By Joanna Goh

Drama vs Reality: How many of these (real-life) showbiz happenings in Singapore are you familiar with?

The Dream Makers is what we’d call the greatest form of flattery seen on local television as art imitates life in this Ch8 drama series. Several stories and scenarios featured in the show hit close to home with its spoof on personalities in the TV station and its reenactment of real-life celebrity gossips.

From Felicia Chin’s rumoured double-eyelid surgery to the highly-debated rivalry between the TV station’s top two Ah Jies Zoe Tay and Fann Wong: what you see happening in local showbiz is what you get on The Dream Makers – true story (minus the over-the-top bitchy catfights and what have you, of course).

If you, like us, are in the know of these buzzy headlines, chances are you’re relishing in the show two times as much as the uninformed average viewer. For those who aren’t familiar with these events featured in the show, we’ll do you a service and recap their source of inspiration. You’re welcome.

Fact #1
The plastic surgery denial: A throwback to Felicia Chin’s plastic surgery saga in 2009

Drama: A pretty well-known actress, who is supposedly an Ah Jie in-the-making, was quizzed by celebrity talk show host Yu Fan (Chen Han Wei) on the noticeable change in her facial features i.e., her once-mono-but-now-double eyelids. She played dumb and avoided answering his question and was eventually let off the hook.

Reality: At the peak of her acting career in 2009, Felicia Chin was once speculated to have undergone a boob and double-eyelid job. The actress was grilled about her rumoured enhancements on a (real) celebrity talk show called Celebritea Break, hosted by Guo Liang and Quan Yi Fong. She eventually cited the long-term use of the double-eyelid tape as the reason behind her current creased lids, and the case was eventually closed.

Fact #2
The friendship remark: A throwback to Zoe Tay and Fann Wong’s speculated rivalry

Drama: In her guest-starring appearance on a celebrity talk show, an actress, who is the station’s second Ah Jie (Silver Ang), referred to her non-existent friendship with the station’s top-billed actress (Dawn Yeoh) as one that’s based on a professional working relationship. In short: We’re merely colleagues, not friends.

Reality: 17 years ago, Fann referred to her relationship with Zoe as one of colleagues and not friends. Her remark – whether a Freudian slip or not – sparked a huge hullabaloo and many attributed two actresses’ endeavours to be the #1 Ah Jie in the TV station as the reason behind their acrimonious relationship.

Fact #3
Actress going bald for a role: A throwback to Cynthia Koh’s Stepping Out role in 1999

Drama: Dawn’s character was presented with a breakthrough opportunity to star in a cop drama series. She eventually turned it down as the show required her character to shave her head in the latter half of the story, much to her disgruntle. The once-in-a-lifetime role eventually went to Jeanette Aw’s character.

Reality: Only one local actress was brave enough to shave her head for a role and that’s Cynthia Koh. The then-newbie actress went skinhead for Stepping Out in 1999, a period series which told of the trial and tribulations faced by Chinese immigrants in Singapore during the 1920s. Her sacrifice did not go unnoticed – she was duly rewarded for her efforts in the following year’s Star Awards with a Best Actress win.

Fact #4
Calefares and not-so-famous actors, please move to the back of the bus

Drama: A C-list actress, Fei Er’s told to find a seat at the back of the bus because the front rows are reserved for actress of Ah-Jie levels only.

Reality: There are two sides of the coin to this: 1) For comfort reasons: we were once told that the front rows are usually occupied for the A-listers 2) For practical reasons: we were also told that cameramen and those handling equipment usually take up the front rows of the bus for easy loading and unloading. This tiny scene does carry a bit of truth in it, but the true extent of it really varies from person to person.

Fact #5
Unless you’re “one of us”, most reporters have limited access to the TV station

Drama: In most episodes, you’d see Dennis Chew’s reporter character, Fang Yuanren, enter the TV station at will and snap photos of its surroundings at ease. He’d even gain firsthand access to scoops overheard and seen from his time spent roaming around the TV station.

Reality: No such luck, security is tight within the TV station’s premises. Truth be told, unless you are an employee of the company, you can’t enter its building, offices and recording studios without a staff pass or a registered guest pass. And yes, we do have photography-restricted areas on the hill. You don’t want to be caught by our burly security guards doing something that’s prohibited.

Fact #6
Actress leaving everything behind to pursue a showbiz career in Hong Kong: A throwback to Ann Kok’s “move” to the island at the peak of her career

Drama: Now that she’s the station’s top-tier actress, Fei Er is offered a lucrative movie deal in Hong Kong, brokered by a director formerly from the TV station. Enticed by the prospect of growing fame in the region, she toys with the idea of “dropping off everything” to pursue what she thinks is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Hong Kong. (SPOILERS: We’re told Fei Er eventually leaves everything behind – her career, fame and life – and takes off for Hong Kong.)

Reality: Formerly dubbed the third Ah Jie in-line (after Zoe and Fann) back in the late 1990s, Ann Kok left the TV station to pursue acting opportunities in Hong Kong at the height of her fame in 2000. She came back three years later, after scratching the surface with one and only one noteworthy role in Everything Starts from Marriage, co-starring Alex Fong and Kristy Yeung.

Fact #7
Death in the TV station: A throwback to the tribute held in Huang Wenyong’s honour in April this year

Drama: In what is said to be the most somber episode on the series, a memorial service is held in honour of a well-loved artiste from the TV station (we’re not saying who!) who succumbed to a sudden illness.

Reality: In April this year, Singaporeans bade a tearful goodbye to one of the station’s first Ah Ge and revered actor Huang Wenyong, who passed away from lymphoma at the age of 60 years old. Less than a month later, veteran actor Dai Peng succumbed to the same illness and passed away at the age of 75 years old.

The Dream Makers 志在四方 is now airing on Channel 8, Weekdays at 9pm.

Source: Xinmsn

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