#LipSyncBattle: Channing Tatum “Runs The World” With Beyonce!

You’ve seen Channing Tatum bare almost everything in the “Magic Mike” movies. You have also seen him channel his inner Elsa while lip-syncing to Idina Menzel’s “Let it Go”.

Now, watch him master the booty shake with Beyoncé on “Lip Sync Battle“!

Sporting a skimpy outfit and a wig, the 35-year-old actor busted some intense dance moves with an arsenal of backup dancers while lip-syncing to Queen Bey’s girl power anthem “Who Run the World (Girls)” on the show.

The performance itself is pretty damn powerful, but Channing certainly didn’t think that it was enough to blow our minds. His performance then took an unexpected turn when Queen Bey herself suddenly appeared on stage as a special guest.

Needless to say, everyone including Channing’s wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum was left speechless:

In this particular episode of “Lip Sync Battle”, Channing’s wife also surprised audiences with a series of lip-sync performances. Paula Abdul appeared as a special guest when she was performing “Cold-Hearted Snake”. Things then started to get hot and heavy when Jenna tried out her own “Magic Mike” moves and gave her husband a lap dance while performing Ginuwine’s “Pony”.

The power couple has certainly set the bar high on the show, as host LL Cool J announced that the battle concluded in a tie.

Check out Channing’s amazing lip-sync performance below:

Viacom’s “Lip Sync Battle” airs every Thursday on Comedy Central at 7:30pm (TH/WIB), 8:30pm (HK/PH/SG/TW), and 9:30pm (MY).

For more information, visit the show’s official Facebook page and Comedy Central’s official website.

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We Get Inspired By Wanting

Yesterday, we spent a couple of minutes in the city with the extraordinarily talented and rising star behind the “Everything in the World” album, Wanting Qu. Mere minutes prior to meeting her, we realized how unprepared we were, and not because we didn’t have any questions – we had too many!

But we managed to narrow it down to just a handful of burning ones that we had for the girl who’s about to rock up to Stage KL tomorrow (17th November 2012, Saturday), and connect with her loving fans in Malaysia for the very first time. Gotta make it count, right?

Hi Wanting! So good to finally meet you. How’re you? And how’re you liking Malaysia so far?

“So far so good. We went to the Twin Towers yesterday and Chinatown. I had Indian food last night – I love Indian food!”

Malaysia, we’re all about food. That aside, with regards your tour, what were you most excited about?

“Aside from playing music and performing? Knowing that I’m going to meet my fans and going to countries that I’ve never been to, that’s the coolest part. To know that I can use my music as a tool for me to travel around the world and do all of this..”

Were you surprised to find out that you had such a big following here? You know, like, wow you have a Malaysian fan base!

“That’s something I’m very touched about. I’ve never actually, really..thought it through. I’ve never thought about the outcome or what it’s going to be like. I mean, when I write songs, I never think too much about it. I just express myself – I write the lyrics, then I play the piano, I sing them out loud, and then I record them. But what comes after that or out of that..and great things have come out of that, I’m really thankful. And happy.”

If you weren’t doing this, singing and song writing, what do you think you’d most likely be doing?

“(laughs) Probably a figure skater? Or a dummer, or a ping pong player, or playing CounterStrike at tournaments. I play CounterStrike really well! I didn’t even think that I’d be that good at it until I met my first boyfriend. He was such a gamer and I felt like, okay if I want to communicate with him, I play CounterStrike – but I ended up being better at it than him. I played CounterStrike from 2001 till 2007 and I was really good at that time, that a Los Angeles all-girl team contacted me and invited me to play (with them) at tournaments in the US but I said no. I wanted to focus on my music first.”

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What’s your songwriting process like? We see you on YouTube just playing music like it comes so naturally for you but which one usually comes first – the melody or the lyrics?

“Most of the time, both the melody and the lyrics fall into place together. What I do is..I would take a moment in my day and sit in front of the piano. Then I start to sing and play, and come up with the lyrics at the same time. But that moment is crucial like, it has to be building up to me wanting to express myself because there’s stuff going on or stuff happened. I need to feel like okay, I gotta say something.”

Pray tell, what are some of the challenges that you’ve faced as a new-ish artiste and what is the most common misconception about you?

“That’s a really good question! I think that a lot of people are still unaware that I’m a songwriter – I write my own songs and I compose my own music. I’m not just a singer and I’m not a singer-songwriter who can only write music with a group of other people. I’m not that. I can write on my own. All I need is a piano or a guitar and I can do it all on my own. Also, to lots of people, they think that my voice is very unique but to me, a lot of people out there that have better voices and they sing songs better than I do. So to call me a singer, I feel like that doesn’t really define me. Singer-songwriter, that’s who I am. That’s probably one of the biggest misconceptions about me, that I’m a new singer out of China within the last three months. It could be because they just heard about me or about my music. I literally started to exist only after they’ve heard about me. But the fact is, I’ve always been this. A singer-songwriter.”

One of the platforms that connected you with the world is YouTube and these days, YouTube is a very good place for aspiring musicians, to get their stuff out there. Malaysia is rich with talents but a lot of young ones are still very shy about uploading their work on YouTube. What advice would you give to Malaysians who’d like to someday be just like you?

“I have to say that if you want something to happen, you have to create that buzz and you need to work towards it. You can’t be anybody if you don’t want people to know who you are. Open your door, let other people see you, share your music, and share your stories. Use YouTube as a platform – in fact, utilize everything. When I was in Canada, the internet was the only thing I could utilize. I put lots of stuff on YouTube and multiple Chinese websites because they can’t access the platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) that we can. I did double the work because I had to also upload my stuff onto platforms in China. If I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere. If you’re going to be shy about your work or modest about yourself then, people are never going to find out about you. People usually look at where the buzz is – so make them get excited about your work! Be ambitious, be driven, be brave and strong.”

We know what you’re thinking – Wanting is as talented as she is honest and inspiring. Much love and respect for the girl who wasn’t afraid to be heard! Thank you for taking time to speak to us, Wanting. We can’t wait to see you perform live at Stage KL tomorrow night!

Special thanks to our friends from Universal Music Malaysia for making this happen.

For more information, hit up Wanting Qu’s MySpace or Facebook page. She’s also on Twitter so go on, go flood her with love!

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George Clooney Previously Warned Ben Affleck Against Playing Batman

From one Batman to another, “Don’t do it“. That was George Clooney’s advise to Ben Affleck.

Affleck’s career as the DC superhero spanned 3 movies – “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice”, “Suicide Squad”, and “Justice League”. Throughout the entire process, it seemed like the actor was less happy than the last.

During a recent interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Clooney was asked if he imparted any words of wisdom to Affleck when they collaborated together in the Clooney-produced “Argo”, which Affleck starred in and directed. The drama went on to claim the Best Picture during 2012’s Oscars.

“I actually did talk to him about it. Yeah, I said ‘Don’t do it.’ It was only from my experience… He did great, though,” Clooney recalled. The 58-year-old actor previously played the Caped Crusader in 1997’s “Batman & Robin”. It was considered a low point for the actor when the movie flopped.

That experience taught Clooney an important lesson about how the movie industry works. “(Arnold) Schwarzenegger was paid, I think he was paid US$25 million for that, which was like 20 times more than I was paid for it, and, you know, we never even worked together! We worked together for one day. But I took all the heat,” he explained.

“Now, fair deal—I was playing Batman and I wasn’t good in it, and it wasn’t a good film, but what I learned from that failure was that I had to rethink how I was working because now I wasn’t just an actor getting a role, I was being held responsible for the film itself,” the A-lister added.

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Affleck was leaving DCEU as Batman. “The Batman” solo movie, which is set for release in June 2021, has yet to find a new Bruce Wayne.


#Marvel: “Guardians of the Galaxy” Will Be In “Avengers – Infinity War”; Plus Full Marvel Movie Slate

It’s a common consensus that Marvel has big plans for “Avengers: Infinity War”. If you think about who the Avengers are going up against, these superheroes are going to need all the help that they can get.

Directors Anthony and Joe Russo previously teased that there will be as many as 67 Marvel characters going into the movie. Although many of these characters won’t have leading roles, we’re still left wondering who will be included and who won’t. For example, will Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord and his “Guardians of the Galaxy” crew fight alongside their superhero peers in the 2-part “Avengers: Infinity War”?

During a recent interview with Nerdist, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were asked if fans would get to see a Guardians-Avengers crossover in “Infinity War”, to which Markus replied, “Let me put it this way. You know who owns that gauntlet, right. And you know who’s in another movie and his kids are in that movie…you do the math.”

To put it in perspective, Thanos was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the first Avengers film. The Mad Titan’s next appearance was in “Guardians of the Galaxy” where his 2 contentious daughters, Gamora and Nebula, both harbour hatred towards their father.

Gamora was forcibly taken by Thanos when she was an infant while Nebula resents him for what he has turned her into. As Andy Kubai points out, would Marvel really set up a film where one of their biggest baddies menaces the universe, and his daughters wouldn’t be involved in aiding or stopping their father?

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have Nebula join in the fight. Various sources also pointed out that one of the Guardians, Drax the Destroyer, plays a pivotal role in battling Thanos in the “Infinity War” comic book storyline. Should the writers choose to maintain elements of his story arc, Drax could wind up being the guardian of the Power Gem (or stone).

That being said, we still don’t know if the Guardians will be appearing in “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” or “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2”, or in both movies. Hopefully, we’ll get more details when “Avengers: Infinity War” (which will soon be retitled) begins production later this year. It’ll be interesting to see how the creative force behind “Infinity War” pull off something of this scale and magnitude.

Phase 3 will continue with approximately 8 more movies before moving into Phase 4 with “Infinity War Part 2”. Here is the list of Marvel future films’ release dates as it stands:

Meanwhile, “Captain America: Civil War” is currently showing in cinemas. Check out our movie review here.

Sources: Screen Rant, Movie Web, Movie Pilot, Outer Places.

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#IIFA2015: Catch The Glitz & Glamour Of Bollywood Over The IIFA Weekend In KL

The biggest night in the Bollywood calendar is almost here and we are bursting with excitement! The 16th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, that recognises talented artistes from the Indian film industry is all set to make it a larger-than-life event.

To be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 5th June – 7th June, IIFA 2015 will see popular Bollywood faces glamming up the red carpet event.

