best buddies with his son be true, Joe Ma could very well seal his reputation as every teenage boy’s dream dad.

The tanned Hong Kong TV actor, 41, who was in town on Wednesday for a private StarHub Cable TV event, talked to The New Paper candidly about his relationship with his 12-year-old son, Zaixiang.

‘I’ve treated him like a good friend since he was a boy,’ said Joe with a laugh.

‘We can talk about everything under the sun.’

Joe had nothing but praise for Zaixiang, whom he said was ‘very mature for his age’.

He said: ‘It’s partly due to the fact that my wife and I chose to enrol him in an international school.

‘The environment is quite liberal there.’

Strictly an act

Indeed, he seemed to prefer a laissez-faire approach when communicating with Zaixiang, who will begin his secondary education next year.

It also helps that Zaixiang understands his dad’s profession and doesn’t bat an eyelid watching Joe do romantic scenes.

Said Joe: ‘He is a huge fan of movies, so he knows that what he sees on screen is strictly an act.’

A police officer and model before he carved out a career in TV, Joe will next be seen in the new 41-episode drama series, Born Rich.

The show, also starring veteran actors Anita Yuen, Roy Lui and Gallen Lo, will debut on StarHub Demand TV on 15 Mar.

Working with two-time Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Anita, 38, proved to be a ‘truly enjoyable’ experience for him.

‘Anita is an extremely smart lady,’ he remarked.

‘Filming with her went so smoothly, we hardly had any bad takes.’

Trouble

But the good chemistry between them didn’t exactly manifest itself in the beginning.

Said Joe: ‘She later admitted to me that she did not like me initially.’

Her impression of him as ‘someone who brought trouble with him wherever he went’ was formed from the Hong Kong paparazzi’s reports of him.

A few years back, Joe was a scandal-ridden celeb, his life plagued with speculation of extra-marital affairs with fellow TV actresses Sonija Kwok and Charmaine Sheh.

He has denied all the rumours.

He said: ‘It was only after we got to know each other well that Anita realised I was actually very humorous.

‘We started cracking jokes to each other and had great fun on set.’

She’s paired with older man again

SHE might not come out tops among Hong Kong’s A-list TV actresses, but 28-year-old Nancy Wu can boast of one unique achievement – scoring a string of onscreen May-December romances.

Over the last few years, the doe-eyed actress has starred alongside several of Hong Kong’s most revered veteran actors.

They include 46-year-old Derek Kwok, whom she is paired with in the detective comedy series, D.I.E Again, as well as 64-year-old Paul Chun – she played his sexy, alluring fourth mistress – in 2007’s period drama The Silver Chamber Of Sorrows.

Fans of Nancy will be able to catch D.I.E Again on VVDrama (StarHub Ch 55) later this year.

During an interview with The New Paper while in town with actor Joe Ma for the same StarHub event, Nancy revealed that this ‘trend’ of pairing her up with older men hasn’t stopped since.

‘I’m going to be in a new drama series with senior Yue Hua. He plays a triad boss and I am the materialistic girl who latches onto him,’ she said with a grin.

Yue Hua (also known as Elliot Yue), 67, was one of the Shaw brothers’ most popular leading men in the ’60s and ’70s.

He now takes on important fatherly roles in the TV productions of Hong Kong’s top broadcaster TVB.

Though Nancy says she is ‘mentally prepared for scenes of slight intimacy’, she hopes there isn’t any kissing involved, or worse, a bed scene.

‘Oh my, I don’t think (Yue Hua’s) wife would like seeing him in bed with me!’ she exclaimed.

However, Nancy – who denies dating TVB actor Kenneth Ma, 36 – professes that she finds middle-aged men ‘the most charismatic’.

‘Having worked with a few mature actors, I realise that it is when they’ve hit their 40s that men start to really show their suave, manly side.’

 

The NewPaper

Florida Whale Shows To Resume After Deadly Attack

27 Feb

ORLANDO, Florida : SeaWorld plans to resume killer whale shows at its facilities Saturday, just days after an orca it described as “an important part of our team” killed a trainer in front of horrified onlookers.

“He will remain part of our team,” SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment president Jim Atchison said of the whale that killed trainer Dawn Brancheu.

“Tilikum is an extraordinary animal,” he added. “He is a very special animal that requires very special handling.”

Trainers will not be allowed into the water with the Florida marine park’s killer whales until a thorough safety review has been completed and its recommendations implemented, he said.

Tilikum — a five-tonne orca already linked to two other human deaths since 1991 — grabbed Brancheau, 40, by her ponytail on Wednesday and dragged her into the water at the end of a show at SeaWorld Orlando.

