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Written on March 30, 2009 by Jian

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Can Local Programming Get Any Worse?

(photo credits:)

Deep down inside, everybody wants big, giant commercial corporations to use their capabilities to do good things. These things include being environmentally positive, creating jobs, and making the world a better place to live. In the same vein, that’s what I want to see Mediacorp doing as well. Ideally, they should be producing television shows that are compelling, meaningful, have universal appeal and help Singaporeans and global audiences alike make sense of life in the ever-changing world. But what’s this I see?

“The S Factor” is the next show in the vein of their previous productions, “Singtel Grid Girls” and “Eye For A Guy”. 12 girls compete to win 10,000 dollars and a photoshoot with FHM. That’s not too different from Singtel Grid Girls, but The S Factor trailer is really too much. One of the opening lines for the trailer is, “Guys like to watch girls in bikinis. Girls like to watch other girls… look bad!” There it is, wisdom for the ages.

This is soulless, uninspired programming. It makes the “Just For Laugh” sketches on TVMobile looks like social commentary.

The one-minute ad is edited to make the most shocking statements to resemble an episode of Girls Gone Wild as closely as possible without actually qualifying as pornography. The bikini-clad girls are throwing pies at each other, mud wrestling and generally doing things badly (where a ‘man’ could easily do it without batting an eye). “I don’t think I have the brains to answer all those questions,” exclaims a participant. But the worst line of all, when participants had to model with live snakes, one of them laments, “Snakes. Real ones.” In the words of a friend, warrauz.

That’s not to say I’m deeply offended by the level of indecency. Actually, I’m not. What I’m offended by is the level of sheer stupidity. Is this what feminism stands for these days? Eye For A Guy while bad wasn’t terrible. Grid Girls was one thing, but this really takes the cake! Has anyone actually done ‘The Male Gaze’ around here? Is this some kind of societal pathology inherent in capitalism? It is an extremely intricate puzzle that nobody at Mediacorp pays attention to these kinds of substantive issues that make a television show worth watching.

I’m talking about women’s rights. Once upon a time, women around the world were considered inferior; they fought for socio-political equality with men, for the right to work and upholding the ethical principle of being paid equally for the equal type of work. Now in the post-emancipation age where women’s sociopolitical equality is now institutionally protected, some women found that they could continue to play out the stereotypical submissive role of to their own economic benefit. They can have their cake and eat it, because the demand for pretty and submissive women still exists.

You may object that these women are in fact not submissive. But then, there’s the gaze. The idea of ‘the gaze’ is that we shape and internalize behaviour based on how we look at ourselves and how we think other people look at us. As long as you can dictate how people internalise ‘the gaze’ of society and their potential mates, you’ve got them by their sociological tail. The drama that ensues from the show teaches us what is socially acceptable, and what is not.

However, wouldn’t it mean that women shouldn’t be stupid? That pretty women have more to live up to than just be a pretty face? After all, if Miss-FHM Queen had been kicked out of the contest because she couldn’t do simple math, doesn’t it say that maybe girls should pay more attention in class?

It’s going to be difficult to read ‘The S Factor’ as a moral satire, or a negative example, especially when the prize is 10,000 dollars and a shoot with FHM. At least America’s Next Top Model gives some pretense towards looking good as a judicious professional skill rather than just giving some excuse to show off skin.

Truth to be told, this show probably won’t have any effect on most anybody’s life at all. It’s not going to be the Pride and Prejudice of Singapore (which arguably, Phua Chu Kang was during its heyday). It’s not going to affect the rest of Singaporean, ASEAN or world literature like how The Dark Knight set the standard for comic book movies in Hollywood. Mediacorp as the primary producer of television shows has become more Hollywood than Hollywood.

The recent bunch of local programming isn’t that great either. Red Thread looks good but lacks distinction, and Fighting Spiders has that mild “we’re glorifying our past” feel to it. Don’t get me started on the insipid Maggi & Me.

