Controversial entertainer Namewee to perform at Marina Bay countdown

Controversial entertainer Namewee to perform at Marina Bay countdown

SINGAPORE- Some view him as Malaysia's perennial troublemaker, while others laud his outspoken ways, hailing him as a guerilla hero.

Love or loathe him, there is no denying that Johor native Namewee (real name Wee Meng Chee) is one of a kind.

Ever since the 30-year-old singer-rapper-actor-director burst into the public consciousness with his contentious remake of Malaysia's national anthem in 2007, he has chalked up a string of shenanigans and cemented himself as Malaysia's most controversial entertainer. (See timeline on right) Well, take it from the horse's mouth that we have not seen the end of his headline-making days.

Always gutsy

Namewee - who will be in town on New Year's Eve for Celebrate With The World, a free seven-hour countdown party featuring Filipino rock band Rivermaya and local singers Sylvester Sim and Chriz Tong - told M in an e-mail interview that being vocal is deeply ingrained in his personality.

"I won't change who I am for my work, so political and societal issues will always be a topic of interest in my music and movies," said the stocky, moustached star, who is almost never seen without his trademark pullover cap.

"I'm always inspired by social issues. My work's not about politics, it's about a system that affects everyone," Namewee said.

The talented star - last seen on local big screens in the 2011 gongfu comedy Petaling Street Warriors, a Singapore-Malaysia co-production starring Mark Lee and Yeo Yann Yann - denied that he has mellowed with age.

"With age comes wisdom, so now that I'm older, I've become wiser in trying not to get caught by authorities who disapprove of my work," he said.

Always funny

Controversies aside, at the core of Namewee is one funny dude.

As evident by the videos he uploads on his official YouTube channel - his Tokok talkshow series (a pun on the colloquial term "talk cock") is a hoot to watch, especially when he impersonates Andy Lau, interviews a Bangladeshi actor and gets sex tips from bosomy Hong Kong model Vienna Lin.

Nothing is too taboo or irreverent for him.

One of his self-penned Mandarin numbers, Thai Love Song, featuring him singing in a hilarious Thai accent, has accumulated nearly 2.8 million views.

"The Thai accent was not difficult to master because they have this distinct sound in their language, which for me, was very easy to imitate," Namewee said.

"Then again, I spent a lot of time in Bangkok during post-production, so perhaps the culture there influenced me."

His latest inspiration?

None other than local filmmaker Anthony Chen, who made history at last month's Golden Horse Awards with his amazing haul of four big awards for his feature film debut Ilo Ilo.

Namewee, who attended the awards ceremony in Taipei, felt "very happy" for Chen.

He said: "I've read about the hardships Anthony endured to get to where he is today.

"Back when I was filming my first movie, I faced numerous similar challenges, so I know exactly how he felt and the happiness he must be feeling after his achievements.

"His Golden Horse wins are a stepping stone for South-east Asian films and I can only dream that my own films will one day win such prestigious awards.

CONTROVERSY IS HIS MIDDLE NAME

2007

Namewee's claim to notoriety came in the form of I Love My Country Negarakuku, a Mandarin-Hokkien reworking of Malaysia's national anthem. The song angered the authorities.

Namewee, who wrote it while he was an undergraduate in Taiwan, subsequently removed the accompanying music video - which had reportedly gained 1.4 million hits in a matter of months - from YouTube.

When he returned to Malaysia in August 2008, he was hauled up by police for questioning under the country's Sedition Act. But he was not charged.

2009

Furious at the frequent power outages in his hometown of Muar, Namewee lashed out at Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia's largest electric utility company, using a slew of vulgarities. He filmed himself going down to TNB to demand an explanation for the blackouts and being escorted out of the vicinity by security guards.

His action prompted Malaysia's then-Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim to release a statement that the government would "examine the contents" of his video.

2013

In August, Namewee hit out at Malaysia's film censorship board for banning Malaysian movie The New Village. The film, which depicts the lives of the Chinese community during the Malayan Emergency and the Baling Peace Talks, was banned from cinemas due to it "glorifying communism".

Namewee called the ban "double standards", as another Malay movie, Tanda Putera, which touched on the racial riots of 1969, was allowed to be screened.


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