Atchison addressed reporters Friday at a sometimes tense press conference that took place in front of an underwater observation tank, where seven of the park’s orcas swam peacefully. Tilikum was not present.

He told reporters, who were escorted one at a time into the park to the observation tank, that Tilikum would not face punishment or isolation.

“It’s important that I again stress that we provide the highest standard of care and no animal is ever subject to punishment in any form. Tilikum is no exception.”

Colleagues from other marine parks in Miami, Georgia and Niagara Falls as well as the United States Navy are assisting in the park’s internal investigation, as preparations are made for funeral services for Brancheau in Chicago on Sunday and Monday.

SeaWorld has scrambled to prevent the gruesome attack from becoming a public relations disaster that could hit its lucrative marine show business, and Atchison rejected comparisons between Wednesday’s incident and two prior human deaths involving Tilikum.

“Those incidents and (the) nature of them had nothing to do with the nature of this event… and are not relevant to his particular altercation,” he said.

He acknowledged that Wednesday’s event was videotaped, but said the footage is part of the ongoing investigation.

He also defended the shows and exhibits as educational and an “extraordinary way for people to make connections with marine animals.”

Witness Sue Nichols, 67, said the crowd had no warning that anything was brewing as the show was already ending with most of the 50-strong audience having left their seats.

The trainer would “pet him, and she would get very close to him. She’d throw fish in his mouth and throw buckets of water in his mouth, which he seemed to enjoy. There was nothing aggravating or anything about it,” Nichols told AFP.

“She was petting the whale and talking to him, and then all of a sudden he just reached up. He got her in the water, and he took her underwater, and he had her under for quite a while,” she said.”He came up out of the water, and he had her in his mouth.”

Despite the apparently harrowing nature of the attack and wide media coverage, park officials said attendance numbers had not dropped off.

Casey Morgan, 36, visited the park Friday with her husband.

“It’s going to have to go on. Life goes on,” said Morgan, visiting from Alberta, Canada. “We can’t just stop and live inside a bubble.”

The park’s chief zoological officer, Brad Andrews, said employees were saddened by Brancheau’s death but looking forward to resuming the shows.

“They also have a close relationship with the animals that they work with,” he said. “We’re going to do what we do well.”

-AFP/ha

Channel News Asia

Mamu Mangsa Kejar Rating?

26 Feb

Oleh Farihad Shalla Mahmud

Peserta dakwa pihak produksi minta mereka keluarkan kenyataan

BELUM lagi bergelar juara, tapi sudah berani mengeluarkan kenyataan berunsur berangan dan berlagak. Itulah yang berlaku ke atas peserta Raja Lawak musim ketiga yang menamakan diri mereka kumpulan Mamu. Kumpulan yang berasal dari Pulau Pinang itu dikatakan sudah mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menyinggung perasaan banyak pihak dengan mengatakan mereka menyertai pertandingan ini hanya untuk menang dan bukannya untuk mencari kawan. Kenyataan itu dikeluarkan menerusi program berbentuk diari iaitu Ceritera Raja Lawak yang disiarkan minggu lalu.

Gara-gara kenyataan berbentuk mementingkan diri sendiri itu, kumpulan Mamu turut ditegur di dalam akhbar sisipan B’pop Ahad lalu. Sebagai orang yang masih hijau dalam bidang seni, apa yang mereka katakan itu agak keterlaluan dan boleh menimbulkan salah faham masyarakat terhadap anak seni. Bukankah lebih bagus kalau mereka merendah diri dan mencari seberapa ramai kawan dalam bidang ini tanpa memikirkan soal kemenangan semata-mata.

Bertemu Mamu selepas program itu selesai, Hip cuba mendapatkan penjelasan sebenar mengenai kejadian itu. Dan jika benar tidakkah mereka tahu akan kesan yang terpaksa mereka hadapi ekoran dari kenyataan “tak sayang mulut” itu.

Pun begitu, sebelum pertanyaan itu diajukan, Mamu terlebih dulu membuka mulut untuk menjelaskan keadaan sebenar. Sebaik saja membaca laporan akhbar sebelum membuat persembahan tadi, mereka mengaku merasa tidak selesa dengan apa yang berlaku. Sambil mengakui terpaksa mengeluarkan kenyataan itu, Mamu berkata dia juga sudah menduga yang kenyataan itu akan mencetuskan pandangan tidak baik masyarakat terhadap mereka.

“Sebenarnya pihak penerbitan Ceritera yang meminta kami berkata begitu untuk menjadikan rating program ini meningkat. Apabila mereka meminta kami berkata begitu, kami pun terkejut juga kerana kami yakin perkara ini pasti akan mencetuskan kontroversi sehingga membuatkan banyak pihak akan merasa tidak senang dengan kami.

