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Bitter-sweet split for Morning Express duo

SINGAPORE — It’s time to bid farewell to one of local radio’s most popular duos.

SINGAPORE — It’s time to bid farewell to one of local radio’s most popular duos.

Come Aug 19, radio DJs Glenn Ong and The Flying Dutchman, or FD, as he is commonly known, will be hosting their last show together on Class 95FM’s The Morning Express after a solid 10-year on-air partnership. FD, whose real name is Mark van Cuylenburg, will swop places with Gold 90.5FM DJ Joe Augustin, who currently hosts The Gold Breakfast Show with Vernetta Lopez. Class 95FM will also welcome its new music director, Jeremy Ratnam, who joins the station with 18 years of experience in radio broadcasting.

Both pairs — FD and Lopez, and Ong and Augustin — will begin their new partnerships on Aug 20. Both shows air from 6am to 10am on weekdays.

“Ten years is one heck of a long time. You begin to think the partnership will never end, but all good things must come to an end. It’s really strange even thinking about working on radio without Glenn as a partner,” said FD in an e-mail interview.

The veteran DJ, who has been hosting The Morning Express for almost 17 years, also said he has come to think of Ong as a true friend and partner-in-crime.

“I’ve had many partners on The Morning Express, but Glenn has been the best by far,” he said. “He has always been there for me, through the good and the bad. He was someone I could turn to when I wasn’t sure where I was going. He put up with a lot of my nonsense.”

He added: “Glenn brought something very special to the show. He made it real. He taught me one of the most important lessons I’ve learnt on radio, be true to yourself. I will be forever thankful.”

FD and Ong began their partnership in 2003, when Ong and DJ Rod Monteiro moved from Perfect 10 to join FD on Class 95FM’s The Morning Express. Monteiro left the show in 2005.

“It’s surreal, I still can’t believe it. I thought FD and I would be partners for life. I’m heartbroken and I think I’ll miss him terribly,” said Ong.

“He was everything a partner should be — considerate, understanding, fun and always knowing exactly what to say when I was throwing a fit! He’d even laugh at my jokes when they were downright mean. Over 10 years together on the most successful and lucrative morning show in the history of radio here in Singapore, I’m devastated.”

What Ong said he would miss is their “effortless chemistry” and FD’s easygoing nature. “Can’t believe I’m getting grumpy cat. I don’t even like cats!” he said, referring to Augustin, who isn’t a stranger to controversy and taking potshots at anybody — even his new partner.

“Given the things I’ve said about him both publicly and privately, you’ve got to admit this partnership is improbable,” said Augustin.

“Not that that wouldn’t work — I just imagine there had to be few other names that would have come up before his. And I imagine it must be pretty much the same for Glenn — I am the guy who once said something he did was ‘scum-worthy’.”

But Augustin, who began co-hosting The Gold Breakfast Show with Lopez earlier this year, says his current partner has some strange habits of her own.

“She wears four-inch heels for the radio show sometimes. And when she’s running to get into the studio, you can hear her heels click right through the soundproofing,” said Augustin, who calls his experience working with Lopez “enlightening”.

Lopez is perhaps the only person who isn’t too upset about the new arrangement, even though she calls having to leave Augustin after working together for only seven months “bitter-sweet”. “But the ‘sweet’ part came with the thought of working with FD again. It’s like going home, but into a new house,” said Lopez.

Lopez, who hosted The Morning Express with Ong and FD for three years until 2012, also ranked FD as the best to work with among the three.

“Glenn is the worst! He loves to butt in with things that get us into trouble. Joe is no better — God forgive anyone who puts him on air when there’s a tragedy. And FD — well he’s the best,” she quipped.

It’s this sort of spark that listeners can look forward from next Tuesday, said Georgina Chang, MediaCorp Radio’s assistant vice-president, English Programming, who says she looks forward to people responding, reacting and enjoying the new partnerships.

“Glenn is the people’s DJ who speaks up for the masses. Joe is a witty DJ who will stimulate you intellectually. We got all the corners covered here,” she said. “FD has many fans whose lifestyle and music taste resonates with Gold. He has a proven comfortable chemistry with Vernetta.”

The public’s feedback online came almost immediately after the announcement was made yesterday morning. Needless to say, the response was mixed.

“Can’t wait to listen to The New Morning Show! It’s going to be an awesome show,” posted Ivan Lim on Augustin’s Facebook page.

“Darn! I have to find the knob and tune my radio from Class 95FM to Gold 90.5FM,” wrote Albert Koey on Lopez’s page, while Francis Lee posted: “Wow! This is Earth Shattering man!! ‘If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’.”

“I’m not goin to listen to radio in the mornings anymore ... i just hope this is some gimmick or joke u guys r playin on us,” wrote Joanne Loh on Class 95FM’s Facebook page, while Abdullah Yusoff wrote: “Much as I love Venetta Lopez it is goodbye to 90.5 — I’ll follow Mr Augustin though”.

FD has some pretty good advice for Augustin, who will have to find ways to endure working with Ong.

“Be prepared for a man who truly believes in radio and someone who will run the extra mile for his show. Glenn is someone who truly believes in pushing boundaries and he is extremely good at it,” he said. “And by the way, he exercises during the shift. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

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