1. Hady Mirza, singer, 28
Claim to F(l)ame: During the Love Amplified Concert at Fort Canning Park on 30 Nov last year, Hady found himself getting slammed when his so-called 'intelligent joke' fell flat.
The Story So Far: As the reigning Asian Idol, Hady may have the singing chops, but zero flair when it comes to comedy.
His five-minute gag was far from funny, and it ended up implying that if you become HIV positive or get Aids, 'you will die, lah'.
The concert was Singapore's first major World Aids Day event, organised by the Health Promotion Board to raise awareness of HIV/Aids. Netizens blogged about it with fervour, calling Hady's joke 'distasteful'.
He Said: A very apologetic Hady expressed regret for his poor joke. In an interview with The New Paper after the event, he said: 'I thought a light-hearted joke could loosen up everyone. It was my mistake. I definitely didn't mean to offend anyone, it was purely unintentional.'
Next Change: Hady will be performing live at an upcoming event Charity Fiesta - Celebrities & Football Stars on Friday, 6 Feb at Woodlands Stadium, where you can also catch football veterans Fandi Ahmad and Aide Iskandar in action.
2. Jade Seah, actress/host, 26
Claim to F(l)ame: She shocked viewers when she uttered an expletive on live television during the nightly news highlights of the Beijing Olympics on Channel 5.
The Story So Far: The former beauty queen-turned-TV presenter blurted out an expletive after she introduced a diving segment featuring China's synchronised divers Wang Feng and Qin Kai.
Senior research executive Goh Fang Ying, 26, who saw the clip after it was posted on YouTube, said: 'It sounded like a woman was trying to correct her own pronunciation. I heard her say, 'Feng... Fang... ahh, ****.'
Mr Kenneth Liang, executive vice-president for TV programming and production for Channel 5, explained that there was a delay in switching off Jade's microphone after she had delivered her lines, and it caught her reaction 'to a fluff she had made in pronouncing an athlete's name'.
She Said: In an interview with MediaCorp's online website after the incident, Jade said it was 'one of those things I will never forget'. She added: 'That happening was difficult enough... My mum was not easy to deal with at that point of time. Once you make such a big mistake, you're probably never going to do it again.'
Next Change: Jade has just completed filming a new Channel 5 drama Wrinkles where she plays a sexy assistant in an old folks home.
3. Shenise Wong, forex trader and Miss Singapore Universe 2008, 26
Claim to F(l)ame: It was double whammy for poor Shenise. First, her Merlion-inspired gown which she wore at the Miss Universe pageant drew gasps of horror. Then, MediaCorp decided not to broadcast the pageant, making her crowning moment a non-event.
The Story So Far: It was called tacky, cheap and hideous. When it was unveiled in June last year, before the finals in Vietnam, Shenise's white and silver gown was panned by the public and fashion industry experts alike. Inspired by the Merlion, her gown had 'scales' made from PVC leather and plastic crystals,
As if getting all that flack wasn't enough, the 1.73m-tall beauty queen was crowned at a pageant at Marriott Hotel in May but it was not shown on air. MediaCorp, which has produced the show for the past seven years, dropped it because it was attracting fewer viewers and less sponsorship money.
She Said: We've got to hand it to Shenise for remaining unfazed by the criticism.
In an interview with The New Paper last year, she praised the Merlion-inspired design of her gown, calling it a 'brilliant idea'.
Shenise never commented on MediaCorp's decision not to air the show.
Next Change: Last year, Shenise revealed to The New Paper that Miss Universe would be her last pageant.
'After this, I wish to concentrate on my work and maybe get married and start a family soon.'
This article was first published in The New Paper on Jan 22, 2009.
