Zahid Zahid Zahid! Congratulations to a man destined to be a star. Just remember that you read me predicting he’ll win right here in Undergrounduate Central a few months back(Heaven in TVland ) . He doesn’t need Akademi Fantasia to teach him how to perform and sing but without it, would he be discovered? That’s a question we must ask ourselves before we start criticizing the show. There are two sides to everything. On one hand, it is almost sad that the only way young talents can grow and be popular nowadays is through these reality tv-shows. On the other hand, it is even sadder to see young talents NOT being discovered because they can’t find a way to BE discovered. You can be a good singer, even a great one, but you’ll forever be singing at night pubs (just like Zahid) unless you have the connections to be discovered. Some get lucky, like Ezlynn, but most will just chase the dream. These shows give them a platform, although generic in nature and too polished to be raw, that would showcase what they’ve got. I hope and wish that young talents can get the chance to be a star WITHOUT going through these shows, but I also find it a pity that talents are not recognized just because they came through these shows. Don’t be an elitist. If it’s good, it’s good no matter where it came from.

Football season’s back!!! The perennial pretenders, Liverpool and Newcastle, drew their admittedly tough away games to Tottenham and Midboro respectively. I saw snippets of Liverpool’s game (in between breaks during THE concert), and my frank opinion is that they look the same side as last season. Their continued over-dependence on Steven Gerrard as a source of inspiration would make them vulnerable in his absence. If this continues, I can’t see any reason why any of the top three should be worried. Tottenham was impressive in the second half, especially the prodigious talent of Jermaine Defoe, whom I predict would pair up with Rooney in the England squad of the future. Newcastle, despite having to deal with conjunctivitis infections, managed a draw against a new-look, expensively assembled Midboro squad. Respect should be given when it is due, so hats off to Nicky Butt for an impressive opening game in the black and whites. But as so often with Robson’s side, their defense failed to contain a surprising lackluster Boro midfield. I watched this game with Freddie at our regular hangout and I have to say – football’s coming home!!

Now if these two separate paragraphs sounds alien to some of my readers (Fleur, I suspect, would be disappointed to discover that yes, I’m just the jiwang melayu jock), I apologize. Sometimes it’s just nice to write something that I’M passionate about, instead of just commenting on something that’s beyond me. It’s selfish, I know, and I pray to god that this site doesn’t turn into a personal diary, where love poems are written and “I bought a pen today” is the normal entry. It’s just that sometimes, there’s nothing more satisfying than writing on something you love and if that includes a talent show where talent is secondary, then so be it. Au RevOir