I just saw something on the tamil news that nearly had me choke on the food i was eating. Now don't get me wrong. I love the tamil news, probably one of the most credible programmes they have on Vasantham. But what i saw, flipped me out. But before i go on further, please visit the following link. Now now, don't read on. Just click the link and surf that page for a while. Cmon i say, click the link, i've already hyper-linked it for you. Won't take more than 5 mins, I hope.
http://www.aceclub.com.sg/
Ok, now that we have orientated you to the subject matter, let me to the crux of wad i saw in the news. Apparently, this enterprising club, decided to do something really unique for deepavali. They decided to have a marathon 36-hour, clubbing session to usher in Deepavali, in a novel way, in the process creating a world record. How nobel we say of the organisers to give a truly new meaning to the Festival of Lights. Now i really have no problem with the event itself, if u wanna do something unique, go ahead. That is your prerogative. But i have a huge problem with how this whole thing was packaged and sold, ON THE TAMIL NEWS!!
Listen, Deepavali was, is and will always be the Festival of lights. Now i'm not gonna preach on the religious significance, cos simply im not religious. But isn't it a bit too incredulous, to exploit deepavali to promote your club? I mean everybody jacks up their prices during deepavali, but tryin to show that you are a unique club that is creating a special significance this deepavali sounds just a little too far fetched for me.
Ok this is wad happened, in the interview on THE TAMIL NEWS, this participant named Venkat, who apparently took part in this marathon clubbing session to usher in Deepavali, said that he found this a very different and unique experience to celebrating deepavali rather than spending it with your friends, family or parents. NOPE im not making this up, he said those exact words. And then he went on to preach some humblah about ACE which i wasn't really payin attention to, cos i was turned off by his earlier statement itself. Oh and did i forgot to mention, this mysterious 'participant' who came to usher in deepavali via clubbing, is actually a marketing executive of ACE paid to promote the club. So he isn't technically a participant. But nvm.
Then came the organiser, a certain Vijayavarman, whom i actually like as a person. He was a bit more refined, in speaking about the technical difficulties of organising such a event in a short 1 weeks' notice and how he felt so much satisfaction at its success. Oh well, im amazed by and respect his competence and professionalism. But i can't help but mention that i'm pretty sure there were other areas in society that could use his talent. I mean, im sure there are lotsa other social problems that could use this level of expertise to be solved. But im also sure, he wont get paid that well solving the social problems. Neither will it be anywhere glamourous. So its a purely business decision that this man took, so why publicise it on THE TAMIL NEWS, as if he became the first singaporean to reach Mt Everest? This was just a publicity stunt by an Indian Night club. What's the big hoo-hah about? Why must it appear on THE TAMIL NEWS? Why package it as if it were a social salvation?? Like clubbing for 36 hours is some big shit. A few months ago, a group of our very own brethren starved for more than 36 hours to highlight the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils.. Now that's worthy of being on THE TAMIL NEWS. Not this.
Finally, my own personal take on this Ace Club. Well i have technically been there once. Nice place. Nice ambience. Nice crowd, alot of NUS students frequent there i heard. Sources inform me, that ACE has actually sponsored the NUS Tamil Language Society's keynote event Sangae Muzhangu. In return for wad i dunno, but word has it that ACE has a bistro bar lined up to be opened in NUS campus. So yea, very good marketing and business plan by ACE. And kudos to that. They also have talented people on their team running the show, so congrats on that too. But what i have to HIGHLIGHT here is that, you are a business! And your aim is to make profits. Simple. Please do not portray yourself as some revolutionary of social change. The clubbing scene is too small to make such a change. A social activist trying to make financial gain, and businessman posing as an agent of social change are both equally repulsing. So please leave my TAMIL NEWS out of your tiny little adventures. In fact, im sending this link to the team at the TAMIL NEWS. Cos i watch them everyday without fail, and i have high regards to their integrity. And i find this small segment a tarnish on their image. If they think otherwise, they are more than welcome to write to me back, and even scold me. I wouldn't mind, cos i have trust in their professionalism. But as for ACE, please remain a business i say, and try to make profits.