The 3-day weekend extravaganza will include events like:

While the fashion event will be hosted by actress Neha Dhupia, IIFA Rocks (the music extravaganza) will be hosted by Ayushmann Khurrana and Parineeti Chopra and it will see some splendid musical performances by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Ankit Tiwari, Mika, and Kanika Kapoor among others.

Sonakshi Sinha will sing live at IIFA Rocks while several Bollywood celebs including Jacqueline Fernandes, Aditi Rao Hydari, Lauren Gotlieb, and Lisa Hayden will be entertaining the audience with dazzling dance performances.

On 6th June (Saturday), the highly anticipated film of the year, “Dil Dhadakne Do”, will premiere at IIFA. The ensembled cast of the film including Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Shefali Shah and Farhan Akhtar will be present at the launch.

On the awards night (7th June), stars like Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka, Anushka, Farhan, Parineeti, Shraddha Kapoor and Sonakshi will set the stage on fire with their powerful performances. Playing hosts for the awards ceremony are duo Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor, who are known for their amazing comic timing and funny antics.

You can be sure that they’ll definitely entertain and leave the audience in stitches with laugher with their pranks ;)

Check out the full list of nominees here:

Best Picture
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap – Queen
Sajid Nadiadwala & Karan Johar – 2 States
Vinod Chopra Films & Rajkumar Hirani Films – PK
Utv Motion Pictures & Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures – Haider
Sajid Nadiadwala & Imtiaz Ali – Highway
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures & Sanjay Leela Bhansali – Mary Kom

Best Director
Vikas Bahl – Queen
Vishal Bhardwaj – Haider
Rajkumar Hirani – PK
Abhishek Varman – 2 States
Imtiaz Ali – Highway

Leading Role Male
Shahid Kapoor – Haider
Aamir Khan – PK
Arjun Kapoor – 2 States
Hrithik Roshan – Bang Bang
Randeep Hooda – Highway
Shah Rukh Khan – Happy New Year

Leading Role Female
Kangana Ranaut – Queen
Alia Bhatt – 2 States
Priyanka Chopra – Mary Kom
Deepika Padukone – Happy New Year
Rani Mukherji – Mardaani
Anushka Sharma – PK

Supporting Role Male
Ronit Roy – 2 States
Ritesh Deshmukh – Ek Villain
Kay Kay Menon – Haider
Randeep Hooda – Kick
Inaamulhaq – Filmistaan
Naseeruddin Shah – Finding Fanny

Supporting Role Female
Tabu – Haider
Amrita Singh – 2 States
Lisa Haydon – Queen
Juhi Chawla – Gulaab Gang
Huma Qureshi – Dedh Ishqiya

Comic Role
Sharib Hashmi – Filmistaan
Sanjay Dutt – PK
Varun Dhawan – Main Tera Hero
Govinda – Happy Ending

Negative Role
Ritesh Deshmukh – Ek Villain
Nawazuddin Siddiqui – Kick
Kay Kay Menon – Haider

Music Direction
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy – 2 States
Mithoon-Banjara, Zaroorat & Hamdard, Ankit Tiwari- Galliyan, Adnan Dhool (Soch) – Awari, Rabbi Ahmed-Awari – Ek Villain
Vishal Bhardwaj- for the full album – Haider
Mithoon, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Pritam, Arko Pravo Mukherjee – Yaariyan

Best Story
Vikas Bahl, Chaitally Parmar, Parveez Shaikh – Queen
Chetan Bhagat-Based On A Best Selling Novel “2 States: The Story Of My Marriage” – 2 States
Abhijat Joshi & Rajkumar Hirani – Pk

Lyrics
Manoj Muntashir – Galliyan – Ek Villain
Rashmi Singh – Muskurane – Citylights
Amitabh Bhattacharya – Mast Magan – 2 States

Playback Singer Male
Ankit Tiwari – Galliyan – Ek Villain
Arijit Singh – Muskurane – Citylights
Mika Singh – Jumme Ki Raat – Kick
Sukhwinder Singh – Bismil – Haider

Playback Singer Female
Kanika Kapoor – Baby Doll – Ragini Mms2
Sultana & Jyoti Nooran – Patakha Guddi – Highway
Shreya Ghoshal – Samjhawan – Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania

As seen in the list above, Alia Bhatt-Arjun Kapoor of “2 States” bagged a whopping total of 9 nominations while National Award-winning film “Haider” has a total of 8 nominations, and Rajkumar Hirani’s “PK” raked in 6 nominations.

IIFA Awards 2015 will be held at Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur and the tickets for the event are on sale. Those interested in attending the ceremony can hit up My Ticket or call 03-8080 8700 or 017 2447139. To purchase VIP hospitality tickets, e-mail viphospitality@iifa.com.

Alternatively, you can also tune in to the awards in HD on 7th June 2015 exclusively on Astro First by pressing the “Red Button” on Channel 488 to purchase now at only RM15. For more information, visit Astro First’s website.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Christina Aguilera – Anywhere But Here

Christina Aguilera proves that she’s still got it as she takes on Neverland in her latest song “Anywhere But Here”.

The singer released the lyric video for the new song on Tuesday, which is Aguilera’s reimagining of the opening song from Broadway musical “Finding Neverland“. Matthew Morrison of “Glee” sings the original song in the stage production, which follows the story of author J.M. Barrie, the man behind Peter Pan.

The lyric video is, of course, equally as beautiful as the song. Listen to it:

Christina is just one of the many musical names contributing to the Broadway show’s concept album. “Finding Neverland the Album” also features music from Zendaya, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez and Trey Songz, Nick Jonas, and more.


Halle Berry Says Wolverine & Storm Were Lovers In The “X-Men” Movies

Did you know that Storm and Wolverine had a thing? We certainly didn’t!

The shocking secret was revealed by Halle Berry, who portrayed the white-haired mutant in the early “X-Men” films. In speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the actress shared that her character and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine had some romantic history.

“Storm and Logan used to be lovers. It’s true. Storm and Logan had a thing,” she said.

Entertainment Weekly pointed that in one of the deleted scenes for Bryan Singer’s “X-Men: Day Of Future Past” (2014), Logan is seen kissing Storm goodbye before traveling back in time to change the course of history. Besides that, Movie Web noted that Mystique once disguised herself as Storm to seduce the clawed mutant.

“Storm and Logan used to be lovers. It’s true. Storm and Logan had a thing. I joke in the movies, I’m like, ‘How come nobody’s loving on Storm.’ Like what’s wrong with Storm? Nobody is checking for Storm. So, we decided that Storm and Logan had a thing, and then Jean came and messed that up,” she explained. “When he really decided that Jean Grey was his (love)…that caused a problem…the having 2 girls at once thing, that didn’t work for…that doesn’t work for Storm.”

Halle Berry will be next seen as Ginger in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” when it hits cinemas on 22nd September 2017.

Are you shocked to learn about Storm and Wolverine’s romance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: Movie Web, Entertainment Weekly / Featured image: X-Men Movies Wiki.


Hype’s Now Playing: BIGBANG – We Like 2 Party

As most of you might already know, K-Pop idol boy group BIGBANG swept the charts last month with their impressive, long-awaited comeback, and it looks like they’re still on their streak!

The details of their #BBMADE comeback are as follows:

Starting with “M” on May 1st, M, A, D, and E projects will be released monthly till complete “MADE” album is out on September. Each project contains more than one track, and MADE SERIES “M” will be out in 2 different versions; M ver. & m ver.

“MADE Series M” included tracks such as “Bae Bae” as well as the slower tempo-ed “Loser“.

And now, with the release of their “MADE Series A”, the BIGBANG members unveiled 2 new tracks – “Bang Bang Bang” and more recently, “We Like 2 Party”. “Bang Bang Bang” was released during a livestream event, where VIPs (as BIGBANG fans are lovingly known) watched as the boys announced it via portal site Naver at 11pm. KST.

Ahead of the “We Like 2 Party” music video release, it was made known that BIGBANG actually drank alcohol during filming for the music video of their new song, “We Like 2 Party”.

In fact, their rep was quoted as saying, “We wanted to portray a more natural vibe, and after much consideration we thought it would be better to do a video that captures the true feeling of the song rather than have them act it out. So (BIGBANG) drank in the studio and then filmed the video. Fans will therefore get to see a more relaxed BIGBANG than normal in the video.”

BIGBANG also gave an explanation for the music video of “We Like 2 Party”:

We have always put a lot of effort into our videos, but this time we wanted to do something that was more cute and innocent, something that showed our natural sides. You can expect this to be different from our other videos, it will show us looking more normal and not dressed up.

During the broadcast, T.O.P also admitted to having had around 4 cans of beer.

“We Like 2 Party” is a sure-win chirpy summertime party track that’s pretty much the complete opposite of “Bang Bang Bang”, “Loser”, and “Bae Bae”. If you missed the “feel good” songs that BIGBANG used to produce circa 2009 – 2011, then you’re going to absolutely love this song. Heck, you might even want to put this one on repeat should you ever host a party of your own ;)

Watch the “We Like 2 Party” music video below:

There’s also the super cute M! Countdown live “We Like 2 Party” performance. Check it out:

Like it? Think it’s cute? Get the song off iTunes here.

For more information on BIGBANG, hit up their Facebook page.

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Utusan And Kosmo! Will Continue Operation With Price Increase

The nation was shocked following the sudden news of Utusan Melayu Sdn Bhd – publishing company of newspapers Utusan Melayu and Kosmo! – ceasing their operations due to their ongoing financial crisis.

However, it was revealed recently that Utusan Melayu will not shut down their operations, and will carry on publishing their newspapers as usual. But, the price of both the papers will have to be raised by 50 sen.

The chairman of Utusan Melayu Sdn Bhd, Datuk Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir explained that the decision to increase the price of the newspapers was made in order to reduce the burden for the operating cost that they have been suffering for the time being.

“We are in a do-or-die situation. We need to mark up the price of the paper, push harder to generate greater advertisement revenue and boost our online content, as well as increase the number of e-paper subscribers. By increasing the price of the papers, we hope to generate about RM2.3mil a month, and thus reduce our current monthly deficit from RM3mil to RM750,000,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday (Aug 20th 2019).

During the interview, he also denied all the reports claiming that Utusan Melayu is shutting down, but he admitted to their current situation at the moment. He looks forward to settle the issue of unpaid staff anytime soon. According to Abd Aziz, as a short-term solution, the company has agreed to pay RM2000 to 800 Utusan Melayu employees. However, he specified that this is not a long-term guaranteed action.

Effective this Friday, the price for both Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo! will be as followed:

“We are expecting that with this price raise, it can contribute up to RM2.3 million worth of profit to Utusan,” he added during the meeting with the media.

