Shows / Yah Lah But
Yah Lah But
A thrice weekly podcast on conversations Singaporeans are having but not saying out loud – politics, culture, identity. Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia consider every side, never quite agree, and never play it safe. Honest, informed, always worth arguing about. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.
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Episodes
Yah Lah But#168 - The viral video with racist remarks towards an interracial couple & why Chinese netizens are mocking Singapore
Singapore was set abuzz with the racist video that went viral. People were pissed, including MP Shanmugam, but what happens next? Elsewhere, SG’s policy on…
Yah Lah But#167 - Simu Liu’s salty FB post about “Kim’s Convenience” being cancelled & the leaked audio of SG Streamer KiaraaKitty’s "scams"
Upcoming Marvel hero Simu Liu bared all on Facebook about the cancellation of the show he stars in. Was it fair or is he being “entitled”? Back home, SG…
Yah Lah But#166 - Is Forex trading a SCAM? We talk to a Forex Trader so you don’t have to
The pandemic and the GameStop saga made everyone more interested in personal investing and trading. We hear terms like Forex, but does it sound too good to be…
Yah Lah But#165 - Should Singapore cancel the F1 & backlash against a Hari Raya standee made from a couple’s wedding photo
It’s week 3 of PA-TOO-HA (P2HA) and things are looking optimistic, but should the Singapore F1 event still happen this year? What are the pros and cons? Did we…
Yah Lah But#164 - Our first Chinese TV series, why TikTok is “the most toxic” & life as an OG Actor (feat. Noah Yap)
The long-form train continues with the release of our first-ever Chinese comedy series: “The Amazing Showman”, hot on the heels of our first audio pilot &…
Yah Lah But#163 - Should NS enlist both men AND women & WWE Star John Cena apologises to China
At a recent forum, AWARE Chief Corinna Lim said practices that skew views of what it means to be a man should be reviewed, especially in National Service which…
Yah Lah But#162 - SMRT Feedback apologises after police report lodged against them & the $300 fine for not clearing your trays
The once-famous satirical Facebook page, SMRT Feedback, posted something that questioned the loyalty of Muslims to their country, and pissed off the internet…
Yah Lah But#161 - Why retailers are calling for a “Circuit Breaker” & the aesthetic doctor in legal tussles with Fann Wong
It’s Week 1 of “Phase 2 Heightened Alert” and it feels weird. So weird that some retailers are actually calling for a Circuit Breaker. But why? Elsewhere, an…
Yah Lah But#160 - Vivian Balakrishnan squashes rumours of variant “found in “S’pore” & the SG Art Museum wants pics of your butt
When the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted a warning about the variant from Singapore and pleaded with Indian officials to stop flights from SG, Vivian B curtly…
Yah Lah ButYLB #159 - An NCID Director warns Covid-19 situation in SG is “more dangerous” & the “bold” statement from Miss Singapore Universe
In a viral Whatsapp message that was verified by TODAY and the Straits Times, Dr David Lye, an infectious diseases expert, said the situation in SG is “likely…
Yah Lah ButYLB #158 - Harsh Dalal's removal from Forbes 30 Under 30 & Tesla's U-turn on Bitcoin
The youngest honouree in Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 class, 19-year-old Harsh Dalal from Singapore, was unceremoniously removed from the list after Tech In Asia…
Yah Lah ButYLB #157 - Taking “umbrage” at Khaw BW's role at SPH & the foreigner who didn’t want to wear a mask
On 6 May, SPH announced that it was spinning off its media business into a non-profit arm. At the press conference, the SPH CEO lost his cool and created the…
Yah Lah ButYLB #156 - The new S’porean CEO of TikTok & is Will Smith a SELL OUT?