“Dalam kehidupan sebenar, kami tidaklah sebegitu. Kami saling berkawan dan bantu membantu antara satu sama lain terutama dalam menyiapkan tugasan mingguan. Semua itu hanyalah rekaan semata-mata. Kami harap semua pihak memahami keadaan ini,” ujar Ajo merendah diri.

Apapun, menurut Mamu, semua yang berlaku ini akan dijadikan panduan sebelum melangkah keluar ke dunia seni yang sebenar.

“Kehadiran kami bukanlah untuk memburu glamor tetapi sekadar ingin berkongsi bakat dan ilmu kepada penonton. Pada saya tiada jalan yang mudah untuk menyampaikan mesej kepada penonton selain menerusi seni.Dan berlawak adalah salah satu daripadanya,” kata Ajo bersemangat.

Mengulas penyertaan mereka dalam program ini, pemegang Ijazah Seni Persembahan Universiti Sains Malaysia pengkhususan dalam bidang lakonan dan arahan ini berkata memang sudah lama dia menyertai program itu.

“Sebelum ini memang saya ada menghadiri sesi uji bakat tetapi tidak berjaya. Mujurlah untuk kali kedua uji bakat ini, saya dan Abu berjaya. Sebenarnya ada cerita menarik yang ingin saya kongsikan sebelum kami menjalani uji bakat. Saya ada bermimpi mengenai teori manusia berasal dari beruk yang dinyatakan oleh Charles Darwin. Dari mimpi itu saya mengubah suai dan dijadikan bahan dalam lawak saya. Idea itulah yang saya gunakan sewaktu uji bakat dan alhamdulillah, kami berjaya,” ujar Ajo yang berdepan dengan Din Beramboi sewaktu uji bakat dijalankan.

Pada malam persembahan minggu kelapan itu, kumpulan ini berada di tangga tercorot dengan mendapat markah sebanyak 19.8 peratus. Kalau ikutkan peraturan pertandingan, Mamu sepatutnya perlu mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada rakannya malam itu, namun disebabkan pihak Astro memberikan imuniti dengan menyatakan tiada penyingkiran, nasib terus berpihak pada mereka untuk meneruskan perjuangan dalam pertandingan itu.

Tiada penyingkiran prosedur biasa

KALI pertama tiada penyingkiran berlaku dalam program ini adalah sewaktu minggu pertama mereka bersiaran. Bagaimanapun, untuk minggu kelapan, sekali lagi peminat program itu menyaksikan tiada penyingkiran yang akan berlaku. Tertanya-tanya juga adakah keputusan ini dibuat semata-mata kerana ingin menyelamatkan kumpulan Mamu yang mempamerkan lawak yang melucukan pada malam itu.

Mengulas pertanyaan itu, Ketua Saluran Astro Prima, Nizam Sani berkata bukanlah menjadi polisi mereka untuk menyelamatkan mana-mana peserta tetapi keputusan itu dibuat kerana ia adalah prosedur biasa dalam program ini.

“Sebelum ini, setiap kali apabila peserta dikehendaki membuat dua tugasan, maka pada minggu itu tiada sebarang penyingkiran akan berlaku. Macam minggu ini, peserta dikehendaki membuat dua tugasan iaitu tiru gaya artis dan lawak bisu. Jadi disebabkan itu, kita tak mengeluarkan mana-mana peserta,” jelas Nizam sambil memberitahu format asal Raja Lawak tidak membenarkan elemen serap semula diadakan.

Tambahnya, setiap peserta mempunyai kekuatan dan kelemahan masing-masing dan hanya nasib akan menentukan nasib mereka selepas ini.

Berita Harian

Terkenang Koi

26 Feb

Oleh Nurulhisham Abdul Latiff

Mohd Shukor Tahir meninggal dunia beberapa jam selepas hadir pada sidang media ABPBH 2009

APABILA seorang rakan yang baik pergi meninggalkan kita buat selama-lama, pemergiannya pasti ditangisi dan dirinya akan dikenang buat jangka waktu yang cukup panjang. Mohd Shukor Tahir atau lebih dikenali sebagai Koi di kalangan rakan-rakan ialah seorang daripada rakan yang tidak syak termasuk dalam kategori berkenaan.

Apatah lagi dia rakan yang sentiasa murah dengan senyuman. Bekerja dengannya membuatkan hati turut berasa senang. Justeru, ramai sekali insan yang menyenangi Koi, terutama rakan seperjuangan serta artis yang pernah bekerjasama dengannya.

