Not Again Podcast

Culinary world is not an easy world to be in. A lot of hard work and a lot of scepticism from the people that you feed. However, Damian D'Silvia who has been the face of the most misunderstood cuisine In Singapore, still insist cooking from the heart. Being more than just the celebrity chef who is the judge for Masterchef Singapore, Damian D'Silvia explains the historical context of his work, leading us in to the journey of peranakan culture.

Looking back his previous lives, Damian shares his world and tells us how he stepped into it. What he means by at peace in this chaotic world. He fondly talks about his upbringing and the lesson on how to grow to be a better man.

Part of the appeal for Hip Hop is about proving street cred and being the greatest. No doubt Sheik Haikel is able to do that. Wearing many hats from being an actor to a radio jockey, the father of Rap music in South East Asia is candid and sincere this time round.

Starting from the time of Army Daze, we break down what it meant to be woke. How a movie that was made in 1996 seems to made strides and prove to be timeless. Though jokes were crude, words were offensive in the current context, being woke is more than just censoring words but also giving stories for a character to flourish.

Part of being the funny guy, being the guy who offends in the room of strangers seems to be inevitable. One of the biggest controversies that had happened to him. One of the things that made him who he is right now, has thought him an important lesson. The lesson of acknowledgement and the being responsible in what coming out of the mouth.

We talked about the going through therapy. We talked about being the better version of oneself. Accepting compliments and what makes a good relationship. One's responsibility to one self before getting into a romantic relationship. He shares the secret on how he maintains a long marriage, the green flag in a relationship with everyone's doubt of him being the guy with the badass public persona. Dropping the persona and character is one that he always has trouble with, lessons he learnt in dropping the persona seems to be valuable.

We are talking to Sheik Haikel, we have to talk about his rap music. He shares the reason of how it is a borrowed culture in South East Asia. He shares how it all started and the love of music. The mistaken identity of Gladys Knight & the Pips which also leads to his one of the biggest endorsement in his career, thus coming to full circle. The love of rap music got him to meet the guy who made Run DMC and the important lesson of being loyal to his people.

"It is all a lie!" is what he hear all the time when some found out his job. The rest is a captivating audience that left in awe. Jeremy Tan has been doing magic for most of his life and gaining success in captivating attention and awe. From his first job that is not magic related to stepping into live entertainment industry working with corporate shows and to working cruise ships. Jeremy shares how he got into it and how different it is working now.

Not everyone like corporate show but it is the bread and butter for all entertainers. The Emcees, the musicians, the comics and of course the magicians as well. It is the path that we all have to take and Jeremy shows the secret to the trick into navigating his gigs and moving into a space that he wants to be in performance wise. He also pull and reveal what is the career end goal that a magician may look like.

It is always a discussion if a certain entertainment craft is an art form. Now, we do have this in the context of magic. We talk about the idea of giving what the audience wants and do we as an artist be selfish and do what we do. Jeremy shares the idea of chasing your dream, especially of being such a niche career such as magician. Do you go head in with "no Plan B"? The advice given from a veteran magician.

It will be silly talking to Jeremy without the social media side of things. After finding success with his TikTok, Jeremy shares how he got his viral video and tweaking his content. Of course capitalising on one's success in the media plays a part too and how?

Jeremy Tan TikTok: @jeremytanmagic

This is late due to technical difficulties and negligence but this is finally up! This is the highlights of year 2022. What a roller coaster ride. A change in pace and guests.

Episodes that got highlighted in this

Episode 173- Darryl Edmund Koh

Episode 175- Ted Alexandro

Episode 176- Jake Gonzales

Episode 177- Muhamad Ridhwan (The Chosen Wan)

Episode 178- Mike Kasem

Episode 179- Kelly Kimberly Cheong

Episode 181- PJ Thum

Episode 182- Jing Yan

Episode 183- Efasha (The Face) Harrison - Kamarudin

Episode 184- Aisyah Rafa'ee (Aisyah Rower)

Episode 185- Tony Chou

Episode 186- Kumar

Episode 187- David Tan (Electrico)

Episode 188- Andrea and Alvin (Choke Clinch Crank Combat)

Episode 189- The Proper Paupers

Going on an adventure usually sounds like a fantasy that we have romanticised all the time, not to Yee Jia and Gracia, the people behind The Proper Paupers. The main goal, visiting all 50 States of the United States of America while living in a van. The Van Life as they call. Yee Jia and Gracia, recounted the many exciting stories and the treasured memories they created during the trip and the genesis of the trip.

Going away for so long, one will ultimately wonder the financials of the trip and how does one sustain and being safe. Yee Jia and Gracia has shared the lessons learnt during the trip and the idea of having faith in not just your loved ones will lead to various surprises.

Other questions revolve around the trip one may ask and having a sneak preview is all we ask for during the chat. Do they miss their cushy job? What may be their plans after? Where is the most impressive place they have been? What is their last destination? What is the one thing that kept their dreams and not travel the safe path that everyone else did?

We all have that one friend that we don't travel with, the one that you will murder even though you love them. They shared what they have done to manage their relationship and how to plough through the mundane when things are getting slow during the trip. Does the things they realised and learnt from each other translate back to their own life what this is done and dusted?

The depictions of there rural United States and the many things to expect in the fly over state of the US.

One last question, will they do it again?

Their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theproperpaupers

It is more than just a love letter to the community. It also tells the stories of people who are not just fighting but practising martial arts in Singapore. According to Andrea and Alvin, the authors of Choke Clinch Crank Combat. Being successful in their respective combat sports, Andrea and Alvin recounted the start of their journey as a martial artist and the journey they been through writing this book.