On 1 May 2021, it was announced that Chew Shou Zi, a Singaporean, will be the new CEO of TikTok. But why did his nationality cause so much debate in SG…
Yah Lah ButYLB #155 - Our ASK-ME-ANYTHING episode (Pt. 2) where we answer more BURNING questions
After Part 1 (YLB Ep #150), we round up all the questions with the next (and final) installment of this round of AMA. More saucy questions like the future of…
Yah Lah ButYLB #154 - SudhirTV on Burning Man, the SG Media Landscape and Chinese Privilege
We finally had the chance to sit down with writer / commentator SudhirTV to pick his brain about his “non-establishment” views, his political awakening, and…
Yah Lah ButYLB #153 - What the Cabinet reshuffle means & the $250 SG Premier League for Young Player of the Month
7 of the 15 Ministries will have new Ministers leading them after PM Lee unveiled his new Cabinet line-up. But what does it imply about the frontrunner for PM…
Yah Lah ButYLB #152 - A mother is told to wear a t-shirt due to her “revealing” swimsuit & Joanna Dong gets roasted
A mother who accompanied her 3-year-old son to swim school spoke out against being told to cover up because her swimsuit was apparently too sexy for the other…
Yah Lah ButYLB #151 - Europe’s biggest football clubs piss fans off with proposed “super league” & Abercrombie closes in SG
12 clubs, including the likes of Man Utd, Liverpool, Barcelona & Juventus, announced plans to form a European Super League. It’s probably the biggest…
Yah Lah ButYLB #150 - Our first-ever ASK-ME-ANYTHING where we answer your BURNING questions (Part 1)
This is our 150th YLB episode and to celebrate our awesome fans and 500,000+ streams in little over a year, we’re gonna answer questions our listeners have…
Yah Lah ButYLB #149 - Naiise visited by debt collectors on their last day of business & K-beauty brand Innisfree accused of “greenwashing”
After local retailer Naiise announced that they’ll be closing their last outlet at Jewel Changi Airport, news spread that some vendors are still owed up to…
Yah Lah ButYLB #148 - DPM Heng steps down as leader of 4G team & SG’s new “hunky guy cleaning service”
On Thursday afternoon, DPM Heng (a.k.a Sugar Daddy Heng) made a monumental announcement that means he’s no longer in the running to be PM. But what happens…
Yah Lah ButYLB #147 - “Pedestrianise” road experiment gets mixed reactions & the couple who painted over a $672,000 artwork
Earlier this year, 2 roads in Singapore were selected to trial pedestrianisation. 3 months in, the reactions are mixed and Ho Ching has suggested licenses for…
Yah Lah ButYLB #146 - Chinese celebs boycott Nike and Adidas over Xinjiang cotton controversy & SMRT staff to start shushing us on trains
After weeks of political aggression and sanctions, Chinese celebs like Eason Chan and Dilraba called for boycotts of Nike, H&M, Adidas and other western brands…
Yah Lah ButYLB #145 - Our first space comedy TV show, and it’s in TAMIL! (feat. SSV, our writer-director)
We’ve got a TV Pilot and we need your help to make it a full series. Details below! As for the episode, we speak to the writer-director of said episode, SSV…
Yah Lah ButYLB #144 - Is this the end of “work from home” in SG & the Suez Canal gets jammed up
On Apr 5, 75% of staff may return to the office, up from the current 50%. And the public service is taking the lead. But will “work from home” disappear, or…
Yah Lah ButYLB #143 - Ngee Ann poly students urinating on others & the couple in trouble for having THREE Weddings
A leaked video of the students urinating on others during a suspected hazing ritual at Ngee Ann Poly went viral, and police are investigating. Plot twist in…
Yah Lah ButYLB #142 - CEO of You Tiao Man replies to angry Sparkletots email about tattoos & the first SG-born table tennis Olympian
The CEO of You Tiao Man posted her reply on Facebook, but the weirder thing is that the email was sent from a professional work email at PCF Sparkletots…
Yah Lah ButYLB #141 - Anthony Chen on directing a Marvel movie, awards acceptance speeches & the future of film in Singapore
We have a heart-to-heart with Anthony Chen, arguably Singapore’s most decorated filmmaker (1 Cannes Camera D’or award + 6 Golden Horse awards baby!). We talk…
Yah Lah ButYLB #140 - The controversial "woke" article by Bertha Henson’s student & the SG music conductor from Russia who now delivers food
On 14 Mar 2021, the TODAY newspaper published an op-ed article criticising cancel culture and “wokeness”. It was by Dana Teoh, a student of media veteran…
Yah Lah ButYLB #139 - Why Oprah’s interview with Meghan and Harry is so polarizing & “Count on me, S’pore” copied in India
We finally watched the FULL interview and we try to make sense of it all. Was it fair? Why do some people hate it, while others love it? What could come next?…
Yah Lah ButYLB #138 - A viral nature “influencer” on the Kranji forest clearing, wild boars & SG nature (feat. Biogirl MJ)
We speak to BiogirlMJ, one half of the duo behind the viral facebook page “Just Keep Thinking”, which has amassed more than 80,000 followers and tons of viral…
Yah Lah ButYLB #137 - The Govt’s project to unite S’poreans through football & is Viswa Sadasivan talking about casual racism?
