Flame Awards
DUDE OF THE YEAR: ADRIAN PANG
SI BEH SUAY AWARD: MR MERLION
By Charlene Chua
December 27, 2009
SO WHAT do you do when you win at the Flame Awards?
–TNP PICTURE: CHARLENE CHUA
Simple – mock-hump another winner.
When our Dude Of The Year champ Adrian Pang met Si Beh Suay Award title-holder MrMerlion at the Merlion Park, we thought the actor was going to reprise his ‘expression of joy’ at the recent Asian Television Awards (ATA).
Adrian had won Best Drama Performance By An Actor, but as thank-you speeches weren’t allowed, he mock-humped host Allan Wu’s leg instead.
We had presented Adrian’s award to him earlier and asked if he would do the honour of presenting our national icon with his.
Wailed Mr Merlion, who saw the 43-year-old star approach from the corner of his red teacup eye: ‘Don’t come near me! I’m so suay already! I don’t want the award. Really. You can have it.’
But Adrian wouldn’t hear of it.
And to prove what a dude he was – in tight white tee and purple skinny jeans to boot – he put one foot on the screaming sculpture.
‘Don’t worry, I’m a one-Merlion type of man. I will still respect you in the morning,’ he said to reassure the object of his affections.
Adrian won the Dude Of The Year prize with 100 votes, after being nominated for flaunting his physique on the TV show Polo Boys.
He got almost as many votes as his teenaged rivals – the adorable Fighting Spider boys (35 votes) and flamboyant Singapore Idol 3 contestant Duane Ho (70 votes) – put together.
Mr Merlion claimed a landslide victory (944 votes) over celebrity newlyweds Fann Wong and Christopher Lee (49 votes) and Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah (61 votes) as most suay (unlucky) this year.
Adrian added that he admires Mr Merlion’s ‘excellent’ attitude as he continued to work even when lightning zapped a hole in his head in March.
‘That’s priceless,’ said Adrian to Mr Merlion.
Mr Merlion started panicking and blurted out that he wasn’t ‘cheap’.
‘No price? Don’t talk rubbish. I cost $165,000, mind you.’
But Adrian continued earnestly.
‘I also don’t care that you have a lion’s head and a fish’s body.’
Adrian said that although he lifts his two boys, aged 9 and 10 – when they’re playing in the swimming pool, to keep his biceps toned – he and Mr Merlion weren’t that different as they both weren’t gym bunnies.
Indeed, he admitted that the 8.6m statue was practically his role model.
Said Adrian: ‘I was struck by a lot of ‘critical’ lightning (criticism) last year. Let’s just say work-wise it wasn’t that smooth for me.
‘I persevered through it. But I’m sure MrMerlion did it without complaints.’
Was this year better then?
Moving moment
‘I have a better attitude this year. Also, winning at the ATA and the TNP Flame Awards islike, wow,’ said Adrian, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face.
No, wait. Apparently the sweltering heat had made his throat dry and he was wiping the perspiration from his cheeks. (That’s what he claimed anyway.)
Further proof of his Dude Of The Year status then appeared in the form of some Malaysian fans who interrupted our interview to take pictures with him.
So we guess the only one he couldn’t win over is Mr Merlion. But Adrian said he would pass the Si Beh Suay award to him later.
‘What he doesn’t know is that I’ve booked a room at Fullerton Hotel just across the road. Just to clarify that the booking’s for one whole day, not just a few hours,’ he joked.
Erm, just how are you going to get the reluctant 40-tonne statue across the road, Adrian?
‘Love will find a way,’ he said, winking at the poor sputtering Merlion.
The NewPaper