Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

First ever Lions Charity Show raises over S$3.3 million

SINGAPORE — Mediacorp’s Lions Charity Show 2016, held on Sunday night, raised S$3,317,730 for the Lions Home for the Elders and the Lions Befrienders, a welfare organisation that works with the elderly.

Not just for laughs: Lee Teng, Ben Yeo, Jeffrey Xu, Shane Pow and Jeremy Chan performed a rap as well as their own salsa-suited version of the PSY song Daddy.

Not just for laughs: Lee Teng, Ben Yeo, Jeffrey Xu, Shane Pow and Jeremy Chan performed a rap as well as their own salsa-suited version of the PSY song Daddy.

SINGAPORE — Mediacorp’s Lions Charity Show 2016, held on Sunday night, raised S$3,317,730 for the Lions Home for the Elders and the Lions Befrienders, a welfare organisation that works with the elderly.

Not only was it the first show held for these beneficiaries, it was also the first live show held at the new The Theatre @ Mediacorp.

In line with the theme of “active and graceful ageing,” the show included performances by active senior citizens. Also making an appearance were artistes such as Chen Hanwei, Zheng Geping and Hong Hui Fang, as well as local getai veterans who had taken part in the singing competition show Getai Challenge.

A duet segment by veteran singers Susanna Kwan and Johnny Yip raised the highest sum, a notable S$271,570 in donations.

Another highlight of the show featured Pornsak performing a musical item with his 92-year-old father; he played the violin and sang while his father played the erhu. It was extra special to be able to take to the stage with his father, Pornsak said. “When you think about it, how many more opportunities are there going to be? I’m just glad that he enjoyed himself so much.

“He asked, ‘Was I good?’ I said, ‘You were so good.’ He said, ‘Then how come they only asked me to play the song once? Yesterday (at the rehearsal) they asked me to play it four times.’ I said, ‘Today, it’s live!’”

On the comedic front, Lee Teng, Ben Yeo, Jeffrey Xu, Shane Pow and Jeremy Chan performed a rap as well as their own salsa-suited version of the PSY song Daddy, complete with cheesy moves and stick-on moustaches. “They chose a huge one for me,” said Shane Pow, whose moustache inspired by 1980s American TV show Magnum PI threatened to devour his face. “I guess the size of the moustache is in direct proportion to your masculinity,” he quipped.

In addition, Zoe Tay, Kym Ng, Rebecca Lim and Pan Ling Ling performed an instrumental song using a coin-operated piano specially flown in from Taiwan, as did a quartet of children aged between seven and nine. Tay, who confessed to not having a single musical cell in her body, shared that they were scolded during rehearsals for not performing as well as the children — but there were only one or two slip-ups during the live performance, said Ng, when the coin inserted into the piano failed to produce a note.

Hosted by Guo Liang, Quan Yi Fong, Pornsak and Lee Teng, the night’s foreign guest performers included 1980s songstress Anna Lin, jazz singer-songwriter Yen-J and Hong Kong’s G.E.M.

Although the funds raised during the show fell short of the S$3.7 million target, telepoll lines remain open until Jan 31. Those interested can call 1900 112 0010 for a S$10 donation, 1900 112 0020 for a S$20 donation and 1900 112 0050 for a S$50 donation. May Seah

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.