MCCY’s Minister Edwin Tong announced a national FOOTBALL project to encourage youths to train and go professional. It even includes a “football curriculum” for…
Yah Lah ButYLB #136 - Singapore’s first ARTS university & SingPass to be used to verify age when buying beer
In the same week that the Substation announced their closure, education minister Lawrence Wong announced that the first university of the arts will be formed…
Yah Lah ButYLB #135 - The Substation closes down amidst outcries & the 2 women hospitalised after a spin class
After weeks of buzzing, the Substation finally announced their decision to close permanently after 30 years of being a mainstay in the SG arts scene. Some…
Yah Lah ButYLB #134 - A wild boar gets euthanized in SG & thousands sign a petition against “vaccine passports” in the UK
After a couple of attacks on people, a wild boar was captured in Punggol on the afternoon of Fri, 26 Feb. By the evening, it was euthanized due to “aggressive…
Yah Lah ButYLB #133 - SG Pastor asks girls to dress more “modestly” & the new app that allow you to “chope” parking lots
On Feb 21, Pastor Joanne Chow published a post on the instagram account of @Thir.st, a local Christian publication, asking women not to dress in a revealing or…
Yah Lah ButYLB #132 - NUS drops Viswa Sadasivan & Disney drops Mandalorian star Gina Carano
The case of the alleged sexual harrassment by Ex-NMP Viswa Sadasivan continues, with him being dropped by NUS for “all projects”. He also steps down from the…
Yah Lah ButYLB #131 - Australia fights back against Facebook & the Kranji forest clearing screw-up
Overnight, Facebook literally turned off their services in Australia and caused a news Australia is still pressing on with their law forcing Facebook to pay…
Yah Lah ButYLB #130 - The most controversial part of Budget 2021 & David Letterman gets called a “bully”
Our DPM a.k.a. Sugardaddy Heng unveiled the budget for 2021 on 16 Feb, and it covers A LOT. It looks good on paper, but is it really that good? Could there be…
Yah Lah ButYLB #129 - The consequences of the horrible car crash at Tanjong Pagar & the Malaysian Govt wants to stop sugar daddies
On 13 Feb, Singapore woke up to the horrible news of a car crash that killed all 5 passengers. Investigations are ongoing, but is it just the fault of the…
Yah Lah ButYLB #128 - Should Singapore companies withdraw from Myanmar & the man who scammed $1m by impersonating Ho Ching
A week after the coup d’etat by Myanmar’s military on 1 Feb 2021, SG businessman and Razer co-founder Lim Kaling cut his minority shareholding of a Burmese…
Yah Lah ButYLB #127 - Sexual harassment, patriarchy in Singapore, & Viswa Sadasivan vs Sharul Channa (Feat. AWARE Singapore)
We talk to Margaret Thomas, founder member & current president of AWARE Singapore, and Jasmine Ng, board member of AWARE & producer of their acclaimed podcast…
Yah Lah ButYLB #126 - Ex-NMP Viswa Sadasivan accused of sexual harassment & SG Condo forbids maids from using facilities
On 4 Feb, ex-NMP Viswa Sadasivan after he was accused of sexual harassment by Sharul Channa, a famous local comedienne whom he interviewed for his TV show…
Yah Lah ButYLB #125 - Backlash against Dover Forest development & does MOE want to track our kids’ web history?
