A PBM – but human, all too human.

Singapore — Much has been spilled in the mainstream media concerning the extra-marital affairs of one of Singapore’s most successful movie maker, Jack Neo.

After Wendy Chong, a 22 year old bit part model, revealed to the mainstream media in two separate interviews details concerning her 2 year extra-marital affair with Jack, another woman came forward to give her account of sexual advances by Jack Neo. 

Foyce Le Xuan, who used to be a part of Jack Neo’s entertainment group, spoke to the media about her experiences with Jack that she has come to describe as ‘traumatic’.

It was a difficult news for Singaporeans to accept, for many had fond memories of comedic performances by Jack, particularly his ability to resonate with the everyday plight of the average man on the street through his films. His acting career spanned a period of more than 20 years, during which he played the lovable housewife Liang Simei in his television series Comedy Night and Liang Popo, a feisty octogenarian prone to be in the most humorous of situations.

More significantly, most of his films have a strong moralistic undertone. His more successful films, Money No Enough, and I Not Stupid, touched on two very sensitive issues for the everyday Singaporean — that of money and education, and ethical currents swept throughout the film.

For his achievements, Jack was awarded the 2004 Public Service Medal during National Day, and won a cultural medallion the following year, the first for a local film-director.

Human, all too human.
Sentiments following the revelations of Jack Neo’s extra-marital affair varied. Some strongly condemned Jack’s 2-year affair with a girl roughly the age of her oldest daughter, who is 19. Others such as Foreign Minister George Yeo called for us to have a spirit of forgiveness towards Jack Neo, who has brought immeasurable laughter to the household of the everyday Singaporean for more than a decade. 

Many hearts went out to the pain and anguish the young women faced in their affairs with Jack Neo.

But can we say that Jack Neo was undeserving of the cultural medallion, and should this episode spot his movie-making career and his contribution to the grassroots level?

It was perhaps a result of his films that have often taken a moral high ground on issues, usually championing conservative Asian values, that many have come to have such high expectations of Jack.

Indeed, the role that he plays in the entertainment circles of Singapore have made him surely into a celebrity, not unlike the role that England football captain John Terry or the US golfer Tiger Woods.

Many are bespattering Jack now because we have come to truly perceive of him as a role model, a conservative figure who once described himself as a ‘family man’ — and for him to be exposed as pharisaical cheating husband, is a harsh truth for many.

But whatever our moral perspective on Jack is, let us draw the lines clearly.

We should not think of this ink blot on Jack’s personal life as discrediting anything he did at the grassroots level nor should it be a strong case against the claim that he was undeserving of the cultural medallion. 

We all fall short of perfection, but this is not saying that Jack’s actions on this account is any less deplorable. 

This is also not saying the pain and anguish that the girls have faced should be seen in any lesser light, or that we should not help them rebuild and restart their lives, if we ever could.

But let us not discredit what Jack has achieved.

A beautiful movie will be a beautiful movie, regardless of the movie director’s personal failings.

A positive contribution at the grassroots level will still be a positive contribution, regardless of the contributor’s character flaws.

Before we start blaming Jack for getting on the moral high horse in his movies and then getting thrown off it rather unexpectedly, let us draw a line to where our condemnation of his flaws should stop.

Perhaps, somewhat ironically, the best personification of Being Human – Jack’s recently released film — is indeed Jack himself.

*Edit: 11.15pm for grammatical and spelling errors.