Phil from the Flying Chair website is busy tabulating the 25,000 votes he received, so the results of the Asia Blog Awards won't be out for some time yet. Seems some writers have been harrassing him about it -- c'mon, cut the guy some slack! I think he's doing all this single-handedly!

Afternoon shift Tuesday night, and things are pretty quiet for once, whew! I will working through the Chinese New Year period later this month, 'cos we're short of MOs, and the locums are, understandably, not filling in much during that time. I don't mind really, 'cos most people will stay away and flood the ER again after the festivities have concluded. But then again, firecrackers are now legal after a 30-year ban, so who knows what'll happen? Burns, cuts, limbs blasted off... no fun. :(

Nothing to report from the work front, so it's back to entertainment news. :P

Britney's marriage / quickie annullment : I saw it coming. Grow up, Britney!

American Idol 3 returns January 22nd: No-one can ever match Clay Aiken, but I'll watch anyway. They've got some pretty impressive talent, but don't expect me to buy their CDs. ( Ruben's first single is quite lethargic, which I hope isn't the trend on the rest of the album. )

Singapore Idol: Yes, believe it! Auditions will start soon, then it will air sometime in August 2004. My mom calls it "a flashier Talentime", but I hope it'll be nothing like Talentime or (God forbid!) the local Star Search. I believe we've got some stars in the making here, just that they stay away because local talent shows are crass and cheesy. So I hope the Idol producers will ensure that the programme retains some class and standard, so that real talent will join, and we won't end up making fools of ourselves in the international arena.

Suggestion for host: hands down ( for me anyhow ) -- VJ Utt from MTV Asia. He's good-looking, with a terrific personality, great sense of humour and in-depth knowledge of music from all genres. Thinks fast on his feet and speaks perfect English. Need I say more? ;)

Suggestions for judges: Mediacorp TV has stated that they want all 4 to be "friendly", with no plans for planting a nasty one, a la Simon Cowell. But that would take all the fun out of it! :P Seriously though, I think we need a bad guy in the competition. Someone who will just tell it like it is instead of stroking the contestants' egos or winning popularity votes with the audience. Possible choices -- Najip Ali ( snarky in Asia Bagus! ) or Kumar ( ooh, I like Kumar! He was hilariously sarcastic on Split Ends, had me laughing non-stop! ). For the rest, it would be nice to have established artistes like Dick Lee or Jacintha on the panel, with a smattering of super-successful singers like Stefanie Sun, even Ho Yeow Sun. If you have guest judges, then Tanya Chua would be a welcome addition.

Another question is: what will the participants sing? English or Chinese songs? Local or international?

One thing, however, is for sure: Singapore Idol will be a phenomenal success ratings-wise. American Idol captured an audience of more than a million during the finale, so if you have a local version, which allows viewers to vote and decide the outcome, you'll make pots of money and the show will definitely be the talk of the nation. Will I watch it? You bet. Will I cringe? I hope not! :D

Local ex-ChannelNewsAsia anchorman gets jail and the cane for molesting co-worker: I can never remember his name, so I've left that out. The case has been stewing for months now, and the outcome is a little shocking ( to me, at least ). The sentence seems a bit harsh considering the crime, but the Singapore legal system doesn't have juries, only judges who have ultimate power in deciding your fate whether you like it or not. I feel a little sorry for the guy. Wonder what's gonna happen to him in prison?

ChannelNewsAsia Online Article

Boy am I tired.