This is not the first time such an un-politically correct show has been commissioned and produced, and it will not be the last. People will also not care with a resounding “it’s like that, lor”. I too, really don’t care that much, and I’m not agreeable to censorship, and therefore will not watch it.

On the other hand, if this is the way post-feminism is going to be shaped in Singapore, I look forward to the day women are free to come to work in bikinis and hold wet t-shirt contests over lunch.

Catch the 1-minute ad here, and if you want, the official site.

Discuss: Tell me why local programming continues to be so bad.

(edit:grammar.)

220051 CommentsCan+Local+Programming+Get+Any+Worse%3F2009-03-30+04%3A27%3A29Jian on "Can Local Programming Get Any Worse?"

Of all things to write on, crappy television « Thoughtstreak II.V on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 12:45 pm

[...] And when I saw the ad for the next upcoming series for Mediacorp, I slapped my forehead to make sure my brains didn’t fall out and couldn’t help but write: Can Local Television Get Any Worse? (Kent Ridge Common). [...]

Jen on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 5:55 am

I agree with ur posts Jian, i thought eye for a guy with denise keller in it wasn't too bad compared to the crap we get on television these days. think about how "my sassy neighbour" is even copied fromt he korean hit "my sassy girl". u missed out one pt though, how about mandarin shows? for one i thought the little nonya had really good feedback

rockjianrock on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 7:42 am

I'm sorry to say that I don't watch Mandarin shows because my Mandarin is total junk, and I wish I really had better linguistic access to them. But from the impressions that I get, I think the Mandarin stuff is not bad, especially the acting which is a step above the overacting we get in "First Class" and the rest of the sitcoms. i don't know what's wrong with the English programming section.

eidetical on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 3:19 pm

I think, put quite simply, Channel 5 can hardly produce anything worth watching these days. I have no impulse to turn on the TV in my (hall) room because there's nothing worth watching, save for American imports like American Idol.

I believe there is just a dearth of talent in the Channel 5 section, be it script-writers or actors. I've not watched Red Thread or Fighting Spiders (seeing as they've not yet started screening) but already I'm thinking, what is Channel 5 thinking, sinking their money into a 40-episode drama opus without checking if people will actually watch it first? The only bright light at the end of the Channel 5 tunnel is Adrian Pang, but even he can't do much to save a terrible, over-cliched script (which I suspect will be the case). Well, I hope Red Thread does prove me wrong but then I wouldn't know, I won't be watching it…

As for Channel 8, I think the acting is marginally better, but I think their scripts are usually quite repetitive and overdone… They all seem to be about the same thing, with no uniqueness to each series, save for The Little Nonya, maybe. But even then I didn't bother to catch it because I didn't think Jeannette Aw's acting was worth my time…

In fact, local TV, in my opinion. sucks so badly that it only served to fuel my addiction for TVB and Japanese dramas. And in the case of the former, I was even 'motivated' enough to watch so many dramas that I now understand Cantonese…

So yes, in conclusion, Singapore TV sucks…

P.S. Btw, it should be the 'worst' line of all, not the 'worse'… ;)

TNS on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 11:52 pm

I suppose the show would be kind of a let down to some, with the pretense of the commercial, one would be expecting something with at least a bit of action, ahem.

Oh yeah, they probably came upon the research in to how guys objectify women in bikinis and CAT scan subsequently showed that the area that lit up the most in the brain when subjects are showed pictures of bikini clad women are area associated with tool handling. found here:

http://www.seductionlabs.org/2009/02/20/bikinis-m...

a conspiracy to increase the population prehaps? hmm…mean while, bimbos will continue to own TV.

p/s: considering singapore has one of the best eduation systems out there, I though there were devoided of dumb women? or is it massive misconception on my part? or Normal Distribution still owns dispite so? hmm…

Posts about Programming from google blogs as of March 29, 2009 « tryfly.com on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 8:21 am

[...] [...]

rockjianrock on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 2:26 am

Well it is conceivable that in a MERITOCRACY like SINGAPORE, all the smart pretty women get the best jobs, and then the smart women will naturally get the remaining jobs. So, what's left to do by the not-so-smart pretty women?

