Mad Media

I've been trying to work out which Radio stations to tune into and what newspapers to read and there are a few that are OK to either listen to, or read respectively. I am amused by the music selection that's played and question some of the newspaper articles / adverts that might be considered offensive or embarrass people from the West. 

Music: Over the last few days/weeks (either in taxis or at home) the sounds that have been played include: Village People's "YMCA", Gloria Gaynor's  "I Will Survive", Abba's "Dancing Queen", "Honey, Honey", "Chiquitita", Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", Hazel Dean's "Wherever I Go, Whatever I Do" and "Searching (Lookin' For Love)", Madonna's "La Isla Bonita - full disco Dolly HI-NRG version", Risk Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy", The Nolan Sisters' "I'm in the Mood for Dancing", The Dooleys' "Wanted", Charlene's "(I've Been To Paradise But) I've Never Been to Me"... and so on.

For a country where homosexuality is illegal, i do find these choices rather suspect! 

In the last taxi that I got, however, the driver tuned into a hip hop station, and I nearly asked his to turn it off as it was driving me mad, and nowhere near as funny.

Newspaper Articles: There are many articles, on a regular basis, on a really pointless quest to finding poor English in the city (either pictures or anecdotes from bad teachers) and asking what is correct and they seem to get so worked up about the stupidest of things, for example:

"OH it's driving me mad, absolutely mad. Why, oh why do people insist on saying "I should of" when it is SO OBVIOUSLY wrong, and should be "I should have". Please, Please, PLEASE everyone try and get it right!"

Please, Please, PLEASE try and get a fucking life!

There was an article in the newspaper today about explaining what drug dealers, and other low lives, were – and it was completely ridiculous: it started by "setting the scene" and described your typical drug dealer, just so you could spot one. Apparently anyone wearing an open necked checked shirt, revealing a hairy chest, with those side burns that are "so closely cropped and come down below the ear" is a suspect and you should be aware. 

Great. I look like a drug dealer in a country that locks you up for at least 15 years for even thinking about drugs!

This warning also reminded me of another article asking everyone to be aware of beggars in KL "who look like foreigners and are probably putting their poverty on, as they will be dressed in clothes or shoes of someone who would have money. They are most likely Chinese." 

Dodgy Advertising: Today's paper featured a multitude of adverts for weight control products, as "everyone knows how it was disgusting to be fat". Literally, those words, and there were undertones that you should not be seen in public if you are overweight.

Another newspaper had an advert for laxatives featuring a man sitting on the loo with an expression on his face that was clearly of him straining to get one out. Opposite this man, on the next page, was the advert with the question "Do you sometimes wet yourself?" 

No shame!