You can show your support for the local media print by purchasing their newspapers at nearby newsstands, or by subscribing to their e-paper.


Tea Salon & Boutique Opens For The Gourmet Tea-Thirsty

Established in Singapore, home to a trading post for teas, spices, and fine epicurean products, The Wellness Group (TWG) is a luxury concept and a tea institution that incorporates an international distribution network to professionals, unique and original retail outlets and of course, exquisite tea rooms.

You might want to think along the lines of “gourmet tea”.

Because tea is ever so elegant and ever so cultural, over the years, TWG Tea (who pride themselves as the true experts of tea) has become a point of reference for tea lovers thirsty for knowledge.

Yesterday, TWG Tea, the finest and most luxurious tea brand in the world and trendsetting purveyor of exquisite teas, will unveil the first TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Malaysia. Located in the Couture Pavilion of Malaysia’s premier shopping mall, the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, TWG Tea’s newest 2,300 sq. ft. destination will mark the brand’s fourth international opening in two years, after Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and Dubai.

The Valiram Group, Southeast Asia’s leading luxury goods retailer and travel retail specialist, will exclusively manage and operate TWG Tea in Malaysia. The posh boutique is home to a showcase of the illustrious heritage of tea traditions around the globe infused with a contemporary, epicurean sensibility, this stunning new TWG Tea Salon & Boutique boasts a grandeur that is timeless and yet surprisingly modern.

On the much anticipated TWG opening, Taha Bouqdib (President and Co-founder of TWG Tea) commented, “Kuala Lumpur presents a phenomenal contrast of old and new, a city where fashion, flavours and cultures are constantly evolving, making it the perfect location to launch TWG Tea in Malaysia.”

Manoj M Murjani (TWG Tea Chairman and CEO) added, “As a global luxury tea brand headquartered in Asia, we are proud to bring our tea connoisseurship to Malaysian customers, where there is already a long-standing tea appreciation and tea culture.”

The Tea Salon features a tea-infused sweet and savoury menu, such as the Wagyu Burger accompanied by 1837 Green Tea infused vinaigrette and TWG Tea Lasgna prepared with a handmade tomato and basil sauce infused with Moroccan Mint Tea. Other items on the menu include TWG Tea-infused desserts such as the Chocolate Fondant, eight vibrant flavours of tea-infused macarons – including the popular Napoleon (a jet-black macaron infused with salted caramel and Napoleon Tea).

Mm. Tea, anyone? Experience the magic at the new TWG Tea Salon & Boutique Kuala Lumpur:

For more information, visit their website.

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Iggy Azalea Exposed Some Creepy Celebrity DMs On Her TikTok Video

Iggy Azalea, uploaded a TikTok video unveiling some really desperate private messages from certain celebrities. Unsurprisingly, most of these messages weren’t pleasant or harmless.

This week, the 30-year-old Australian star posted the TikTok video with screenshots of a number of Instagram DMs, which included racy sexual remarks and uncomfortable marriage proposals.

The names may have been censored, but it’s apparent to fans online that they all came from people with millions of followers. These accounts even have blue ticks, which indicate that these famous public figures are verified on IG.

Azalea showcased these DMs while dancing to her song “Sip It”. Ironically enough, her single contains the line, “rappers in my phone, in my DM, won’t leave me alone,” implying that the celebrities bothering Azalea were most probably rappers.

Here are some of the verified and unidentified Instagram users Iggy Azalea has shown on her TikTok video along with their trashy messages:

Going through these private messages must’ve been horrifying for many women, but the Hollywood rapper clearly doesn’t give a damn. The single mother was wearing a crop top and tight shorts while she proudly danced in front of the DMs in her video.

The video used a section of Iggy Azalea’s song that repeatedly says, “Wanna wife me up, I go silent and say, ‘Ha-ha-ha.’” The caption of her post writes, “Hahaha as if!?!?! Stay out of my DMs, uglies,” which is a great transition from the actual repeated lyrics used.

The TikTok video was viewed over million times with more than 320,000 likes and over 4,500 comments.

According to some Twitter users, some of the suspected male celebs include Steve Aoki (requesting to talk on the phone), Travis Scott (who has been liking Iggy Azalea’s post for the past year) and Brooklyn Beckham.


Resorts World Genting To Debut New Outdoor Theme Park In Q3 2020

This time next year, we could very well be up in Resorts World Genting enjoying the long-awaited outdoor theme park.

As per RHB Investment Bank Bhd, Genting Malaysia Bhd has informed that the attraction is expected to open in Q3 2020. After many delays, it looks like things are finally moving along on the right track.

Although nothing has been confirmed in regards to ticket pricing, Genting Malaysia shared that the theme park will most probably introduced various types of tickets such as annual, day, priority and VIP tour passes.

“Dynamic pricing strategy is likely to be adopted, such that it will have different pricing for different seasons (peak, off-peak). No final ticket price was guided, but we gather that it should be in line with other regional theme parks (Universal Studios Singapore day pass is RM242/SGD79).

“Management is confident that the OTP will open by 3Q20 (in line with our assumption) and stated that it is currently restarting the process that was stopped last year. However, judging from the stage of completion and aggressive staff hiring in the past few months, we do not discount the possibility of an earlier opening,” the analysts from RHB said.

When the 26-acre theme park opens, 20 out of the 25 rides are expected to be operating. The attraction site will also house 11 food kiosks and 7 restaurants from popular food franchises.


Hype’s Movie Review: Bromance Does Not Come Cheap In “The Wedding Ringer”

Directed by Jeremy Garelick, “The Wedding Ringer” stars Kevin Hart who plays Jimmy Callahan, a best-man-for-hire, who for the right price, will step in for friendless soon-to-be-grooms and help save their wedding day. Likeable but slightly awkward groom-to-be Doug Harris (Josh Gad), is one of these grooms in need.

Harris who is set to marry his fiancée Gretchen Palmer (played by Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) is in desperate need of a best man and 7 groomsmen seek Callahan’s help to achieve this task in less than 2 weeks. Together, Callahan and Harris come up with an identity and believable backstory for the long heard of, but never before seen “best friend” and fool everyone, including his bride-to-be into thinking that it’s all legit.

Apart from just playing Harris’ best man, Callahan was also required to round up a group of 7 misfits to serve as the groomsmen at the wedding, and if everything goes to plan, they could perhaps achieve what Callahan refers to as “The Golden Tux”, the biggest stunt they’ve ever done.

Stressing that their relationship is nothing but a business, Callahan gets rather fond of Harris throughout the movie. From going through mishaps together to taking pictures at random occasions like a marathon and at a bowling alley to make their story even more legit to throwing Harris a bachelor’s party, everything seems to be going as planned for the big day.

We’re going to leave the ending of the movie out because we don’t want to spoil it too much for you guys. What we will say though, is this: “The Wedding Ringer” is not a great movie, it’s cliché and yes, very predictable. It offers nothing new to the table as it’s rather similar to flicks in this genre but those are no reasons to not watch the movie. We say, you should still watch it because “The Wedding Ringer” is actually pretty fun to watch.

Definitely something you’d watch if you’re looking for something to entertain you because it is an affably crude bromantic comedy and the solid chemistry between Hart and Gad will have you laughing your butts off throughout the movie.

“The Wedding Ringer” will arrive at a cinema near you on January 29th, so keep a lookout for it.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

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(UPDATE) 3-Car Crash Along Jalan Kuching Causes Massive Traffic Jam

An accident involving 3 cars caused a massive traffic jam that stretched along Jalan Kuching this morning (3rd September).

It was first rumoured that the massive traffic jam was caused by a collapsed flyover, but it was later confirmed by The Star Online that it was just a terrible accident.

Kesesakan teruk di Jalan Kuching disebabkan oleh kemalangan melibatkan 3 kenderaan. #kltu pic.twitter.com/vwtkH1XQXt

— Azry Khalil (@zulazry) September 3, 2015

Motorists on their way to work were caught off-guard by the congestion as the busy main road that they usually use was forced to be closed by the police. The congestion also caused office workers to be late for work.

City traffic chief Asst Comm Mohd Nadzri Hussain told The Star Online that the rumour about a flyover has collapsed after an accident along Jalan Kuching is untrue.

When contacted, ACP Mohd Nadzri also said, “I don’t understand how an accident can lead to rumours of a collapsed flyover. It was an accident, Even the fire was put out soon after it started.”

The accident involved a car, a van, and 3 motorcycles. Though the collision caused the van to catch fire, there was no fatality reported. The driver of the van and 2 motorcyclists suffered minor injuries and were sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Initial investigations showed that the driver of the car was the one who caused the accident as it suddenly swerved into the opposite direction while heading towards Kepong on Jalan Kuching. “The car hit the van and spun. The 3 motorcycles rammed into the back of the van, causing it to catch fire,” ACP Nadzri said. He added that police were still looking for the driver of the car and one of the motorcyclists to assist with the investigation.

ACP Nadzri also advised everyone not to spread unconfirmed news through social media or any other mediums. “It is amazing that such an accident can turn into a so-called disaster of a collapsed flyover,” he said.


#BBMM Ushers In 2013 In Style!

Thousands of BlackBerry customers and music fans thronged to Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam, on 31st December 2012 for the “BlackBerry Music Mania Concert and Carnival” aka #BBMM.

The eight-hour New Year’s Eve concert extravaganza featured a strong line-up of top local bands and performers which included the likes of Hujan, Bunkface, 6ixth Sense, Joe Flizzow, Altimet, Kyoto Protocol, and Sofazr. Oh! Chentaku, Meet Uncle Hussain, Go Gerila!, SonaOne, Ila Damia, and Zamaera completed the stellar rockin’ line-up.

The ever-popular band from Indonesia, Sheila On 7, also performed a 45-minute set, belting out a number of hit songs much to the delight of fans, some whom turned out as early as 1pm.

“We are very excited to be back here in Malaysia for this concert and to be able to welcome the new year with our fans and BlackBerry. Their support throughout the years has been fantastic and we hope we gave them a performance they deserved”, said Akhdiyat Duta Modjo, frontman for the band. And if you haven’t heard, we also snagged an interview with the band mere hours before their epic gig.

[youtube id=”mwf_RQB6yaQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Apart from featuring a stellar cast of award-winning and chart-topping bands and artistes, the BlackBerry Music Mania also featured a carnival running concurrently with the concert at the outdoor area of Stadium Malawati.