Anyway, education doesn't necessarily make you "smart". It gives you a bunch of (thinking) skills that you may or may not employ in your every-day life. I've seen perfectly functional women crunch numbers and do their high management job well… until lunch time when the conversation absolutely hits rock bottom.

rockjianrock on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 2:33 am

Oh dear! How did that not get through my editors? Thanks for pointing it out.

What have TVB or NTT serials got right that Mediacorp haven't? (<– terrible sentence structure, imho)

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 30 Mar 2009 on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 11:56 am

[...] the universe and everything – Kaffein-nated: Missing links? – the kent ridge common: Can Local Programming Get Any Worse? – Singapore Watch: Earn points paying your Singtel Bill with your credit [...]

MadHatter on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 8:35 am

Without making it sound like it's an easy topic you've raised, I'm at time inclined to say "they're so bad because there's really no need to get better".

When you're in the top-of-the-heap position in a market of one, you can go on and on thumping your chest about the "blockbuster" without even stopping to think what the meaning of that word really stands for. And don't get me started about its sister company's once often-heard "more than 90% of S'poreans listen to OUR radio stations" boast or the annual, self-congratulatory award shows… :P

asd on Mon, 30th Mar 2009 4:09 pm

It goes both ways. Why would there be so many people willing to act on such shows in the first place?

No one really watches singapore tv anymore… go to cable, man!

dfg on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 2:28 am

U forgot NUS halls got no cable la…

Stirrer on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 3:03 am

hahaha.. check this out..S Factor's director response to the article

http://www.clicknetwork.tv/forum/Default.aspx?g=p...

Jen on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 3:09 am

haha read his comments in the link above "girls, please read and learn." ROFL

lynnylchan on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 5:34 am

I read their "forum". It reads like a mini-Facebook wall, with their shoutouts to each other. Only one of them bothered to read the article (so far), and illustrates Jian's point perfectly – she misidentifies him as a girl and a "feminist", and pretty much misses the point, as well as trying some sarcasm that unfortunately falls flat.
The director's post is also amusing: "NUS student, big words", yeah ph34r us, we went to Uni and we know lots of multisyllabic words!

rockjianrock on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 8:39 am

Hahaha I'm not going to bother to argue about how feminism or anti-feminist or egalitarian I am.

I just want to watch better television.

nus student too on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 4:14 pm

erm.. the director was actually mocking the writer when she said things like "clever" "Nus student" "big words". she didn't really mean tht the writer was intimidatingly clever or anything like that.

megabigBLUR on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 6:30 pm

Aiyo…only one character (Holly) figured out you were a guy…and she was the only one who responded intelligently.

(I say "character" and not "contestant" because I don't believe in reality TV.)

S(ad) Factor on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 10:27 pm

RIGHT ON!

down with mindless shows that reverses the evolutionary path of mankind…we deserve better television.

rockjianrock on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 12:23 am

According to the official website, she wants to be a writer. She's also the oldest of the bunch.

phishy_ on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 2:48 am

The world would be a much boring place to live in without people to make fun of.
;-)

Shariff_Tay. on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 2:27 pm

Just an entertainment show only, so just enjoy it and stop complaining.

Cabal on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 5:05 pm

Then buy a better one at Best Denki lor.

eidetical on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 8:04 pm

TVB: Better acting, better-looking stars, better scripts, better direction, better production… But then again, I'm probably just biased, me being a TVB addict and all ;)

But honestly, the thing I love about TVB is that while they're sometimes so predictable I can quite literally guess what is going to happen next, they still manage to surprise me sometimes.

And it might just be me, but the really good TVB series are actually able to make me feel emotionally invested in them. One good example is this series (shall not mention names due to spoilers, haha) where the female lead dies while the series is only 3 quarters of the way through.