Bagi Pengurus Besar Akademi Industri Muzik Malaysia, Jennifer Thompson, pemergian Koi satu perkhabaran yang cukup mengejutkan, apatah lagi arwah tidak menunjukkan sebarang tanda tidak sihat ketika mereka bertemu buat kali terakhir pada majlis sidang akhbar mengumumkan pengacara, penyampai trofi dan artis persembahan Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian (ABPBH) 2009 di Palace of the Golden Horses, Seri Kembangan, 24 Februari, beberapa jam sebelum Koi menghembuskan nafas terakhirnya.

Arwah disahkan meninggal dunia kira-kira jam 12.10 tengah malam, 25 Februari, akibat kegagalan jantung berfungsi secara tiba-tiba. Koi meninggal dunia pada usia 27 tahun.

“Semalam, selepas sidang media ABPBH 2009, arwah pergi melawat seorang rakannya yang sedang dirawat di sebuah hospital. Apabila pulang ke rumah, dia merungut apabila berasa seperti sesak nafas.

“Kemudian, dia memasuki bilik air untuk menukar pakaian. Ketika berada dalam bilik air, arwah jatuh pengsan. Kebetulan seorang kakaknya yang juga seorang doktor berada di tempat kejadian. Dia cuba memberikan bantuan, tetapi ajal Koi memang sudah ditentukan,” kata Jennifer ketika Hip menghubunginya.

Arwah disemadikan di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Seksyen 21, Shah Alam, kira-kira jam 10 pagi semalam.

Selain bertugas untuk Akademi sejak dua tahun lalu, Koi sebenarnya mula bekerja dalam beberapa projek untuk Jennifer sejak pertandingan One In A Million musim pertama.

Menurut Jennifer, ramai rakan artis yang pernah bekerja dengan Koi turut memberikan penghormatan terakhir kepadanya. Antara mereka termasuk Faizal Tahir, Alif Sattar, Azfar, Farah Asyikin dan Nita Hamzah.

Menurut naib juara Malaysian Idol (MI) musim kedua (2005), Nita, dia mula mengenali Koi apabila pemuda itu bertugas sebagai penyelaras peserta pertandingan MI2 bermula pada peringkat Top 10.

“Kemudian dia menyertai syarikat pengurusan di bawah 8TV, 8 Unit. Di situ, saya antara artis yang berada di bawah jagaannya,” kata Nita yang menganggap pemergian Koi sebagai kehilangan besar buat industri hiburan tempatan.

Katanya, tanyalah sesiapa saja dalam industri terbabit, pasti hampir kesemuanya akan mengaku mengenali pemuda yang mudah didekati itu.

“Sepanjang mengenalinya, saya melihat Koi sebagai rakan yang tidak suka membebankan orang lain dengan masalahnya. Sebaliknya dia lebih suka memendam apa saja kesukaran yang dihadapi. Begitupun, dia seorang rakan yang sentiasa bersedia mendengar luahan orang lain,” kata Nita.

Bagi penyanyi yang juga pengusaha kafe ini, Koi tidak syak antara rakan yang amat baik hati dan begitu disenangi ramai. Kehadiran begitu ramai kenalan pada acara pengebumiannya membuktikan betapa Koi begitu dihormati dan disayangi oleh ramai orang.

Berita Harian

WIN DEAR JOHN MOVIE HAMPERS

26 Feb

GIVE AWAY
WIN DEAR JOHN MOVIE HAMPERS
February 26, 2010
 
 

We are giving away 20 sets of Dear John movie hampers, courtesy of Golden Village.

Each set contains a pair of movie passes and a movie poster.

To win, call Infoline at 1900-9140801 and answer this simple question:

Who play the lead couple in Dear John?

1. Richard Gere and Diane Lane

2. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams

3. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried

The contest closes on Sunday at midnight. Each call costs 20 cents.

WIN AGORA MOVIE HAMPERS

We are giving away five sets of Agora movie hampers, courtesy of Shaw Organisation.

Each set includes a pair of in-season passes and a movie poster.

To win, call Infoline at 1900-9140801 and answer this simple question:

Name the actress who plays Hypatia of Alexandria in the movie Agora.

1. Kate Winslet

2. Rachel Weisz

3. Milla Jovovich

The contest closes on Sunday at midnight. Each call costs 20cents.

WIN GOEMON MOVIE HAMPERS

We are giving away five sets of Goemon movie hampers, courtesy of Innoform Media and Cathay Keris Films.

Each set contains a pair of movie passes and a Goemon file.

To win, call Infoline at 1900-914 0801 and answer this simple question:

Goemon is based on Japan’s popular folk hero. What is his occupation?