Fans were treated to BMX stunts and breakdance performances by the award-winning WAKAKA Crew as well as various exciting games and activities. Anugerah Juara Lagu finalist, Amir Jahari, also performed for the carnival crowd.

The BlackBerry Music Mania Concert and Carnival is organized by Tempus Communications and is supported by BlackBerry.

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#TimHoWan Allures Its Fans With Signature Dishes

Ask any Malaysian for the best breakfast places in our country and most of them would suggest a dim sum restaurant. Having a dim sum breakfast is a common practice for most Malaysians as the bite-sized dishes are inexpensive yet delicious. But recently, many food enthusiasts have been flocking to Mid Valley Megamall for a “yum cha” session as dim sum as we know it has been levelled up by Tim Ho Wan, a newly-opened dim sum restaurant in Kuala Lumpur.

Located at the Boulevard, Mid Valley City, Tim Ho Wan is a hole-in-the-wall eatery hailing all the way from Hong Kong. The restaurant is known to be “The Dim Sum Specialist” after being named the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. Founded by Four Seasons Hong Kong’s former chef Mak Kwak Pui, the restaurant celebrated the grand opening of its first Malaysian outlet on December 18th.

Mak Kwak Pui came all the way from Hong Kong to grace the event and brief the media on some of the brand’s finest offerings. YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Fumihiko Konishi, Group Executive Chairman of Texchem Resources Berhad and Mr. Brian Tan, President and CEO of Texchem Resources Berhad attended the grand opening of Tim Ho Wan’s first Malaysian outlet as well.

Despite its limited selection on the menu, Tim Ho Wan draws a huge crowd daily due to its signature dishes such as its delectable Baked Bun with BBQ pork, Steamed Egg Cake, Pan Fried Carrot Cake, Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver, and so on. Patrons will be lured to walk into the restaurant by the lingering smell of the food.

Tim Ho Wan reassures its patrons of the quality of the food by stating that they will only use fresh and premium quality ingredients to make the restaurant’s offerings. To retain the dim sum’s flavour and texture, their made-to-order dishes are not pre-steamed and reheated for the patrons.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the bite-sized dumpling that would keep us coming back for more of Tim Ho Wan’s goodness. It’s their versions of Char Siew Bao that had us longing for it since our first visit to the restaurant. The exterior of the baked bun was crumbly but once we sank our teeth into the bun, we were pleased to find it fluffy and filled with barbecued pork with oozing sauce. Having one baked bun is definitely not enough to satisfy our cravings. The buns are reasonably priced at RM10.80 for 3 pieces.

It would be a lie if we said that we left a dim sum restaurant without having a taste on its the pork dumpling with shrimp. The dish is more commonly known as siew mai and it is simply a must-try dish at any dim sum restaurant. The siew mai is also priced at RM10.80 for 3 pieces. A cheaper and healthier alternative would be its shrimp dumpling filled with fresh spinach.

Another dish that caught our attention at Tim Ho Wan Malaysia is the wasabi salad prawn dumpling. The dish certainly didn’t look appetising at first glance due to the wasabi paste that was generously put on top of the crispy prawn dumpling. As strange as it may be, the wasabi paste wasn’t as choking as we had expected it to be and it simply added to the dumpling’s unique flavour.

To end the delightful breakfast on a perfect note, patrons can also choose to enjoy the rest of the day by savouring its Chinese tea or have a taste on its signature desserts such as the Steamed Egg Cake and Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus Cake.

To avoid disappointments, it is best to go to Tim Ho Wan as early as possible because the restaurant doesn’t allow for reservations. It will, however, accommodate patrons who want private dining session at the upper floor of the restaurant.

For more information, visit Tim Ho Wan Malaysia’s official Facebook page or Instagram.


Interview: Ludi Lin Discusses His Favourite Malaysian Food, The New “Mortal Kombat” & Racism Towards Asians

Ludi Lin (林路迪) is one of the hottest Asian celebrities in Hollywood right now. You may know him as the Black Power Ranger from the 2017 reboot, Captain Murk in “Aquaman”, Lim Tian Bai in the Malaysian-Taiwanese Netflix series “The Ghost Bride” (彼岸之嫁), or even the Wind Monster Hunter in the Chinese blockbuster “Monster Hunt” (捉妖记). Lin is dedicated to putting himself on a global scale and is truly setting an example for Asians out there.

Hollywood has been advocating for more Asian roles lately. Although there’s still room for improvement, there has been more widespread attention. “Crazy Rich Asians” dominated the box office in 2018 and the South Korean film, “Parasite” (기생충), even made history last year when it won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director.

Now, get ready to see Ludi Lin kick some serious ass in the upcoming “Mortal Kombat” film. Ludi will be playing Liu Kang, a character who is described as one of the most significant characters in the lore of “Mortal Kombat”. Liu Kang was one of the main leads in the 1995 film version, and will once again be major presence in the new iteration.

Fans of the Canadian Chinese actor can also look forward to seeing him in the upcoming CW series, “Kung Fu”. Lin will take on a recurring character named Kerwin, who is described as dashing, good-looking, fit, and charismatic. But don’t be fooled by his playboy act, this charming character is filled with rage and disdain towards his father.

Of course, with his involvement in all these martial arts movies, Lin has expertise in the art. His interest started young. When he was a kid, Lin would climb trees, roll around, and even do flips. He began learning martial arts and its many forms when he graduated from high school. He traveled around Asia for two years, learning Muay Thai kickboxing from Thailand and jiujutsu from Japan. Lin also does Olympic-style wrestling.

His years of perfecting martial arts have finally led him to utilise them in his various projects. In fact, Lin’s background in martial arts and performing his own stunts on set has given him confidence in his acting career and it clearly shows. Through Lin’s experiences and travels, it was very apparent that he would be proficient in martial arts.

Lin was born in the coastal Fujian province of China, he later studied in Australia, and is currently residing in the United States. As you may have heard in the news, the Asian community there have been victims of racists and hateful attacks. Recently, 9 people were shot (8 were killed) – 6 of whom were Asian women – at 3 massage parlours in Georgia.

By using his platform, Lin has been very vocal about the struggles and hardships Asians have faced due to racism in the West. Growing up as a young Chinese kid in Canada, he’s faced bullying almost every day and got into a lot of fights. Sadly, Lin was always getting picked on in school simply because he was Asian. In 2020, he joined the #WashTheHate social media campaign together with other well-known Asian American celebrities, where they shared their personal stories on how the coronavirus has impacted their lives.

Lin was featured in a variety of magazine interviews that detailed his martial arts background. The 33-year-old Chinese actor went on Toofab to raise awareness about the #StopAsianHate campaign and the violence against the Asian community has been facing in the West.

We managed to get an exclusive interview with Ludi Lin where he shared his Malaysian experience over a decade ago, discussed Asian racism, spoke about his role in “Mortal Kombat”, revealed potential future projects, and much, much more.

Thank you so much for taking this time to talk to us. We’re really excited.

Thanks. I love Malaysia. I missed you guys so much.

I remember the last time, we managed to talk to you was during the promotion of Netflix’s “The Ghost Bride” in Kuala Lumpur last Chinese New Year.

Oh yeah, that’s right. Yeah, I’ve done quite a few things in Malaysia now. I really miss it.

Did you manage to explore Malaysia while you were here?

About 10 years ago now. I spent maybe five months in Malaysia. Just backpacking and exploring a lot of different cities, you know, Penang, Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur, Perhentian Island, some good surfing over there. Went to see some orang utans and stuff.

It was wonderful. I love the culture, it’s so diverse and it’s got everything. It’s got a bit of my culture and it’s mixed with all the different Chinese cultures from way back when that came. In China, we call it 娘惹 (Niang re, or Nyonya) culture. It’s like from 400 to 500 years ago when the first Chinese went over to Malaysia and the cultures mixed. They came up with their own style of clothing and everything like that. It’s beautiful.

Did you have a favourite cuisine/ food while you were here?

Malaysian food is quite special and so unique, like the food courts outside. So in one corner, it’d be Malaysian food like Muslim food. One corner would be Indian food. Another corner would be Chinese food. And most of the Chinese food is from my hometown.

So, they have a lot of Hokkien food, where I used to eat when I was a little kid, like these fried dumplings, or what we call (锅贴). It’comes with rice, noodles, and soup. And the desserts are awesome. What’s that dessert with the coconut shaved ice? When you pour the coconut milk on? I think it’s ‘ais kacang’. Anyways, it’s all brilliant.

Now unto something we’ve been anticipating – What can viewers expect from your role as Liu Kang in “Mortal Kombat”?

Well, I just want to tell the fans that we really tried to pay respect to what’s out there in the “Mortal Kombat” canon and the original lore. We tried to get as many fun things that are taken from different video games, things that the fans have come up with and things that are built into the Mortal Kombat universe over the years.

I was really honoured to play Liu Kang obviously because he’s been the chosen one throughout every single “Mortal Kombat” iteration. And for me, every single different iteration of “Mortal Kombat” is like another spin on the karmic wheel, like that Buddhist concept of karma where the story restarts, you get to an ending. But it doesn’t end from there, it restarts again.

And then for our rendition, I think the movie is about blood and family. because every human bleeds. It’s a story about humanity fighting against evils that are about to overcome us. If blood is the story, then I think Liu Kang is the heart because he is the person that pumps blood throughout the “Mortal Kombat” universe. It’s to keep us alive basically.

What was your impression of the previous interpretations and how is your version different?

My first impression when I was a kid is that it was one of my favourite movies. What’s so brilliant about that movie was the imagery, the imagination, and of course the representation because as an Asian person you didn’t see so many Hollywood movies with Asians in it and you instantly connect. It’s so easy to bond with the characters. It’s the blend of that and then the music. A movie takes a long time to watch, but a piece of music, like a track, can play over and over again.

That’s how I watched “Mortal Kombat” when I was a kid. I felt like watching this movie over and over again would give me the same feeling, although I know where the story is going. In our iteration with the new “Mortal Kombat” that’s coming out, we try to recapture that feeling that’s just as instantly connective to what you feel inside your soul.

Of course, what’s vastly different is that our version is 1000 times more bloody and violent. So it’s got an R-rating. But I don’t think Simon (McQuoid), our director, just for his own ends, uses meaningless violence. All the violence feeds into the story, as you’ll see all the fights tie into each other and really tells the story of the character. The story is basically about each character discovering their inner truth and hidden power.

You are also currently filming “Kung Fu” and you’re playing a recurring character named Kerwin. If Liu Kang and Kerwin were to take on each other, who would win?