Which was a brilliant piece of writing because it's extremely unconventional for female leads to not survive until the last episode, at the very least, and it actually made me feel the same sense of loss the characters were feeling in the drama series. It was not just oh, she died. It was like omg, you're kidding me, she's not dead, TVB will have some weird twist or plot line and she's actually not dead. maybe she's faking it, maybe… maybe… Omg, she really IS dead.

And this is me, after years of watching TVB, and it still managed to totally catch me off guard. I just can't imagine any Channel 8 drama being able to do the same, because their scripts feel like it's the same essential elements transplanted into different dramas… For TVB, even though they do that too, it just doesn't feel that obvious. Every series, good or bad, are quite markedly different (unless they're sequels).

And whoops, very long comment. But well, I suppose Channel 8 is bearable if you haven't really caught onto TVB, Japanese, Korean (or maybe even Taiwanese) dramas. But for me, there's no turning back.

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 13 on Sat, 4th Apr 2009 10:56 am

~Pink Miu Miu~ on Mon, 6th Apr 2009 1:50 pm

Relac lah..juz a show only..take it on the entertaining part..aft all not easy for these gals to be out there.. i mean more than being in a bikini & stuff..

Jian on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 12:08 am

Relac lah, just an article only. Read it on the entertaining part, I was trying for some funny and intelligent parts together. It’s not easy writing this article too you know, took me at least two days and then show people draft summore then have to layan their comments now also have to layan everybody’s comments…

ashley ong on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 6:05 am

but it's a waste of primetime tv slots! i mean i understand that sex sells and everything like the girls on the show have blatantly point out, but do the tv produers realise that there Singapore isnt made up of just men or well, lesbians? there is actually a bulk of people whom would actually like to come home and chill out to an intriguing or a more intellectual (as compared to s factor) television programme after a day's work. we do not want to see half naked girls pouncing on each other and having bitchfits. office politics is enough. really, enough is enough. but if the tv producers really need to keep television ratings up, then how about creating a channel specially for such programmes?

Sarah on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 2:55 pm

Actually Channel 5 is an entertainment channel, hence the mindless entertainment and pursuit for ratings using sex (or bikini girls in this case). If you're more interested in intellectual/educational programming, you could try channels like The History Channel, Discovery, BBC, CNN, etc. If you don't have cable, then the poor man's alternative would be CNA. And on occasion, okto (if you're into the arts).

Kei on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 8:40 pm

I don't really see MediaCorp's S-factor as being such a mega offense to the local television scene.. After all, it makes no pretense at otherwise. While, yes, certainly I would welcome more productions with richer content of social worth, sometimes viewers do want some mindless fun. The S-factor is blatantly a show where you get to see sexy girls in bikinis, spewing crap from their mouth. It doesn't promise you deep intellectual conversation, it just caters to the human interest demand to see some skin and have a laugh.

And it succeeds. So hell yeah, I watch it. If you want intellectual programming, change the channel to CNA.

I have a bigger bone to pick with local channel 8 dramas. They have absolute drivel of recycled content, are utterly boring, pretend to be mediums promoting warped social values that are devastating blows to feminism (hate all that “always-forgive-your-cheating/gambling/useless bum-husband”, and another popular favorite “career-minded-women-are-cold-hearted-bitches-who-later-lose-their-husbands-but-it’s-all-own-fault”), suffer from chronic overacting.. etc etc

In short, what do they have to offer? They are neither educational, meaningful, entertaining or works of art. They are CRAP. At least the S-factor is entertaining.