Andrea shared the perspective of being a female martial artist and why people get into the sports they get into. Alvin recounted the history of martial arts in Singapore from the 1960s when its reputation from a violent history to where it is considered reputable today, eyes wide open in awe when mentioned being a martial artist. Sharing the stories, they managed to put together, Andrea and Alvin shares on reasons who they choose to feature on the Choke Clinch Crank Combat and not just the fighters in the scene.

Of course, is it a martial arts or combat sports episode if it is not sharing gym stories and how martials arts are becoming more than just a lifestyle. The kind of people heading to the gym.

We need to do 10 kinds of people meet at a martial arts gym soon.

From practicing in a shipment container to playing one of the biggest stages in the world to writing a song for National Day, a song which still celebrated by many as one of classics. Electrico has done it all.

David Tan shares the genesis of Electrico (formerly known as The Electric Company). The band got together and how the shipment container about. It was a promising band and now looking back, David also looks at the mistake that he had made during his time in the band and how is the future of the band looking forward.

After not being involved in the scene for so long, we looked at the social media game and how it has affected people consuming music or the media. David, not just from one of the OG indie pop bands in Singapore and being successful at what he is doing for his day job, tells the tales of the club scene as well. Sharing the genres of the music that is being loved by the club-goers.

He shares the story of starting out as a broadcast journalist to behind the camera now as a day job. We share the appreciation to meet people, we never have a chance to meet or talk to. The advice he got when he started out to have shaped the decision, he made later in life is what everyone need to look into. We also share our experience as creative and content provider. I tell the story of being a digital marketing person and compare stories on both ends while creating adverts for social media and the traditional media.

We need that photo of the band holding hands together walking down on the beach.

"It is not a dress but an oversized T-shirt" an answer to the police line of questioning may sound ridiculous but that seems to hold true to Kumar's early career. Dancing along the line of live entertainment performer to now a comedy cultural icon in Singapore, on the stage with the crowd's laughter, cheers and applause.

Kumar's life trials and tribulations never seems to end and it is so well camouflage, hiding under the spotlight and sparkling dress of theirs. And the wisdom from the chat that I have with them seems to be like a waterfall. Peace as how Kumar defines quickly turns into what they care about, the idea of unconditional love that has formed their major values.

Kumar's career seems to be dazzling right now and being regarded and icon and national treasure. The road on the path is not an easy one except knowing that being an entertainer is one. Kumar shares how the dress and the act becomes the "naughty thing" that people wanted to watch at night which propel their career and the different police encounters on the show. Drag and stand-up isn't the only thing that keep Kumar but having to be involved in the major milestone of Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (now Mediacorp) and in the pages of Singapore history books, The first Singapore produced show, The Ra Ra Show. Kumar recounted what had happened that lead to the cancellation of the show and clarified the mistake that everyone has regarding their involvement with the show being cancelled.

Peppering may often use when describe someone sharing their wisdom in a chat but that doesn't seem to be the case this time round. From love to family to even seeking out life lessons, Kumar is like a parent. From a rough childhood, Kumar is still the glue to the family, the reason why the family is still tight. They talk about expectations, men's mental health and Singapore TikTok influencers. Learning that life lessons also mean learning them when the chance arrives and not rush to learn the lessons.

Somehow time has never fully unveiled the curtain of mystery in China. The difference between cultural remnants from the distillation of time to the new introduction of a similar events has never seems to be explained better by our guest for the day Tony Chou. Tony Chou, who has never seen without a fedora, has represented the stand-up comedy scene both internationally and locally in the state media. He explained cross-talk and how it different itself from stand-up comedy and double act.

Stand-up comedy is being seen as the last bastion of free speech; it is also with the same reason that was being inevitably seen as the last thing to thrive in China walls of censorship. Tony has explained how stand-up comedy is thriving and gaining popularity among the people not just the younger generation. Comedy roast seems to have taken a special position in Chinese hearts. Given the insights, Tony explains how to strike a balance when it comes to roasts. Celebrities were not spared and behind the scenes on what is really going on and how it became like a PR move by the Chinese Entertainment industry.

Chinese entertainment is never without the Chinese social media. Outsiders like us thought that Dou Yin (Chinese version of TikTok) and WeiBo (Chinese TikTok) is the only few Chinese social media companies. Tony explained the difference between the social media companies, the stereotype and the usage for all. Tony further explain on how content creation works and of course Be a China Influencer 101.

I think I need a xiaohongshu account now.

To be an Olympian is never an easy feat. Aisyah Rafa'ee (or fondly known as Aisyah Rower) has not just able to be in the top game and then retire and venture into helping people with their athletic career as a mental skills coach for athletes. Asking an athlete to retire at the top of her game is never easy for it is like dropping one's identity which comes later with existential dread and Aisyah explains how she dealt with everything that comes in her way when she announced her decision.

To be a mental wellness coach seems like an easy coach for her as she reveals how she has learnt from her own life and the mental capabilities that she got to be on top of her game and then retire from it while she being on the top. All the challenges that faced both to Singapore athletics and athletics out of Singapore that make us look so similar. After moving out of Singapore, challenges bound to happen. Emotional lessons that she has learnt when moving out of her home and being the representation of her people where she is from.

Representation was never easy; especially if it is under a spotlight like major international games such as Olympics. She reveals the pressure that one athlete has wearing the country flag on their shoulder on top of performing well in their sports when I brought up Joseph Schooling's situation. She reveals who she has looked up to in during her qualifiers and her prep into getting the representation.

We never knew what happens in one's life. We were to tell what we want to be when we are 7 and we never have thought her ambition may be. She has reached her ambition and Aisyah reveals her peeves while questions the reasoning behind the whole education system when it comes to physical education in Singapore.

Man getting into Olympics is not easy feat as one may think.