That’s a good question. If Liu Kang and Kerwin fought each other… Look, Kerwin can fight. He’s got a few things to his advantage. Kerwin can fight well and he’s trained ever since he’s a kid. Just like Liu Kang, he’s got a billionaire for a father. So, he’s got men on his side. He’s very rich. So yes, technology is on his side as well where Liu Kang is a Shaolin monk so he’s pretty much forbidden from using technology. He just lives very simply.

What else does Kerwin have? Kerwin has the Bentley, so he can drive away in case he’s in trouble. At the end of the day, if you make Kerwin stand toe to toe, he can just drive away in his Bentley and drive to the airport, jump in his G6 private plane and fly to another continent so that Liu Kang has to catch up. If he has to stand and fight, I think he would definitely be devoured by Liu Kang’s dragon.

But, if he could take his time and really run away and hide away on some private island so Liu Kang never finds him and waits until they’re both very, very old, and then just get his men to come and assassinate Liu Kang when he’s like 123, that may be Kerwin. But right now, at this moment, I would say Liu Kang would win.

We’re wondering if training for both “Mortal Kombat” and “Kung Fu” were very different or similar?

It’s quite different because “Kung Fu” is like a TV series. We’re filming, as they write, so we didn’t really have that much time to prepare for our fights. But luckily, I did “Mortal Kombat” first so I got a ton of fighting and choreography training as I was doing that. So, what I got from that, I can bring to “Kung Fu”.

That’s the beauty of being an actor. The roles that I play always teach me something and that’s why I enjoy it. So, the roles I play always make me realise something, and it makes me become a better actor, a better person, and a better martial artist.

“Mortal Kombat” has a huge cast of Asians. Do you feel inspired acting around these people?

I think while on set, we inspire each other. Yeah, I really get inspired and I feel right at home. Because when you grow up without role models and not many are in Hollywood, it’s difficult to pick the people you’re inspired by because it becomes harder to relate to them.

In “Mortal Kombat” we have Tadanobu Asano (浅野忠信) and Hiroyuki Sanada (真田広之,) who’ve been working in films for generations. So just looking at their body of work is inspiring. It feels right at home.

I think that’s important because I was born in China, and the concept of race and racism didn’t really come into my head until I moved to another place and experienced it firsthand because when you’re in China, everybody’s Chinese and everybody’s accepted. We’re like other cultures. It’s not that there is no prejudice, but I just didn’t understand the concept until I was judged for my skin colour and my culture.

So, to what kind of set actually represents the world that actually has lots of Asians in it… which is reality if you guys look around, right. I mean, people look at the population in Malaysia and it’s immense. Recently, we had “Raya and the Dragon” portraying a Southeast Asian princess.

The world is so big, and I don’t think people grasp that concept. If we really want to find better stories and have more fun and just get out there and be more interested, then we should look at the world as a whole.

As an Asian actor in America, have you ever experienced outright racism in Hollywood? How do you handle it?

I would have to say there’s rarely just outright racism. But I think indirect racism is sometimes even more dangerous and insidious because people don’t take that as racism. They normalise it and act as if it’s normal. If someone punches you in the face, then you’re going to react no matter what. You either stand and fight or you’ll run but you’ll know something’s wrong.

But if they just give you little cuts every single day slowly, then you don’t realise you’re actually bleeding out until you’re already dead. What I’m saying is, you have to really watch out for those small cuts. Although someone’s not directly attacking you, they still do a lot of harm with the way they treat you and the off-handed jokes they make.

Of course, now, a lot of people are getting outrightly attacked and that’s because there were so many indirect attacks that we didn’t feel threatened. It was small steps along the way that society has moved towards that extreme end of racism.

There were a few times I have been called names on the street or a very rude remark here and there, on set or in the casting room. Sometimes they don’t realise it but sometimes they do and it’s just a terrible joke. I tried to educate, you know, I tried. Of course, there’s a reaction by trying to set that rage aside and processing what’s right for me to feel.

I take all that anger and pain, especially pain that we’re feeling right now, as a signal that tells me that there’s something that needs to be done to change, rather than just feel it, and hurt myself with it. I want to turn it into positive energy and actually do something for the world and make people realise that this tells us it’s really time to act, time to talk about this, and time to not forget about this until we get some results.

You’ve also tweeted out that women, especially Asian women, have always been objectified as sexual objects, not just in Hollywood, but how they play a role in it, and so many, especially Asian women fall prey to that as well, right?

Hollywood plays the role and is complicit as the stories they tell reach the entire world and are accepted anywhere. If you had a way to just reach straight into people’s hearts and tell them how to act, what’s right, what’s wrong, and what’s the importance of the value of a person, then that’s a huge power and a huge responsibility you hold in your hand. That influence and the imagery they painted of Asian women, women in general, and other races have always been so simplistic and stereotypical.

The thing is, the simpler you make a person, the less a person they become because we’re all very complex. That’s why we’re so valuable or so important. But the simpler you make them, the less important they become. The easier way is to say: “They’re not like me, they’re the other”. When you start using the word ‘other’, they become less of a person, then it becomes easier to eliminate them. It’s how all racism works, which is to objectify, dehumanise, and then you can do whatever you want with them.

You can eliminate them or kill them — it doesn’t matter. The history of this goes far back guys. It goes far back beyond Hollywood. It always has to do with the stories that people tell; by branding us as weaker, more stupid, lazier, making women weak, and dumber. It’s time to stop that. All this stuff is to make things unbalanced and to gain power. We need to realise that women represent half the entire population. We come from every single woman.

It’s time to stop that. Hollywood actually also taught men how to behave. They were men that objectified women. That was a sign of masculinity, which is how they thought men to conquer, seduce, and outsmart many women. But we need to start re-educating what it means to be a man. Right now, I think what it means to be a man is to actually step up and man up for women. I just want to get that into everybody’s heads so tragedies (like the recent shooting will) stop happening.

I think that’s one of the reasons why when it was announced that Chloé Zhao was the first female Asian to be nominated for Best Director, we were so proud and felt like that was a win for us as well to see her right there.

That’s amazing. I felt like I could finally breathe. It took 93 years for an Asian man to be nominated as best actor and for an Asian woman to be nominated or any woman of colour for the best director. 93 years! Do you guys remember when you were going to sleep, and your mothers were telling you stories? You always cuddle up to your mom as she’s trying to calm you and she tells you stories.

That’s what women do. Women are caring and they tell stories that are sensitive. They tell stories that really touch us. But how come it took 93 years for women to become nominated as the best director? I hope she wins! I really do think it’s very much needed.

Also, you’ve been working with James Wan who’s a director for “Aquaman” and he’s also a producer for “Mortal Kombat”. What did you enjoy about James Wan as a director and a producer?

Well, he’s a huge supporter of Asians. As you guys know, he’s a Malaysian Australian. Yeah, he’s a great supporter. His mind works in such miraculous and intricate ways. He’s just such a cool person to be around. He always calls you, “bro” and that’s who you are, you’re one of his brothers.

He once told me how he comes up with his ghost stories for his horror projects. We would go into his bathroom and just turn off the light. Whatever scared him, or whatever his mind made him think of -he’d go “Okay, that’s a great story to tell”. So, he’s very much in it and his mental process is impressive.

You’ve been involved in a number of franchises already. We were wondering if the one on “Power Rangers” is still in the works? Previously Dacre Montgomery said that they were finding a new cast. Is that true?

Yeah, well the Power Rangers is always going to be a legacy. It’s passed around a lot. It started in Japan and then Saban bought the rights to the TV series and aired it in America. It’s filmed in New Zealand and I think Brazil now has their own Power Rangers. The movies were done in the 90s and we rebooted them.

I think they’re finding a different vision because now it’s transferred from the hands of, I think, Lionsgate to Hasbro, the toy company. I think they’ve got their own vision on that. So, I’m actually excited to see what they come up with. Power Rangers is another one of these things that’s like karma or like the wheel because it keeps coming and going around. It’s like the next life. It’s like being reborn.

Would you will be reprising your role as Captain Murk in “Aquaman 2”?

Oh, we don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening with “Aquaman 2”. There are just so many things going on. But Murk’s story wasn’t finished. I hope I do. I don’t know much about it right now. I know they’re working on it.

If you could decide on character development for Captain Murk for “Aquaman 2”, how would you like to see his storyline or arc progress?

Captain Murk was in the first “Aquaman”. He was just beginning his journey as a captain. In fact, he had two hands. In the comic book, he had one hand missing and replaced with a sword and he was a general. Because under the old kings’ and the old princes’ influences, obviously, he’s a very strict and mean guy.

But under the new law and under the new king, I like to see how he advances in the army to become the general of the whole Atlantean army and what kind of army he gets, which should be a really cool story. To see him on screen again? Why not? Snyder’s “Justice League” just came out today and people love it.

Yeah, I think it’s a great platform for HBO Max and I’m glad that “Mortal Kombat” is going to be released somewhat on it because more people will get to see it.

Especially this past year, streaming has been at the forefront of entertainment due to the closures of cinemas have been shut down. But we’ve been blessed with so much new content.

Yeah. I think that’ll be good because, in Malaysia itself, you guys make great films too, so then you have more platforms to show it on, more chances and more opportunities for the world to see it. Hey, if you ever hear any director needing me to do something in Malaysia, I can come back anytime.

Yeah, we would love to have you back. Please come. We also heard you currently have two Chinese films in the works?

Yeah, I’ve actually got a Chinese TV series released just around Lunar New Year. So that just finished airing 30 episodes. It was quite good. People loved it. It was one of the top streaming shows when it was released. The other one was this very independent tiny film where we had to go to Sichuan. They filmed right after the Chinese TV show. It was quite good.

This was filmed the year before last year — before we all had to lockdown. In fact, that film was doing the festival circuit. So, we went to the Tokyo Film Festival and won the Best Future Film Award in 2019. It’s called “Summer Night” (夏夜骑士). I really had fun doing it because I was playing this role that was very different from what I usually play.

He was a retired soldier and he’s a chained smoked. The story took place back in the 90s when I used to grow up and it was a story about a little kid whose family bicycle got stolen. That happened to me all the time in my family. Back then, in China, a bicycle was like a car to people. All we had were the bikes. When people talked about accidents that killed people, they were talking about bike accidents that actually killed people back then.