ShuLeng 345 on Wed, 8th Apr 2009 10:55 am

Hey! If it ever cross your mind that we have only 1 network here? 1 TV station here in Singapore? So I guess it's pretty much either watch it or get cable!

sabrina on Wed, 15th Apr 2009 3:54 am

Why does this sound like a standard GP essay? Liken a politically correct answer. Since you are so critical about the show , why bother giving attention to it ? it is a waste of time to crack your brains man, get a full picture of the show before you make any assumptions as to what the show really is.
Just by passing judgement on this sentence: “Guys like to watch girls in bikinis. Girls like to watch other girls… look bad!” There it is, wisdom for the ages.
Well, this is only an opinion of one girl in the show! it is not a sole representation of the whole group of girls. In fact, there is some truths in it la. come on, face reality. Which guy (unless you are gross or gay) doesn’t like to ogle at hot girls?which girl doesn’t want to be hotter than the other? Many often quote that ‘money is the root of all evil’. I doubt that. I say jealously is the root of all evil. True, not?
You mentioned 'Rather than just giving some excuse to show off skin'? These girls are merely fighting for their dreams. It is not that easy to be as hot as them. You will never understand that because you are a BOY. So, who are you to pass judgement?
The real 'behind-the-scenes' are of course not featured in this TV show. I bet half of them starve themselves or like run 10km a day to maintain their awesome figure. Even things that you may think are simple, like spending time to maintain their falsies or like do their hair in the morning is really hard work! So I say that they deserve the attention! All these are of course not featured in the show in fear that some young girls may follow their foot-steps in attaining the ‘hot’ figure. In fact, there is no need to. Some American TV shows have already subconsciously succeeded in influencing these young minds. Truth is,these TV shows are only a mouse-click away. I find no difference between the S factor and the American’s next top model. Instead, S factor is a milder version of the latter!
Truth to be told, this show probably won’t have any effect on most anybody’s life at all.
Not true. I find some of the girls inspiring. They are frank and speak up their mind which is what we should do! Two-face bitches, I have seen a hell lot and they just lose my trust in them.This show teaches me how to express my feelings better. I see no difference in being annoyed by someone deep inside (suppressing it) from expressing your anger outwardly. Like how they were imitating one girl in the show (especially the word ‘chance’ ) CLASSIC. No difference from reality. Many others do that! And this does not exclude boys. And from my personal experience they are meaner! Like saying ‘Eeew , look at her thighs/calves, like pig trotters la!”
So, point is, get the full picture before rejecting the show. Personally, I love it!

Vue on Thu, 16th Apr 2009 10:05 am

To: sabrina

I don't even think you get the "full picture".

"These girls are merely fighting for their dreams. It is not that easy to be as hot as them." – That is no excuse for stupidity! And being "hot" is not easy or hard, you are either born good looking or not.

If you find some of the girls "inspiring", then I have nothing to say to you.

junker on Thu, 16th Apr 2009 12:04 pm

To:sabrina

the love of money is the root of all evil , not that one u quoted

Personal opinion:

personally i did not watch such shows as they are really a waste of time. these people may actually be intelligent people but they prefer to let go of themselves and be *themselves* for the bit of camera. so i do not see the reason to watch shows to see people making out fake expressions. secondly the television programes are so bad is due to the fact they banned almost everything that is worthy of pondering OR they figure people want something easy to digest after a day's work.

please pardon my grammer.

rockjianrock on Thu, 16th Apr 2009 5:58 pm

it's airing on a Sunday night, not much of a "day's work".

phishy_ on Sat, 18th Apr 2009 3:25 am

sabrina: I'd like to be the hottest girl on the planet, but I'd also like more to be a nobel laureate, or doing something worthwhile for refugee causes.
And there's no envy or admiration to be taken in starving or obsessively exercising merely to maintain one's figure.

That's really just stupid. There's more purposeful things to do in life than to conform to a media-projected sense of the ideal aesthetic.

Glad you love the show. We always needs unthinking saikang warriors who're easily manipulated.

Cheers!

jane on Sun, 19th Apr 2009 2:31 pm

this show is HORRENDOUS! its clearly portraying the worst side of these girls and some of them even showed lousy attitude during the debate. some of their command of English is really bad. too much of unnecessary politics. trying to act smart but made them look really bad and silly. lucky this show is telecast at 10pm. wouldn't be able to imagine what would happen if primary sch and sec sch kids see this. one of them don't even have a good command of english yet laughed at another when the latter mispronounced "wrestling". sigh.