1. Ninja bandit

2. Ninja warrior

3. Ninja assassin

The contest closes on Sunday at midnight. Each call costs 20 cents.
 

The NewPaper

THE REAL OSCAR BATTLE

26 Feb

FIRST OSCAR
THE REAL OSCAR BATTLE
Just who will come out tops as Oscar host, Steve Martin or Alec Baldwin?
By Jason Johnson
February 26, 2010
 
 

For more than 20 years, the Academy Awards has been hosted by just one master of ceremonies.

Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres and Hugh Jackman have all given it a go.

One has to look back all the way to the 1987 Oscars, hosted by Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan, to find a multiple-host ceremony.

This year, Steve Martin, 64, and Alec Baldwin, 51, who co-starred together in It’s Complicated, will be dual presenters.

The question is, with so much scrutiny put on Oscar hosts, who will emerge the most exalted MC?

JASON JOHNSON, who accepts his award on behalf of the world’s children, breaks it down.

AWARDS EXPERIENCE

When it comes to Oscar experience, Steve Martin comes out ahead by a wide margin.

Martin hosted the Oscars in 2001 and 2003, to generally good reviews.

A successful writer and stand-up comedian, Martin had no problem keeping the attendees and nominees in good spirits with lines like: ‘Eight hundred million people around the world are watching us and they’re thinking the same thing: We’re all gay.’

Baldwin has never hosted a major awards ceremony, but he did host the Elle Magazine Women In Hollywood event this past October, where he brought the house down by joking about Julie Andrews sneaking into a men’s room with Robert Pattinson.

Baldwin also had the experience of actually being an Oscar nominee for The Cooler in 2004, an honour which has eluded Martin.

Even so: POINT, MARTIN.

COMEDY CHOPS

Martin has been one of the most respected comedians in Hollywood for more than three decades – yes, even after Cheaper By The Dozen, Bringing Down The House and The Pink Panther 2, he still commands respect.

An amazing feat.

From his classic slapstick appearances on Saturday Night Live (SNL) to his witty musings for The New Yorker magazine, Martin is funny no matter what the format.

Baldwin, formerly a very serious actor, has over the past several years developed into an outstanding comedian himself.

Like Martin, he has been an SNL favourite.

He has the power to elicit guffaws from talk show hosts like the hard-to-please David Letterman.

In TV shows and movies such as 30 Rock and It’s Complicated, he’s transformed from a handsome leading man into a lovable ursine doofus.

Hard one to call.

We’ll say TIE.

SONG AND DANCE

Billy Crystal, arguably the most successful Oscar host in history, was a song-and-dance man.

There’s no guarantee that Martin and Baldwin will be jazzing up the show with musical numbers, but here’s hoping.

For a funny man, Martin is surprisingly light on his feet, and has a real ear for melody.

A banjo enthusiast, Martin used music in his early comedy routines, as when he played the banjo classic Foggy Mountain Breakdown with a gag arrow through his head.

He also proved he can cut a rug in the weird little 1981 musical Pennies From Heaven.

As for Baldwin, not so much with the music stuff.

POINT, MARTIN.

HANDSOMENESS

Let’s face it, looking nice in a tux is a plus.

Jon Stewart came across as a sad little penguin during his Oscar stint in 2008, and the show paid the price in low ratings.

The supremely smart and stylish Hugh Jackman ‘handsomed’ things up last year, leading to a nice boost in viewership.

Though Martin isn’t an ugly guy by any means, he reeks of dork.

Baldwin, though getting on in years, still cleans up very well.

You can still see the ladykiller who starred in The Marrying Man and Prelude To A Kiss in his chubby face.

Let’s not forget that Baldwin was once married to bombshell Kim Basinger, which puts him in elite handsomeness territory.

POINT, BALDWIN.

AND THE AWARD FOR PROBABLE OSCAR HOST AWESOMENESS GOES TO…

Martin, whose experience and musical talent give him the edge over Baldwin and his pretty mug.
 

The NewPaper

WIN FROM PARIS WITH LOVE MOVIE TICKETS

26 Feb

GIVE AWAY
WIN FROM PARIS WITH LOVE MOVIE TICKETS
February 26, 2010
 
 

We are giving away 10 pairs of movie tickets to From Paris With Love, courtesy of Golden Village and MVP Entertainment

To win, call Infoline at 1900-9140801 and answer this simple question:

Name the director of From Paris With Love.

1. Pierre Morel

2. Luc Besson

3. John Travolta

The contest closes on Sunday at midnight. Each call costs 20 cents.
 

The NewPaper

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