But anyway, the bike was the family jewel. So, that was what the story was about. It’s very nostalgic. I miss those stories. Childhood means a lot and that’s why I think “Mortal Kombat” is so important because it’s such an integral part of my childhood. Things like “Power Rangers”, “Mortal Kombat”, and all these legacy series — anything that has to do with comic books. Parents always told you to “stop wasting your time on them, it’s not important”. But it’s actually important. Because they were like friends to us.

On the topic of franchises… Now that you’ve experienced being in the DC Universe already, does venturing into Marvel or “Star Wars” appeal to you?

It’s very appealing to me. Anything that has to do with universe-building is very appealing to me. Anything that has to do with what I saw when I was a kid is very appealing to me because I guess I never grew up. I think childhood is important.

In fact, I think all grown-ups are just pretend-grown-ups. Everyone that has grown up, I think they’re just pretending like they know what they’re doing, but all they want to do is to relive their childhood, and if I get that chance, I definitely will no matter what.

The other end is, I think any Asian actor that gets in these big universe-building series is positive for the world because it just makes people more familiar with our faces. There are so many stories that we can tell, with the personalities that we are. It’s important to make our characters a little bit different, to think outside of the box and make it a little bit complex and attractive because that’s the way forward I think.

Back to some “Mortal Kombat” questions. We were wondering what was your biggest challenge in tackling this role?

My biggest challenge? It’s funny when you mentioned my biggest challenge – everything was challenging but everything was so much fun. I guess my biggest challenge was trying to convince our director to use some of the crazy ideas that I wanted to do.

You’ll see that in the movie, I always try to inject something a little bit different into the movie, and sometimes it’s hard for me to explain or sometimes it just seems too crazy to do or we don’t have time or have the money. But I really tried to phrase it in a way that’s very convincing. Yeah, I don’t want to give anything away. I’ll just give you a clue, “TCM”, and then lookout for something like that in the movie. So, that was a fun one to try.

But the other stuff like the physical stuff, I love to do. It’s always going to be challenging but I love it. I always rise to the challenge. Shooting through the night and the fighting… it was all challenging. Shooting on sets in the middle of the night and it’s in the Australian desert where the closest city is six hours away and you’re in this granite mined and things are exploding all over the place and you have to fight all night — all that was challenging but I love it. I wouldn’t pick it over anything.

I guess, the other challenging part is actually waiting for viewers to see it because only then the film is complete. So, waiting is challenging.

Was filming during the pandemic much more challenging?

The thing with people is if you want to do something, you’ll find a way to do it. I’m up here in Vancouver, they found a way to do it. Sometimes I have to test every single day to go on set, especially during intimate scenes when I’m very close to another person, then the testing goes up even more, and everyone’s hyper-vigilant.

But we found a way through it, and we made a whole TV series during this. In “Mortal Kombat”, we filmed before the pandemic and during the pandemic as well. Before the pandemic, it was great. Everything was so physical. We hardly had to do with too many blue screens because the director really wanted real fighting, real background, not much CGI, and the CGI was just added for the extra effect. I tried really hard but I really don’t know how to throw a fireball, so they have to CGI things like that.

But during the pandemic or filming, it was very different because everything had to be in the studio. We’re lucky that Australia kept the numbers very low. So when we were filming, we felt really really safe.

So just remember that for people who want to do anything, just set your mind to it, keep trying and you’ll do it. It’s a difficult time but we’ll get through it.

Why do viewers need to watch “Mortal Kombat”?

Okay, well, I think everybody should go watch “Mortal Kombat”. Bring your girlfriends, it’s very romantic. I’m just kidding, but they’ll love it too. There are lots of strong women in it and there are strong men too. We’re all fighting it out for all humankind.

So I don’t think there’s any movie that’s going to be more appropriate at this time because we’re facing, literally, an invasion, like an evil threat from another source that’s not human and that’s what the movie is about.

It’s about getting bonded by bloodlines and having an awesome time. It’s action-packed and I’ve never fought more than I thought in this movie, and I’ll fight for you guys to go see the movie and enjoy yourselves.

We’ll finally get to see Ludi Lin in action when “Mortal Kombat” comes out in local cinemas on 8th April.

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#StarWars: Emilia Clarke To Star In Han Solo Standalone Movie

Wanna see Emilia Clarke on the big screen? Look no further as the Mother of Dragons will be starring alongside “Hail Ceaser!” actor Alden Ehrenreich in the 2nd “Star Wars Story”, which is also a standalone Han Solo movie.

Though the actress’ character has yet to be revealed, it was reported that her role will “will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures”.

In an official announcement, StarWars.com wrote, “Emilia Clarke is heading to a galaxy far, far away — and she’s going to meet Han and Chewie (…) Known for her stirring portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones’, will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo ‘Star Wars’ movie”.

Han Solo was first made famous by Harrison Ford in 1977 and the film will focus on the origin story of Han Solo and his best friend, Chewbacca, before he met Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The screen play for the upcoming film will be written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan.

The film also stars actor Donald Glover (of “Community” and “Atlanta” fame) as Lando Calrissian.

While the untitled Han Solo solo film (no pun intended) is slated for release in 25th May 2018, the first stand-alone spin-off film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is slated for release on 16th December 2016.

Yay or nay for the casting news? What role do you think Emilia Clarke will play? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! :)


Contest: Win Passes To Watch KARD & More At Lazada’s 11.11 Super Show

For the first time ever, K-pop co-ed group KARD will be performing in Malaysia for Lazada Malaysia‘s countdown event – the Lazada 11.11 Super Show.

The live event will be broadcast on Media Prima channels TV3 and NTV7, Tonton, as well as Lazada’s mobile app. Music lovers will get to witness both international and local artists grace the stage. Entry passes aren’t for sale but guess what? Hype Malaysia will be giving out passes!

KARD (카드, or stylised as K♠RD) is made up of 2 male and 2 female members – J.seph (제이셉), B.M (매튜김, aka Matthew Kim), Jeon Somin (전소민), and former FNC Entertainment trainee Jeon Jiwoo (전지우). Formed in 2016 under DSP Media, KARD is also one of the few co-ed groups in the K-Pop industry.

Details for the Lazada 11.11 Super Show are as follows:

How to win, you ask? Easy! Just follow the instructions below.


It Is A ‘Tur-rific’ Time To Travel To Türkiye

With most of us stuck at home for what felt like forever, many started to find even trips to the grocery store exciting. The interstate and international travel bans were lifted for fully vaccinated people on 11 October 2021, with Malaysia ranked as one of the top 10 most completely vaccinated countries globally. You may be one of the many who started booking their trips to Penang, Langkawi Island and other hotspots for travel locally, with other countries still seeming like a distant dream. Little did you know, however, we can set our sights further and look to Türkiye instead for a relatively hassle-free trip!

In the country where East meets West, whether you are looking to explore archaeological sites rich with history or dive into the world’s most beautiful seas, you are sure to find what you are looking for in Türkiye. Do a quick Google search of the country and images of sights with hot air balloons frequently pop up. This extraordinary mode of transport can be experienced at several places but Cappadocia at sunset with its ‘fairy chimneys’, majestic natural rock formations that stretch to the sky is a fascinating spot to add to your list.

A post shared by Go Türkiye (@goturkiye)

Otherwise, dip into the hot springs of Pamukkale where the flowing water circles look like ‘cotton castles’ where the name of the place is derived from. With the wintry months of December to February looming on the calendar, adrenaline junkies will want to add the snow-topped mountains of Bursa to their list for a spot of skiing. For something off the beaten track, head over to the Black Sea coast where there is the Sümela Monastery that is seemingly built into the cliff that it stands upon as well as the alpine landscape of Uzungöl that looks like an idyllic European village.

For foodies, if the only thing you have tried from Türkiye is their ice cream, then their cuisine is well worth the trip on its own. Sample the unique flavours of each region like the crunchy taste of ‘simit’, a bread snack that can be found on the streets or the freshness of ‘midye dolma’, mussels stuffed to the brim with rice, spices, onions and currants.

You don’t even need a visa, just a valid passport with six months validity from the date of entry as Malaysians are allowed entry to Türkiye for 90 days for social visits. All Malaysians regardless of their vaccination status can travel to Türkiye. Fully vaccinated travellers are exempted from the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. All the vaccines including Sinovac are approved for emergency use by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye unlike most of the European countries. The individuals who had Covid-19 disease in the last six months are also allowed to enter Türkiye with a document issued by the relevant country’s official authorities. On the other hand, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers are required to submit a negative PCR test result at most 72 hours before entry into Türkiye or a negative rapid antigen test result at most 48 hours before entry into Türkiye.

You can also breathe easy because no boring hotel quarantines are needed upon arrival to the country. Türkiye has taken steps to carry out full-fledged vaccinations of tourism employees to give tourists peace of mind. Their vaccination program covers the employees of the airlines, airports, accommodation facilities, travel agencies as well as professional guides.

Your flights have been booked and your travel outfits are ready for those picture-perfect shots for your Instagram feed. Before you can board your flight for your dream trip, you will need to fill in the ‘Traveller Entry Form’ (https://register.health.gov.tr/) prior to arrival. Prepare your personal details including your passport and flight number as well as your address for the duration of your stay in Türkiye. After filling in the form, you will be issued with a QR HES code, which is similar to our MySejahtera code except that you only need it for certain venues such as museums and concert halls. Keep this code handy when you check-in for your flight at KLIA as well.

Most importantly, ensure that your health insurance covers COVID-19 cases and that you have spare cash on hand. Turkey is also offering its tourists a Tourist Protection Support Insurance with Covid-19 coverage; a travel insurance package exclusively designed for tourists arriving at Turkey which offers COVID-19 medical treatment coverage provides yet another assurance for tourists visiting the country.

Above all, make sure you keep yourselves regularly updated with the Turkish COVID-19 entry requirements as they change occasionally. Travelling during the ‘new norm’ may require more preparation than usual but there is no time like the present to book your next holiday to Türkiye!

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#CatGate: Is This Cat Going Up Or Down The Stairs?

After the recent online furore over the “colour of a dress“, a furry feline is now dividing the Internet world.

You may or may not have seen this floating around your social media platforms’ feeds:

Dubbed #catgate, an ambiguous black-and-white photo of a tabby cat poised on the middle of what appears to be a flight of steps, has had netizens scratching their heads over whether it is going up or down the stairs.

The photo, which was first posted on 9gag.com, has sparked off a storm of comments.

Many theories abound, with some attempting to use animal physiology to prove their point. One user on Facebook wrote, “It’s going down. When cats go down the stairs, they raise their tail to mantain balance. When they go up, the tails remain down cause balance isn’t an issue.”

