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| We Are Singaporeans |
"We Are Singaporeans", which will run for 15 weeks from April 6, sees contestants answering questions about anything and everything Singaporean, from its history to its unique culture, in order to win a chance to take home a cool S$10,000 every week.
If the title sounds familiar, it is probably because the show shares the same name with a segment from popular news parody show "The Noose".
In that segment "The Noose" production team members would ask ordinary Singaporeans some trivia questions about Singapore like "What is the name of the new hospital in Yishun?", frequently getting some hilarious responses.
But Julie Sim, Executive Producer, Content Creation Divison, MediaCorp TV, who is in charge of the show, said that there will are some major differences between the two, though she admitted that it was indeed inspired by "The Noose".
"It is no coincidence. We adapted the idea from the 'We are Singaporeans' segment in 'The Noose'.
"[However] we cooked it, added spices like game play [mechanics] and rules, brewed it with the essence of Hossan Leong in a stock of celebrities and local icons," said Sim in an e-mail interview last week.
Local icons like Auntie Lucy and Jacques Ooi from "The Noose" will join in the fun while special themed episodes like the "Taxi Driver's Special" will be aired throughout the show's run.
"It's got an original format never seen before. The show is bursting with Singapore facts and trivia, humour as well as Singaporean contestants all ready to show off their knowledge of the sunny island."
Sim pointed out that, unlike the show's namesake segment in "The Noose", "We Are Singaporeans" not only appeals to Singaporeans' love for a good laugh but also their love for a little extra cash in their wallets.
"There is also a home viewers contest where we give away S$500 weekly [to a lucky viewer]," Sim said.
Leong the game show virgin
The contestants and viewers may well be in it for the money but Leong wanted to do the show so he could fulfil his long-time dream of hosting a television game show.
"It's a dream come true. Why are you laughing? I've always wanted to host a game show, but this is my first time.
"I'm Like a Virgin, got buzzer for the very first time! Hoo! Alamak, Michael Jackson and Madonna mix up," said Leong in an e-mail interview.
"Seriously, when I was young, my father always used to host all our party games and he made it so exciting. I used to watch him and think 'I want to do that when I grow older'."
"You know what's exciting? A lot of people have been shouting 'double confirm' (his catchphrase on the show) to me randomly on the street," said Leong.
"There's a lot of interest out there from Singaporeans who want to know more about Singapore. Or maybe they all just want to win prizes ... hmmm."
The veteran actor-comedian believed that this show could also serve as a guide for foreigners in Singapore to help them understand the country better.
"'We Are Singaporeans' isn't a foolproof culture guide, but I think foreigners will definitely see what makes Singaporeans tick, our sense of humour, and the things we take pride in," said Leong, though he added that Singaporeans could also do with a little more knowledge of their homeland.
"If I ask you to sing 'Majulah Singapura' (Singapore’s national anthem), you confirm can sing properly?
"Ah...see, now you also have to think whether 'bersatu' ('unite' in Malay) or 'berseru' ('proclaim' in Malay) comes first right?"
In case you are wondering, ‘bersatu’ comes first.
"We Are Singaporeans" airs every Wednesday from April 6, 8pm on Channel 5.
Sources: http://www.channelnewsasia.com
