Page 11 - 8Days

STORY DOUGLAS TSENG MAIN PHOTO EALBERT HO

8 DAYS: Congrats! You’re the first Singaporean stand- that’s really a blessing for me and I hope I will be able
up to have a Netflix special, Almost Banned. to continue doing that, and that the people around me
FAKKAH FUZZ: This whole thing is still very surreal will continue to inspire me to tell great stories that are
to me. It’s a slow soak; I’m just soaking everything interesting enough for the world to hear. Because a lot
in. At the same time, as an artist, I always believe in of the jokes I write and tell most of the time are just
doing better than what I did last time. So now that I’ve stuff that happens to me. You can’t just write these
produced a comedy special, in my head I’m already things (laughs). I’m more of a reporter than anything
ready for the next one. I’m already in the process of else. I just report the funny things that happen around
writing that. Apart from that, it feels great (laughs). me. I want to be the voice of the common person. I
The special was filmed at Capitol Theatre last year. want to be able to connect with them, and also be able
Did you do anything differently from your regular to tell their truths and stories to as many people as
shows? possible.
The main concern for me was that I could be myself
throughout the show. This is going to be out there Jungle fever: Fuzz and his
forever, so I don’t want it to be there where I’m being Throwback: Balik Kampong
somebody else. I’m a very simple dude, so this show, co-host Rozz Lee.
in terms of appearance, it’s really what I wear normally.
I have a shirt and jeans, and a nice hip-hop jacket.
Viewers get to see me for a whole hour in the special!
Usually, when I’m doing a live show, they only see a few
snippets.
Did you study other Netflix specials to prepare for
your show?
I’m a student of Def Comedy Jam, man. I study those
guys. But it wasn’t because of this Netflix special that
I learnt from them. I always learn from them anyway.
I always watch them, like Hannibal Buress and Dave Are you game for another season of the retro-reality
Chappelle. I watched them on a daily basis and I was show Throwback: Balik Kampong?
studying them a lot. I always watch them when I want to I don’t want to experience that again (laughs). I’m
remind myself why I’m doing this, because these guys not made for it, I’ve gotten too comfortable (laughs).
are masters of their craft, and I hope to be as good as I’ve gotten soft! I can’t go back to the kampong
them one day. anymore. I’m domesticated (laughs). But if there is an
What are your thoughts about Louis CK’s sexual opportunity, I’d do it. Rozz [Lee] is a great co-host; I
harassment scandal? I don’t find him that funny would love to work with her again, even if it’s not Balik
anymore, knowing now that so much of that joy he Kampong. We’ve got great chemistry, so I think it’s
created came from causing pain to others. more of that than anything else.
When you look up to someone like him, you also
idolise their thought processes, and it’s disappointing
to know that somebody with such complex thought
processes doesn’t have basic common sense to know
what they did have repercussions. I think he didn’t
really understand what he was doing until all this
[#MeToo movement] started to happen. He thought
that if he were just touching himself and not the girl, You’re also featured in DBS Paylah! ads. What’s up
it’s okay. But he didn’t understand that what he did with that grin? What did the art director say to you
was [inappropriate]. If you’re supposed to bring joy to during the shoot?
people but when the opposite happens, it takes away They told me, “Imagine your clients pay you on time”
everything that you stand for. (laughs). I don’t know! I was just being me. I’m a grinny
Can you imagine someone like, say, Dave Chappelle is person. You don’t see a lot of normal pictures of me.
watching you now on Netflix? It’s always of me doing something stupid. Not a lot of
I guess it’s easier to be noticed now. If somebody from pictures with my mouth closed too. That’s how I know I
Dubai sees me, “Oh, why don’t you come over here talk too much (laughs). So a picture like that is normal
for a show?” That’s what I want: If you can fly me out to me, and the direction given was, just be myself.
for a show, that’s cool. So part of the reason I do this
is so that I could travel the world. If I get to do that, Fakkah Fuzz: Almost Banned is now streaming on Netflix.

8 DAYS | 9