OLD ANTICS FOR NOW

A FRIEND asked what my ``verdict'' was on the Jamali Shadat Show which ended its run on ntv7 last month. Holding on to past memories have always been a weakness on my part so watching Jamali Shadat Show would be a joy. Or so I thought.

Excitement got the better of me when I dutifully parked myself in front of the tube to watch the popular funnyman in action and to relish all his impersonations and mimicry.

But the show got off to a slow start. It's quite difficult to explain why some things don't work the way they used to. It's like hearing the Alleycats play before and now; the effect is very different.

Jamali invited guest artistes Yusni Jaafar and Hamid Gurkha to spice up his show.

Well, old hands like Yusni and Hamid were able to deliver their lines confidently and naturally even though most of the time, the jokes sounded silly.

There were more slapstick jokes than I could stomach. And you know what they say about slapstick comedy - you feel more sorry than anything.

No doubt Jamali was a professional in impersonating the three main ethnic groups, especially his famous ``Atan'' and ``Atuk'' characters.

And when he rolled his tongue when speaking like an Indian, or utter his words in a sing-song tone like a Chinese, it tickled many in the audience.

But that was as far as it went. It came to a point when I could not take it anymore. One show or, at the most, two were all I could take. The ideas weren't fresh and there was nothing to look forward to in the coming episodes.

Jamali Shadat Show was a tad too boring and cliched because I think he has lost his charismatic appeal. Perhaps he has lost touch with the current scene.

Back in the early 1970s, when Jamali shot to fame after winning Bakat TV in 1971, stand-up comedy was something new in Malaysia. When Jamali cooked up slapstick jokes, it was pretty cool and different. But that was then.

In 2001, Jamali is still playing to the same gallery, the likes of Yusni and Hamid whereas the current craze in Malay comedy now is the wacky and hilarious Senario.

For the 20 episodes that were screened, Jamali could have easily invited comedians such as Imuda, Sabri Yunus, Ahmad Busu or even Harith Iskandar, the other stand-up comic.

To be fair to Jamali, diehards would still love him no matter what antics he pulled. Even children or those who have never seen Jamali before would find him funny. I would like to think it was the slapstick jokes that brought the laughs.

Chef Wan the host

But it must be said that Jamali was very professional in hosting the show. As a moderator and host, Jamali was superb in comparison to Chef Wan, who took over from singer-turned-host Helmi Gimmick in Famili Ceria, aired at 7.30pm from Monday to Friday on ntv7.

Chef Wan has the tendency to rattle on and not pay attention to the time allocated to him.

He should realise that this is NOT his own show, like the many cookery shows that he hosts; a quiz programme requires the host to adhere to the time given.

This celebrity chef, despite being his own funny, wacky and spontaneous self, was oblivious to his surroundings. He could make anyone feel at ease straightaway with his modest and humble ways but when hosting a quiz show, he must not get carried away or bask in the limelight too much because it shows.

It's easy to understand why Chef Wan was picked to replace Helmi. With his popularity, he can attract more people to watch the game show.

It's unfortunate that Helmi had to be taken off Famili Ceria after steadily making a name for himself as host.

However, it is too soon to predict what Chef Wan would cook up next. There is still time for the celebrity chef to improve himself.

BY ZIEMAN - PUBLISHED 13/6/2001