Star Awards 2005

Star Awards 2005

I actually call it the "Red Ape Awards". Homonymous, when pronounced in Mandarin. Anyway, here are some of my conjectures/observations/ramblings/opinions/thoughts.

With his trademark "I not Stupid" in the fishball serial, Su Zhicheng won the best supporting male actor. I thought he deserved to win. Such a convincing portrayal. I would gladly stuff his mouth with those balls and box him in the nose. But this guy is talented - singer, DJ, and now actor. Happy for him.

The best supporting actress came from the same serial. "Fyn" (Lin Xiangping), that conniving bitch in the serial, won. In order to snatch her man from her best friend, Fyn was ruthless. She slept with the guy, even though he was married to her best friend, and then got pregnant. She so viciously toyed with him I wonder why he didn't just give her two kicks in her belly and throw the baby out with the bitch. Anyway, she died a horrible way in the show.

Best Actor in a Comedian Role went to Bryan Wong. Best Compere went to Quan Yifeng. THIS IS SO EXPECTED. How else can you make the ex-Channel U people feel that they are a part of your family if you don't do that? I mean, Channel U came out and tried to differentiate itself from Media Corps by concentrating on variety shows. (Ironically, U artistes were mainly those who jumped ship from MC.) And they were doing well. When U and MC merged, U programmes were brought over. Surely, MC could go lean for one year and let U have some limelight. The biggest loser that night is Jack Neo, for only Mark Lee, one of his proteges, won a Most Popular award (out of 10).

Interestingly enough, Bryan's thank you speech had a poignant moment. "How come (I don't feel) happiness in (winning) a Comedian Award? Why is it that a comedian (himself) can only smile when he comes 'home'?" Quan was seen tearing when he said this. 4 years of being the ALTERNATIVE terresterial channel in Singapore has taken its toll on those who jumped over to U. It was indeed true that it was the "folly" of these people who made some of the stars the stars they are now. Had these stayed, perhaps things would have been different. Who knows? But Bryan's tacit comment of the 4 years out of "home" was indeed thought provoking. Does entreprenuership really pay off? How often?

Fann Wong and Xie Shaoguang both won All-time Most Popular Awards. They deserve the awards thoroughly. Fann is exceptional because it took her merely 11 years to garner 10 consecutive Most Popular Artistes Award, leading to the ATMPA. Quick and along the way, she's found fame in recording, Hollywood, Taiwan, China and HK. She's great!

Xie is equally exceptional. He won so many best and best supporting actor awards that competition really opened up only after he left.

I was very happy when Chen Liping went up for her MPAA. She's come a long way since her "Ayoyo" days. It's hard to see people going the distance. Xiang Yun and Edmund Tan are also a long time in the business.

For the record, Best actor went to Chen Hanwei and Best Actress went to Huang Biren. I think both are deserving winners.

Competition this year is tough and I would foresee a streamlining of MC soon. If it were not for artistes' non-continuance of contracts, it would be MC's non-renewal. Wth competition, there'll be winners and losers. While the audience ends up the biggest winners, I hope we do learn to reward those who have worked hard but had no luck. Case in point: Patricia Mok.

Perhaps now that the size of competition has grown, it might be better to go for 15 MPAA for males and females instead of just 10? More people need recognition and the additional push. After all, we are big enough to love 10 more artistes.