S-Factor Body-Slammed! « The Red Grade on Mon, 20th Apr 2009 6:59 pm

[...] http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=2200 [...]

Student on Mon, 20th Apr 2009 2:58 pm

Here's a reality check for you jane. We "sec sch kids" have seen and experienced things A LOT worse than just being exposed to a show like "S Factor". You guys are living in some kind of protective bubble, totally unaware of what kids today are REALLY like. I don't understand why all the moralists are kicking up such a big fuss about the show. As for the rest of us, we're enjoying every episode on our way to hell.

A Public Member on Wed, 22nd Apr 2009 4:51 pm

I think this S Factor series are merely for entertainment purposes. Sure, mankind with more intellect would rather switch on the television after a hard day of work and immerse themselves in a mind-boggling documentary or a more substantive program. But tuning to such channels would be just a handful. More than this handful would rather watch girls in bikinis, looking hot, throwing themselves into cat fights, etc.. It's all for entertainment's sake. Sure, you can cringe and mention that it is a frivolous affair, but with their previous line of similar series, “Singtel Grid Girls” and “Eye For A Guy”, Mediacorp is continuously producing productions as such and S Factor is a proof of that. Sex does sell, indeed. If there is demand for such shows, why close an eye (or two eyes) to audience preferences? If you have a disinclination towards these girls, you can casually label them as air-heads, switch the channel, or do something more productive, period.

After all, this is TV.

rockjianrock on Fri, 24th Apr 2009 5:23 pm

Now that's entertainment. More gems of quotes!

I don't know about how you're entertained, but I tried to catch like a few minutes of S Factor the other day, and the whole judging process had zero tension. ANTM does it better, you switch on to the show and it's woah. I switched to S Factor and it was, yeah, back to CNA.

wei chun on Fri, 24th Apr 2009 12:52 pm

well, you might as well get some entertainment out of it… enjoy…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ydZHy_KRXE

Mich on Wed, 29th Apr 2009 4:11 am

Seriously…..

Mediacorp appears to be incapable of producing good quality dramas.
After a day of work, the least I can expect from the TV is something less like a cat fight, less politics.. If we want no brainer shows, a short half-hour TV series would do well enough. Nowadays, other than Hollywood movies and the Okto channel, I have pretty much saved on the energy to press on the button of the remote control to watch channel 5.

What would be good alternatives are:

1. Non-recycled and non-repetitive plots
2. Actresses and actors with horrible acting skills not given the biased credit to boost their egos. Instead, they should receive truthful feedback from Mediacorp so that they can contribute their share of good acting skills.

Lastly, Jeanette Aw acted really badly in Little Nyonya. The show was a great alternative to no-brainer recycled dramas, where I learnt more about the Nyonya culture. Everything went downhill the moment she started opening her mouth. Her ability to speak Mandarin properly… oh well……………………

seizura on Thu, 7th May 2009 11:00 am

Everyone's completely missing the point.

It's not about whether this show was made purely for entertainment, or whether the girls actually WANT to pretend to be stupid/look stupid on national TV, it's about the impression that we're giving out by making a meaningless show like this. Take for example, the Hills, or The City – equally brainless but at least they put some effort into production, a bit of scripting, etc. The S Factor is just a blatant "LOOK AT ME I LOOK HOT AND SEXY IN A BIKINI! WOW! GIVE ME 10,000 BUCKS!"

I'm a Singaporean living in the UK and after showing some of my local British friends this show, their first reaction was "WHAT?! ARE SINGAPOREAN GIRLS REALLY LIKE THAT?!" It's distasteful, it's humiliating and it's demeaning to females in Singapore as a whole. If Channel 5 endeavoured to balance out the stupidity with a bit of intellect once in a while (Come on, even a show equivalent to Gossip Girl would do the trick at this stage), we wouldn't be having the abyss of bad TV that we have now.