A viral video of Clementi forest in 2020 shone light on development plans for the Clementi and Dover forests. But do we always have to choose between nature…
Yah Lah ButYLB #124 - US travellers get deported from Bali after tweeting & fake news about CNY safety ambassadors
On 17 Jan 2021, Kristen Gray, a US “digital nomad” living in Bali for the past year, posted a Twitter thread proclaiming her “elevated lifestyle” that went…
Yah Lah ButYLB #123 - Sec 4 student detained for terrorist attack plans & Redditors take on Wall Street with GameStop stock
On Jan 27, the ISD issued a press release with details on a 16-year-old Singaporean boy who was detained in Dec 2020 for planning terrorist attacks on 2…
Yah Lah ButYLB #122 - A mother gets pissed at SAF for making her wait & ALL bicycles in SG now need brakes (feat. Rishi Budhrani)
On Jan 23, a mother posted on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page about how frustrated she was at having to wait 2 hours for her son to book out of camp. The…
Yah Lah ButYLB Week in History #2 - 18 years after GLADIATOR, Russell Crowe says kids these days have “no focus”
In Jan 2003, Russell Crowe became famous for “Gladiator”. 18 years later in Jan 2021, he became infamous for getting pissed at a tweet that called "Master and…
Yah Lah ButYLB #121 - The pride flag controversy at SMOL eatery & tighter COVID rules for CNY?
On 18 Jan, the owner of SMOL eatery, a local F&B establishment, uploaded a CCTV video of a random man who ripped off a pride flag on display and hurled abuse…
Yah Lah ButYLB #120 - MOE gets backlash after rant by transgender student & Boris Johnson wants UK to be “like Singapore”
A transgender student recently ranted on Reddit about MOE blocking her hormone therapy. The post went viral, and MOE responded with a post of their own. It got…
Yah Lah ButYLB #119 - Trump’s social media ban & Uncle Roger gets backlash about China
President Trump’s ban from Big Tech platforms has been lauded by loads of people, but is it a good thing? Closer to home, Malaysian comedian Uncle Roger got…
Yah Lah ButYLB Week in History #1: 2017 Australian Open & the birth of Wikipedia
It’s our new “3rd EPISODE”, where we look at 2 interesting things that happened this week in any past year. Today, it’s the epic tennis final between Roger…
Yah Lah ButYLB #118 - Backlash against TraceTogether’s data use & PM Lee listed on Carousell for $5m
On 4 Jan 2021, the Govt revealed that data from the TraceTogether app could be used by the police for investigation of crimes, which prompted a LOT of debate…
Yah Lah ButYLB #117 - Rioters run wild on Capitol Hill & the 3 women accused of whitewashing Mahjong
Trump supporters went apeshit and stormed Capitol Hill to protest the 2020 US Election results, but why is that being referred to as a catastrophe of epic…
Yah Lah ButYLB #116 - KL-Singapore High Speed Rail gets #Cancelled & Man Utd’s Cavani gets banned for a “racial slur”
On 1 Jan 2021, the plans for the KL-SG HSR was scrapped after SG & M’sia couldn’t agree on a way forward. But after all the work since 2013, why did this…
Yah Lah ButYLB #115 - News in 2020 we wanted to talk about but DIDN’T
2020 has been _______ . We’ll leave that to you to fill up. Amidst the craziness, that are stories we didn’t cover on YLB for whatever reason. From UFOs to…
Yah Lah ButYLB #114 - Ah Boys to Men actor and other celebs flout COVID Rules & the influencers selling “pre-loved” pillows
Maxi Lim, the Ah Boys to Men actor, is being investigated for flouting COVID19 rules at his recent wedding, while Sonia Chew and 12 other local celebs did the…
Yah Lah ButYLB #113 - Singapore moves into Phase 3 & hotel staycations cause 7-hour queues
On 14 Dec 2020, Singapore stopped again to watch PM Lee announce Phase 3 starting on 28 Dec 2020. But why that date, and what does it mean for Singaporeans? On…
Yah Lah ButYLB #112 - Is Warners Bros killing the cinema industry? Feat Antti Toivonen, co-writer of Tiong Bahru Social Club
Warner Bros announced that they’ll be releasing their entire 2021 slate of movies (17 of them) simultaneously on their streaming platform AND cinemas. Lots of…
Yah Lah ButYLB #111 - MP Shanmugam is unhappy with UN’s decision on cannabis & Yeezy release draws huge crowds in Orchard
On 2 Dec 2020, the UN reclassified Cannabis and no longer considers it a risky narcotic. But MP Shan was unhappy and said it’s because of “money”. Does he have…