Btw for those of you wondering, i spend my Deepavali eve on the roads of tekka soaking in the atmosphere and getting drunk, and my Deepavali night in the best indian nightclub in Singapore, whose name i need not mention. But you wont catch me telling that on tamil news, cos i know as much as you do, that there are better ways to spend Deepavalis. And i hope to practise what i preach someday soon.
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Hey, i can understand your concerns but here is what i think as well. I think you kinda missed the point bro. I dont think the club made any pretensions on being a non-profit organisation trying to evoke social awakening on any part. It was a profit making mechanism and judging on the crowd that turned up, it was a great marketing ploy. BUT, there is a side effect here. A world record was broken that was in direct relation to Indians and Singapore Indians in particular and a deepavalli celebration at that. I have seen many an occasion where the Tamil News has showcased world records broken in distant parts of the world for the longest sandwich made for example or the biggest cheese made. This is far less pertinent to our society in any shape or form. The longest Diwali party was held in Singapore. This is relevent news. If money was made in the process, It is not the perogative of Tamil News to take that into consideration. Tamil News showcases interesting developments and noteworthy events. A world record broken by Singapore by Singapore Indians is noteworthy. Period. If ACE managed to make money in the process, kudos to them too.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of staging a 36 hour deepavali party was to set a guinness world record. In that sense it did put Singapore on the world map...hmmm...your views are harsh and this has got nothing to do with promoting the club whatsoever cos it was the guinness world record that was the selling factor...If in the process, the club received higher mention then that is truely unavoidable and neither the club nor tamil murasu can be faulted...And you do not need to feel sad for tamil murasu my friend..they have been providing news for 25 years..they clearly know what to feature andwhat not to feature...well you see vasantham is the only media voice of tamils in Singapore..In that sense let me turn your question on you...Why wouldn't they promote the 36 hour guinness record ? Point to ponder ? Surely !
ReplyDeleteHey dude, this is coming from me, a non-Indian, in fact a Munjen.
ReplyDeleteI think what Ace did is not a crime at all, and that it does in fact reflect societal CHANGE.
The fact that it got put up on the news means it's somewhat worthy in value to the producers at the broadcasting station, and if you think it's UNACCEPTABLE, then think again man, I mean, you and I and the whole world know how tightly censored things are in SG, so if it goes on air, it's something worth the mention right?
And it is!
I mean, think real carefully man, which other local culture group has had such an event? Not the bengs for sure, and Allah forbid the mats...
Your people have started something new, something with the times, something that goes outside the box. Yes it's risky, yes it's not conventional. But you gotta admit, nothing in this arena, or at least the cosmopolitan society, remains stagnant. There will always be change and things will metamorphose to suit the transforming demands of the people. And culture/tradition IS NOT SPARED. I mean, look at how warped every other racial holiday is now, it's nothing close to the original intentions of their roots/founders. These good folks have started something fun and in good taste. So what if they've used the name of a religious association as the selling point? It's smart, it has worked, and it is still in line in our context (the cosmopolitan city, just in case you lost track of your train of thought).
So why the hatin' man? It's time to stop this intra-racial conflicts and start supporting each other. In fact, your little romp in Pig-leg-land was nothing more than a watered down version (I was tempted to say cheapened and stereotypical but I guess that would be offensive to the peeps I don't know, oh nuts I typed it out?)
Step up with the times man, you gotta keep moving on, or else you're gonna be left behind. Open up and give credit where its due, I mean seriously, the lesser time you guys spend whacking each other the more time there is for peace, love and FUNNNNN!
No hard feelings dey!
Hey guys.. Im sorry about this tremendously late reply.. I didnt realise that you commented. So sorry.. Well there you go, technological noob.. Hahaha.. Well i praise you for your comments, and for setting me thinking. And if you think that clubbing for deepavali, is indeed a catalyst for societal change that should be welcomed, and if you do think that you are in the majority who thinks that ACE deserves the publicity they got, (which im not sure whether they paid for), then who am i to argue with your opinions? Thanks for your input anyways..
ReplyDelete