I completely agree with Jian and I'm glad he didn't just sit back and join in the girl-watching, listening to bad english and the total lack of competitive spirit that's involved in this terrible programme.

And girls, trying to defend yourselves by saying that this is just entertainment TV, and that it's okay because you LIKE pretending to be stupid/be stupid on national TV, you LIKE showing skin and you LIKE appearing to be completely uneducated and lacking in social graces… well.. that, in itself, makes you look stupid already. No S Factor needed for that.

Entertained on Tue, 12th May 2009 3:19 am

I gotta say, this has been by far the only local production that has stopped my channel surfing habit for a good half hour. It has been nothing but entertaining and it's hilarious! It never stops me from cracking up, and many times even close to tears… The girls are just soooo brainless (for lack of a better word), it's shocking how they actually got through life to where they are now.

They prance around like they are God's gift to men, and insult each other without taking a look at their own reflection. They can hardly even carry themselves well enough to have a decent lunch/conversation (in the recent episode). Sure they might have looks (subjective), but no character, no substance… and for the love of God, they have to learn how to speak English! Not like the queen's english but at least the BASICS. Such a bloody turn off.

Looking at these girls, I take great comfort in knowing that there are definitely people waaayyy dimmer than myself. Basically, I think it's a great show to watch and learn what NOT to be.

n0str0m0 on Tue, 12th May 2009 6:45 am

i have no problem with this program.

self denigrating babes? good. semi-nude? good. brainless to the point of making once-celled organism look wise? gooooood.

i watched parts of the last episode. the one with a formal dinner. i loved the old hag, the one with elbows sticking out like some jumbo-jet's wings. was she ready for the take-off? or was she educating the girls in proper table manners?

i liked it even more than the one with a talent show. you know, the one where one girl was honing her skill of a future skating queen, training for a perfect blow-job with a cherry stem. none of the girls seemed to be able to complete a logical sentence! i simply adore them all. they are so hot – it hurts.

it really does.

p.s. can they be adopted? did they have all the shots?

rockjianrock on Tue, 12th May 2009 7:32 am

NOOOO Entertained, you're giving in to the Schadenfreude!

rockjianrock on Tue, 12th May 2009 7:35 am

NOOO, Nostromo, not you too! Sigh, I just can't watch American Idol's first few shows because of this: I can't take the intentionally highlighting on people being unintentionally stupid.

n0str0m0 on Wed, 13th May 2009 3:50 am

do you really think it is intentional?

i do agree, it seems like a trendy thing on TV toady. take a regular looking guy, sell him as a simpleton warehouse worker (or something) and let him perform opera on Britain's Got Talent. simple recipe for success.

but… do you really believe that 'the S girls" are made look stupid… intentionally? well, in such case – GREAT JOB, channel 5. you got me fooled.

btw, i just learned that Jill Lowe is a "famous" etiquette consultant. again, not the impression i got from watching her table manners. she reminded me of Manuel from Fawlty Towers and his famous line "Hay speekh Hinglish. Hay lernt it from ze book". maybe she should sue channel 5 if the girls don't.

Liyana on Wed, 20th May 2009 5:23 am

You have the freedom of choice to consume whatever you want and be it. You are what you do,what you eat. Just a gentle reminder . But that freedom of choice can be abused,misused,misguided. It's alright and fine by me because you can leave the geeks to conquer the world as they have already done so like Bill gates. So it depends on your life priorities. We can't have everyone in the world to be smart and wise or else it won't be such a nice place-competition for similar resources and mates. Peace.

Guest on Mon, 8th Jun 2009 3:26 am

I thought S-Factor was fabulous! It was trashy, honestly so and made no effort to be otherwise.

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AN usual situation has developed between Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) ...

Should new citizens serve compulsory time at the grassroots level?
Much has been said about the integration of immigrants and ...

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Feature

Sandcastle: a refreshing effort by Boo Junfeng
by Melissa Koh