Several videos were also posted on YouTube attempting to explain the optical illusion. Like this one:

But the raised ridges on the edge of each step, some argue, are proof that the cat is moving up.

A later post by 9gag claims to have solved the conundrum using an architect’s approach. Or if you’re having a headache staring at the photo, take a cue from the trolls: that the cat is stationary in the photo and going nowhere.


#Mortlach: World’s Most Revered Single Malt Scotch Whisky Arrives In Malaysia

One of Scotland’s finest single malts, Mortlach, has left Malaysians a memorable ardent experience at its official launch recently.

In 1823, Mortlach was the first distillery to be built at the land of rolling green hills Dufftown, Scotland. It earned its recognition as “The Best of Dufftown” from whisky connoisseurs due to its quality and luxurious malt that is unrivalled in flavour.

The Global Brand Ambassador of Mortlach, Ms. Georgie Bell, recently made her debut in Malaysia for the very first time. Known as Miss Whisky, Ms. Bell gained a scholarship from The Worshipful Company of Distillers and a Diploma in Distilling with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

Mortlach is rich in illustrious heritage; it embodies the brave vision of its entrepreneurial founders, the Scottish civil engineer George Cowie and his son Dr. Alexander Cowie.

She added that both of them illustrate the values of the great Victorian leaders representing their scientific and technical skills, coming up with an innovation that is rich in flavour based on the uniqueness, precision and finesse of their 2.81 distillation system.

This was a distinction that sets Mortlach apart from the ordinary and gained its recognition as the world’s most richly flavoured Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The 3 new expressions namely “Rare Old”, “18-Year-Old”, and “25-Year-Old” aim to travel globally and the luxury connoisseurs, are poised to redefine luxury in single malts for an impeccable experience. Both of the expressions were awarded as the best malts in its category at the recent International Spirits Award 2015.

The Rare Old Mortlach is infused with flavourful whicky’s fruit and flora notes and whiskey connoisseurs will experience an acquired taste between sweetness and dryness.

As for the 18-Year-Old Mortlach, it creates a compelling and delectable expression characterised by fine interplay of meaty notes, malty sweetness and balancing acidity, which is best enjoyed straight. The 25-Year-Old Mortlach on the other hand, pulls together a highly complex and multi-faceted combination of roasted spices and almost animal intensity with dense layers of decadent sweetness.

The new Mortlach expressions including Rare Old, 18-year-old, and 25-year-old are now made available in Malaysia at all authorised distributors.

For more information, visit Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia’s official website.

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#Toll: Reload Booths Will Be Closed During Hari Raya 2017

If you’re travelling this Hari Raya, remember to reload your Touch ‘n Go cards beforehand!

PLUS Malaysia has stated that all 134 Touch ‘n Go reload booths at PLUS toll plazas along highways will not be open for operations from 22nd June to 2nd July. This is to ease traffic flow during the holidays.

A spokesperson from PLUS explained that this will help reduce potential congestion at the toll booths and also to not inconvenience other motorists who do not want to top up.

As such, motorists are encouraged to reload reload their Touch ‘n Go or PLUSMiles cards before travelling to ensure that there is sufficient balance. Don’t fret though, as you can still top up your cards at selected customer service centres. The centres are usually open from 7am to 10pm, regardless of weekends and public holidays.

The spokesperson continued, “Additionally, the public can opt to top up their cards at 9,200 other locations nationwide, including ATMs, 24-hour convenience stores and petrol stations, including those operating at R&R areas along the highway.”

Traffic flow along the North-South Expressway is also expected to increase by 21% during this festive season, as there will be an influx of travellers heading back to their hometown.

Yesterday (Wednesday, 14th June), PLUS also revealed that they’ll be offering up to 30% toll rebate for the next 2 weeks.


Hype Eats: Amazing New Menus To Explore In The Klang Valley This Week (14th – 20th November)

It’s been a long hectic week of general elections, the LRT breaking down and flash floods happening everywhere. It is finally the time to sit back, relax a little bit, and just go with the flow. To keep your mind off it, why not eat your heart out?

This week, it’s all about new menus. We have a prepared a fantastic list of new food for you to explore from Honey Butter Chicken to Nasi Lemak In A Cup. So, without further ado, let’s begin the feast!

A post shared by Ador Cafe (@myadorcafe)

Time: 7.30am – 10pm (Weekdays) 10am – 10pm (Weekends)

This new meatless cafe in Bangsar South is a total game-changer! The Muslim-friendly cafe brings a variety of Western Fusion cuisine that will leave you wanting more. Some of the food they have on offer include; Buttermilk Salted Pasta, Ham & Cheese Open-Faced Sandwiches, Sambal Baked Cheese Rice, and much more!

A post shared by Sushi King Malaysia (@sushikingmalaysia)

Sushi King has released yet another new limited-time-only menu, the Kisu Fish menu! Including a variety of fish dishes like the Salmon & Kisu Fry Set for RM30.04, the Kisu Tempura for RM14.96, and the Kisu & Ebi Fry Bento for RM23.08. Head to your nearest Sushi King outlet now!

A post shared by Secret Recipe Malaysia (@secretrecipemy)

Secret Recipe, the Malaysian favourite, has released a new menu for all to enjoy! A variety of new and improved dishes include; Creamy Chicken Pie, Spicy Tomato Grilled Salmon, Spicy Tomato Chicken Chop, Thai Style Fried Rice with Grilled Mackerel, Penang Assam Laksa with Mackerel, and much more!

A post shared by Texas Chicken Malaysia (@texaschickenmalaysia)

Texas Chicken is bringing you a whole new range of seafood! The new menu is called the Crunchy Catch series featuring four new irresistible delicacies, including; the Shrimp Burger, the Fish Burger, Tempura Prawns, and Fish Fingers.

A post shared by A&W Malaysia (@anwmalaysia)

A&W has released a delicious new chicken that you just can’t miss out on. The HunnyButter Wings is fried to perfection and topped with a sweet and savoury HunnyButter sauce. The new menu is available in five different combos for you to try. Get there now!

A post shared by OLDTOWN White Coffee (@oldtownwhitecoffee)

If you are in a rush, stop by Old Town EXPRESS to get a quick serving of Malaysia’s most iconic food – the Nasi Lemak. But, Old Town is taking serving Nasi Lemak to a whole new level by serving it in a plastic cup! The Nasi Lemak Express is only RM4.90 and is ready for you at a moment’s notice, so head to any Old Town EXPRESS outlets near you now!

Here is another Malaysian favourite served in a cup! Available in all EMarts across Malaysia, the new Cake-In-Cups Series is finally here. The fluffy delights are available in two different flavours including the Chocolate Moist Cheese Cake and the Butterscotch Cake.

A post shared by McDonald’s (@mcdonaldsmalaysia)

You are in luck! Because this time, McDonalds has brought back three menus Malaysians have loved so far. As usual, these three menus are only brought back for a limited time only, so you’d have to be quick to catch it. The three menus include the Oreo Cookies & Cream Pie, Hershey’s Choco Bit McFlurry, the iconic GCB or GCB Spicy, and finally, the Ice Blended Milo with KitKat.

A post shared by Belly & the Chef Cafe (@bellyandthechef)

Location: 625, 1st Floor, Jalan 17/8, Section 17, Petaling Jaya

This newly opened cafe in Petaling Jaya serves an abundance of delicious delicacies from Western to Asian food. The ambiance of the new cafe is so aesthetic and the food is also very beautifully done that you wouldn’t dare to ruin any of it. The best part is that they serve a Breakfast series including an English Breakfast, the Classic French Croque Madame Sandwich, The Benedicts, and much much more.

A post shared by Galah Gala Seafood (@galahgala_seafoodrestaurant)

Location: L-3-2, Level 2, TT Gardens, Bangunan AHP, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

Time: 11am – 10pm (Opens daily except Sunday)

If you are a fan of seafood, then this is the place to go. This newly opened Muslim-friendly cafe in TTDI serves a range of gourmet seafood dishes that you just HAVE to try. You can also find authentic Chinese-style seafood dishes such as Mud Crabs, Honey Squid, Kapitan Mixed Seafood, and much more!

A post shared by MakotoJapaneseCuisine (@makoto.hartamas)

Location: 54, Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur

Time: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Opens daily except Monday)

This Japanese Unagi Specialty Restaurant will blow your mind! They import fresh live eels straight from Japan and onto the stove. The experienced Japanese chef used a ‘Kanto’ style of cooking, which makes the dish even better. Check out Makoto to experience authentic Unagi!

What pairs well with a delicious cup of Starbucks coffee? It might as well be Malaysia’s first premium Bahasa Malaysia weekender. Majoriti 7 is a weekly publication with a wide range of lifestyle articles and commentaries. Majoriti 7 is available every Thursday,  at selected Starbucks locations in the Klang Valley. Customers will receive a copy when they order a cup of coffee. Be quick before it runs out!

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.

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Dina Lohan Blames Past For LiLo’s Behaviour

In the recent years, we’ve heard nothing but terrible things about Lindsay Lohan’s behaviour.  To many, it seems like the child actress has slipped into a place (that involves drugs and alcohol) that’s way beyond help. But a day before LiLo is expected to appear in a New York City court as a result of her arrest in November for allegedly punching a woman at a nightclub, her mom speaks out.

According to 50-year-old Dina, her daughter’s troubles can be traced as far back as what LiLo experienced firsthand as a child. And no, she wasn’t talking about “The Parent Trap”.

“Lindsay saw her dad abused me – that’s why she’s so screwed up. Michael beat the hell out of me. She saw a lot of crazy stuff. I want the world to know the root of her problems”, Dina said. She also offered up family photos and medical records as evidence.

Among her shocking claims, she detailed a 1986 incident in which they went to dinner and after he started boozing and doing cocaine. Michael allegedly gave her a bruise under her right. She backed up her allegation with a family photo of the then-young mom holding baby Lindsay and showing a bruised face, and hospital paperwork dated 4th December 1986, that noted she was treated for “blunt trauma”.

She also went on to accuse Michael of being addicted to cocaine and that things got so bad in their relationship that the two became estranged and she alleges that he ended up raping her on 14th February 1990 while she was staying at her parents’ house as the kids were asleep.

