SINGAPORE: There’s nothing like a popularity contest to make you feel like you’re back in school.

Yes, it’s that time of year again, when an artiste’s worth is determined by whether or not they get a coveted Star Award – Singapore’s handy-dandy three-in-one version of the Emmys, Golden Globes and People’s Choice. It’s all very well to be nominated for Best Actor – but wouldn’t you rather be popular?

Most of our actors and actresses would never come right out and admit that they’d love a spot on the Top 10 Most Popular Artistes list, but there are sweet perks that come with being on that list that are worth fighting for – plum roles and endorsement deals not least among them.

So what did some of the nominees have to say about being top of the pops? Qi Yuwu said it’s all about the fans, Adrian Pang’s fleeing to London to heal the pain, and Fiona Xie… Well, Fiona’s getting naked.

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SINGAPORE – “I Want a Holiday” is a new travelogue game show on Channel 8 that’s all about getting around.

At the first taping session last Monday, guests Fiona Xie and Zhang Yao Dong were more than willing to sound their gong to answer the questions posed by host Dasmond Koh.

Together with two other teams of non-celebrity contestants, they competed to garner the most correct answers for the chance to win a dream holiday to destinations like China, France and Japan.

The travel-themed game show revolves around general knowledge, fun facts and cross-cultural understanding, including trivia about tourist attractions and world cultures.

Yao Dong – who is an avid traveller, loves backpacking, and has sojourned all over China – counts scuba diving as one of his most memorable travel experiences. “I loved it because it was very quiet. You feel like you’re in your own world. My dream is to go to Africa on safari and get in touch with wildlife,” he told TODAY.

“It’s beautiful, I heard you can live in tents,” Fiona, who would like to go on a vacation in outer space, chimed in.

“I don’t have a particular travelling style,” the bubbly actress told TODAY. “I enjoy staying in budget hotels and backpacking, as well as luxury and high-end things. I enjoy eating at Michelin restaurants, for example.

“I think the fun part is being flexible. A show like this makes you feel like you need to open your eyes and pay attention.”

If you’re planning on popping overseas for a trip, Yao Dong has a travel tip for you: “Don’t forget to bring your manners. Smile and say hello. Otherwise, people will have a bad impression of Singaporeans.”

Even on the plains of the Serengeti, it’s important to mind your P’s and Q’s.

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SINGAPORE – MediaCorp TV Channel 5’s newest sitcom “Serves You Right” is all about making the most of yourself. Starring Fiona Xie, Alaric Tay and Cassandra See, the show revolves around the classroom antics of a motley group of adults attending a part-time class to upgrade their service skills.

Fiona plays dedicated instructor Faith Foo, a young, idealistic trainer who has trouble getting her students to take her seriously.

“My approach is very Sarah Palin,” Fiona told TODAY. “I’ve got the hairstyle and the exaggerated smile. I wanted the glasses, too, but they refused to give it to me. They said it’d be too much. So, it’s Sarah Palin upgraded – with contact lenses.”

“My character is the nemesis,” said Alaric, who plays a potential investor of the school. “Kingston is a spoilt brat from a very rich family … Very often, I play the good nerdy guy, but this time I get to play the bad guy.

“He’s annoying, obnoxious, rude and irritating. That’s absolutely a lot of fun (to play).”

Cassandra brings glitter and glam to the show as a getai singer who aspires to manage her own singers. “Everything I wear is gold or silver!” she exclaimed. “This isn’t my usual style, of course!

“I think if I stand on the roof, you can see me from far away … My character is very loud and very colourful.”

The other students include a part-time kueh seller with anger management issues (Fadhilah Samsudin), a mama-shop owner who doesn’t miss any opportunity to hawk his wares (Puruvalan N) and a social misfit who believes he’s a Transformer stuck in a human body (Kun Wai Kit).

It’s “Mind Your Language”, Singapore style, with an important message to boot: There’s always room for improvement. Even if you’re a Transformer.

Serves You Right premieres January 27 at 8pm. -

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SINGAPORE : What do you get when you combine the kookiness of Zooey Deschanel, the sensuality of Dita von Teese and the spunk of Courtney Love?

If you answered, “Fiona Xie”, go boil yourselves under a silly person.

We are – with all due respect to dear Fiona – actually talking about hot American singing sensation Katy Perry, who’s been making headlines this past year with her debut album, “One of the Boys”.

The album itself is a pretty poppy affair, but thanks to having song titles such as “I Kissed a Girl” and “Ur So Gay”, Perry found herself a target from various circles of society and, of course, the media. But as is so often the case, many of the gripers just took those phrases at face value and didn’t actually listen to what the songs were about.

Perry’s response? A shrug.

“The media has to sell papers and get hits on websites,” she said. “I understand that. It’s the nature of the beast. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I released a single called ‘I Kissed a Girl’. I was okay with whatever the media thought, because I knew I would have a chance to show people that there are different sides to me as well.”

That was what she was doing when TODAY caught up with Perry. She was en route to Barcelona, Spain, on her second European tour to promote the album, but took time out to get on the blower.

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SINGAPORE : Nowadays, Vadi PVSS (no, we don’t know what it stands for, either) is getting a lot more attention than he’s been used to.

People approach him for autographs and pictures. Others smile and say “hi”. He even gets “special treatment” at restaurants and enjoys the occasional free taxi ride.

What Vadi is getting is no mere attention – it’s star treatment.

But if he’s so famous, how come you have never heard of him? Here’s a clue: “Ey, Mumbai da, India!”

Vadi delivered the punchline for a Viewers’ Choice-winning 30-second TV commercial by M1.

He is now the star of the new 30-minute MediaCorp TV Channel 5 sitcom, “Calefare”, which also stars Gurmit Singh, Fiona Xie and Benjamin Heng.

The 38-year-old may be a new face to Channel 5 viewers, but that is not the case with the Tamil community in Singapore and even Malaysia.

That’s because Vadi has been doing TV shows on MediaCorp’s Vasantham Central -such as Kanbom Karpom (Let’s See Let’s Learn) – since he was 13.

In fact, he was proud to tell TODAY that he won the Best Actor award in 1998 for the drama, Amali Thumali.

So, why did it take Vadi 25 years to cross over to Channel 5?

He doesn’t want to be too famous, he said. “I didn’t want to do English programmes because I felt that it would take away your privacy completely”, said the part-time actor although he did make an appearance in thesitcom, Gurmit’s World (1994).

When he agreed to take on the advertisement that would propel him to island-wide fame, Vadi had no idea that it would be aired “full blast” on prime-time TV and on the big screen.

“They said it might be a trade advertisement … Then, it came out and everyone was watching it,” said the chatty comedian, who holds two Masters degrees.

Although acting is a passion and a part-time hobby, it is his day job that gets his full attention.

No, he does not own an Indian restaurant in Mumbai. “I’m an economics teacher”, said Vadi, who works at a top junior college, where he gets teased endlessly by students who chorus “Mumbai da!” when they see him

He is also the teacher-in-charge of its drama club. As if there’s not enough on his plate, Vadi is also the founding member of two theatre groups – the Ravinbran Drama Group, a leading ῭῭20-year-old Tamil theatre group, and the Miror Theatre.

“My experience allows me to impart my knowledge to my students,” said the former Tampines Junior College student. “I’ve also gotten some of them to act on TV.”

Maybe someday they, too, can star in their own 30-second commercial. Dream big, kids. Dream big.

“Calefare” airs on Tuesdays at 8pm on MediaCorp’s Channel 5. -

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