So, let us get this straight, Dina. Your daughter is a train wreck because of your history with your ex-husband but yet you’re encouraging this “train wreck”-ness by partying and publicly making out with her? You gotta be kidding. (Source)


Fun Facts: Bite Into These Interesting “The Divergent Series” Facts

When the first of the Divergent movies finally made its way to cinemas worldwide, fans of the ridiculously awesome young adult novel series were elated. “Divergent” was so immensely popular, earning over US$288 million worldwide against its budget of US$85 million, that it soon had its own cult following.

Billed as a cross between the new “The Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter”, the Divergent series is based on a dystopian and post-apocalyptic Chicago where people are divided into 5 distinct factions based on human virtues – Dauntless (the brave), Erudite (the intelligent), Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), and Amity (the peaceful).

An individual with equal attributes of multiple factions is called a Divergent. Because Divergents can think independently, the government cannot control them and they are considered threats to the existing social order.

In 2014’s “Divergent”, we saw how Beatrice “Tris” Prior (played by Shailene Woodley), a Divergent, uncovers a looming war which threatens everyone she loves. 2015’s “Insurgent” focused on how Tris and the mysterious Four (played by Theo James) search for allies and answers while being on the run after evading a coup from Erudite faction leader Jeanine and the rest of her faction.

To best prepare you for “The Divergent Series: Allegiant“, the 3rd installment of the Divergent film franchise, here are some fun facts about the series:

1. Production for “Divergent” aka “Catbird” was kept tightly under wraps

Despite it being based on a young adult novel series, the production for “Divergent” was kept tightly under wraps. In fact, everything about the film was super hush-hush. Virtually all production photography took place in Chicago; many of the interior locations were filmed at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. While the cast and crew were working on the movie, they used the codename “Catbird” while filming public scenes to keep people from figuring out that production is taking place.

2. The author doesn’t know how far away into the future it is

Just how far away in the future are we talking about? Believe it or not, even author Veronica Roth doesn’t have an exact date for the Divergent series. She previously said, “The reason it’s not in there is because I am terrible at estimating time and how long it takes for certain things to happen and for changes to happen, so I just kept it deliberately ambiguous. When I tried to figure it out, I just stressed myself out, so I think it’s just really far in the future.”

3. Learning to rough it and tough it like a boss

The cast of “Divergent” did a lot of their own fight scenes and the skills didn’t come naturally. Apparently, they went through insane training to prep for the fight scenes – the cast only had 5 weeks to train when in reality it should have taken 3 months! On average, the main actors had 90 minutes of cardio and stretching followed by 15 minutes of knife training daily. As a result, Shailene “earned” some serious battle scars from performing some of her own stunts.

4. It’s “Allegiant” and “Ascendant” instead of “Part 1” and “Part 2”

The 3rd film, based on the novel Allegiant, was initially announced as a single film. But it was later decided that it will be split into 2 parts, making it the 4th movie franchise to do so, after with “Harry Potter”, “The Twilight Saga”, and “The Hunger Games”. Instead of being named “Allegiant: Part 1” and “Allegiant: Part 2”, the 3rd installment is just “The Divergent Series: Allegiant“, focusing on the 1st half of the book. The 4th film will focus on the 2nd half of the book, but will be called “The Divergent Series: Ascendant”.

5. “The Divergent Series: Ascendant” had its release date pushed back

The final film in the series, “The Divergent Series: Ascendant”, will be released on 9th June 2017, where it will face stiff competition from Paramount’s “World War Z 2” and Universal’s reboot of “The Mummy”. It was originally going to be released on 24th March 2017, but in December 2015, Lionsgate placed the upcoming “Power Rangers” reboot in Ascendant’s former release date. On 8th February 2016, it was confirmed that director Robert Schwentke will not return to helm the final film.

We’ll leave you now with the trailer for “The Divergent Series: Allegiant”. Enjoy:

“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” is out in a cinema near you now.

Sources: BuzzFeed, Useless Daily, Teen.com, Divergent Wiki, Divergent Factions, Variety.

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#AuntieAnnes: “Pretzel Dog” Changes Name To “Pretzel Sausage”

It was previously reported that the halal certification for Auntie Anne’s Malaysia was denied by the Department of Islamic Advancement of Malaysia (JAKIM) because of a food item named “Pretzel Dog”.

In order to meet the the country’s halal requirements, the popular food chain’s quality assurance and halal executive Farhatul Kamilah Mohamed Sazali has confirmed that the name of the said product has been changed to “Pretzel Sausage”.

When talking to the Malay Mail Online on Monday (28th November), Farhatul Kamilah said, “We changed already to ‘Pretzel Sausage’ to comply to Malaysia’s halal certification requirements.”

Last month, JAKIM’s Halal Hub director Sirajuddin Suhaimee confirmed that “Pretzel Dog” was indeed one of the reason for the rejection of the application (along with incomplete paperwork), as dogs are considered unclean and that the name cannot be related to halal certification.

Meanwhile, Auntie Anne’s also emphasised that all of their ingredients are purchased from JAKIM certified halal suppliers.

The news gained international attention after it was picked up by the Daily Mail. In the article, titled “Hot dogs will be banned in Malaysia unless restaurants agree to change their name because they sound too ‘dirty’ to be halal”, the British news outlet wrote, “Malaysia has long practised a moderate form of Islam but conservative attitudes are rising.”

What do you think of the name change? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!


Photographer Fined For Possessing Obscene Content Of Female Acquaintance

A part-time photographer was fined RM2,500 at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court for possessing a lewd video of his French acquaintance on his mobile phone at a condominium in Cheras, back in October last year.

Magistrate M. Saravanan handed down the sentence after the man named Muhamad Danish Abdul Rahim, 23, pleaded guilty to the charge. The court also ordered the accused to serve three months imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Chooi Yi requested for an appropriate sentence as the accused’s actions had humiliated the victim. According to him, “The court should take into account that the clip was shared on pornographic websites.”

The photographer, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lighter sentence, stating that he helps his parents with their financial situation. He also expressed his regret and apologised over the crime that he committed.

According to Bernama, the cameraman was charged under Section 292 of the Penal Code (for selling obscene materials).


FFF Soldiers On Without Sabrina

It has been six months since the passing of Malaysian animal activist and founder of Furry Friends Farm (FFF) Sabrina Yeap. Six long months since she succumbed to leukaemia without knowing that she was suffering from the disease. And six long months since she left behind the hundreds of dogs and cats that she had so lovingly rescued and cared for.

But her legacy lives on as her friends have kept her work alive and pushed FFF to greater heights.

One of Sabrina’s closest friends, Myza Nordin took on the responsibility to manage FFF after Sabrina’s demise although it wasn’t easy. Myza, who is the corporate communications department head of a hotel in Petaling Jaya said:

Sabrina’s death came as a shock to many of us. To make matters worse, we only found out on the day of her funeral that no plans had been made for the sanctuary if something happened to her. Where would all these animals go if we did not take up the responsibility of running the place? There wasn’t money for anything including buying food for the dogs. The veterinary bills came up to RM60,000. Luckily, members of the public and Sabrina’s friends rushed to FFF’s aid. Our dogs are healthy and happy and have got over Sabrina’s absence. We are ready to throw our doors open to the public.

Having surpassed the worst of times and the challenges, FFF will be hosting its first open day on 3rd March 2013 (Sunday) at Kundang Lake Club when visitors will be able to visit the sanctuary and participate in various activities. If you’d like to do your part and show your support for FFF, do swing by.

Venue: Kundang Lake Club, KM28, Jalan Kundang, Rawang

Meanwhile, here’s to hoping that the new law against animal abusers gets tabled soon. Then places like FFF will stop from having to take in abused or abandoned animals unnecessarily.

For more information, visit Furry Friends Farm’s Facebook page.

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BIGBANG “Still Alive” Review

VIPs all over Malaysia has probably heard that their Korean idols, BIGBANG, will soon make their way to Kuala Lumpur for their first ever world tour. As if in the nick of time, we got our hands on a copy of their “Still Alive (Special Edition)” album, which was released just months ago. Call it amping ourselves up for their show, if you will.

We spend quite a few days listening to the album on loop – but only because we couldn’t stop listening to it. True story!

BIGBANG successfully changed the face of the Korean music industry and the image of boy bands forever when they first debuted in 2006. They are perhaps most well-known for their ever-evolving styles (in terms of fashion, music, as well as personalities).

“Still Alive” is their first big great comeback, with most of its songs as highlights to their “Alive Tour 2012”. Fans around the world have waited anxiously for this release especially after hearing rumours of the group’s possible disbandment following some of the member’s scandals and allegations in 2011.

The white special edition “Still Alive” box comes with the “Still Alive” CD, a YG Family Card (YG is BIGBANG’s record label, also a talent agency), BIGBANG photo booklet, and a BIGBANG branding guide. It truly looks like a celebratory release!

We applaud the leader, Kwon Ji Yong aka G-Dragon for continuously brandishing his songwriting and producing skills. The sound of “Still Alive” is filled with electro beats and uplifting tunes. You can almost visualize K-Pop fans grooving to these songs in clubs – if you haven’t already seen it happen.

Their hit single is, of course, “Fantastic Baby”. The song is just like all their other signature dance ones which unleash the playful and sometimes wild side of BIGBANG. Listening to the song alone isn’t enough, of course.

If you search it up on YouTube, you’ll be greeted by a high energy music video complete with their sick moves:

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All that hair & makeup! Then, it seems like the K-Pop idols decided to take a step back with their second single, “Bad Boy”. A reminder of what a 90s R&B song sounds like. The song retains the charm of the members, complete with G-Dragon’s somewhat “cocky” rap. At the same time, this is our personal favourite. Bound to melt listeners’ hearts all over the world.

We hear that the music video for this song was shot in NYC over just a few days, in the blistering cold:

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“Blue” is the most significant song to their comeback, with “Winter has gone, spring is coming” as strong and poignant lyrics to kick it off. You want easy K-Pop listening? “Blue” would be the one to ease you into it. “Monster” also scored major points with us for the back-and-forth smart lyrics of G-Dragon and TOP’s rap.

More hair, makeup, and elaborate costumes can be seen in their music video:

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Other songs such as “Feeling”, “Still Alive”, and “Ego” also hit high notes with us. But we’ll let you discover BIGBANG’s great big comeback more when you decide to purchase the CD. No spoilers there! The one thing we can assure you though is that this album is definitely packed with smash hits and cutting edge electronic sounds. In terms of composition and production, we can’t think of another K-Pop group who could’ve done it better.

Yes, we’re also pretty biased. At least we’re honest!

BIGBANG’s “Still Alive (Special Edition)” is available at a music store or record store near you.

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