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Jack Neo (born 24 January 1960), is a Singaporean film and television actor, host and director. He was prominently a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1983 to 2003.He left Mediacorp in 2003 to concentrate as a director for films. He is best known for his cross-dressing roles, as Liang Po Po (literally: Granny Liang) and Liang Xi Mei in the long-running television comedy show Comedy Nite.

Career[]

Neo wrote and acted in a comedy skit for Tanjong Katong Secondary School at the age of 14.[1][2][3]

Neo started his career on television in 1980 and became one of the most successful and recognisable celebrities in Mediacorp for his comedic roles on both film and television. His two most notable cross-dressing roles on film and television are Liang Po Po and Liang Xi Mei, both skits in the long-running comedy variety show Comedy Nite. Neo made his directorial debut in That One Not Enough (1999) and he set up his own artiste management company, J Team Productions, whose members include comedians Mark Lee, Henry Thia and John Cheng.

Neo's films satirise several aspects about Singapore in comical ways, including societal issues such as negligent parenting and school corporal punishment, and foreign issues such as the water disputes between Singapore and Malaysia. Apart from his film and TV career, Neo has also recorded and produced a number of albums.

Neo received the Best Director Award at the Silver Screen Awards in 1998 for his short film and was also awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the following year in recognition of his contributions to Singapore's media industry. Since then, he became a filmmaker and created his first film, Money No Enough, directed by Tay Teck Lock and released into cinemas on 7 May 1998. In 2004, Neo became the first filmmaker in Singapore to be honoured with the Public Service Award. He also received the Cultural Medallion on 21 October 2005 together with musician Dick Lee.[4]

In 2008, Neo and Mark Lee bought the Singapore master franchise rights for Old Town White Coffee, a coffee retail concept from Ipoh, Malaysia. Their first store at Big Splash opened on 30 March in that year.

In 2013, Neo announced the creation of J Team Academy, an educational institute which aimed to bring together industry experts to groom new film-making talent. The academy opened on 6 April 2013.[5] In September, Neo won the Best Actor award for his role in Homecoming (2011) at the 1st Golden Wau Awards, aimed at promoting Chinese-language Malaysian films.[6]

In October 2014, the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum unveiled a wax figure of Neo. The statue depicts Neo dressed in a denim shirt with rolled-up sleeves giving two thumbs up - a pose he has struck previously in several media interviews.[7]

2015 saw the release of Neo's short film as part of the omnibus 7 Letters to commemorate Singapore's 50th year of independence.[8] Malaysian censors took offence with Neo's segment when it was submitted to them for a screening at Kuala Lumpur's Titian Budaya Festival. They initially requested a cut to the vulgar phrase in Cantonese, “curse your whole family”, but a successful appeal was made by organisers, CultureLink.[9]

Neo released the first two parts of his planned four-part film on the transition from village life to government housing in the first quarter of 2016, Long Long Time Ago and Long Long Time Ago 2.[10]

Personal life[]

Extramarital affair and allegations of sexual harassment[]

In March 2010, a two-year-long extramarital affair between Neo and freelance model Wendy Chong was publicised and Neo admitted to the affair. Chong, who played a minor role in Neo's 2008 film Money No Enough 2, claimed that Neo initiated the affair. Neo later attempted to end the affair but Chong threatened to hurt herself and the exposé caused much debate and discussion amongst the entertainment circle of Singapore.[11]

On 9 March 2010, additional reports were released about Neo having or attempting extramarital affairs with up to 11 women.[12] He tried to ask actress-host Foyce Le Xuan for sexual favors when she was working for him.[13][14] Foyce Le Xuan, who went to the same church as Neo, claimed that she was advised by her City Harvest Church pastor to cease talking to the media, as Neo's pastor was trying to counsel him and his wife after his affair became public.[15][16][17] On 11 March, Neo and Kng held a five-minute press conference, in which Neo admitted his mistake and asked the media to let him off.[18] After that, Kng reiterated her love for Neo and also requested for the media to spare her.[18]

Subsequently, his endorsement deal with Mitsubishi Electric Asia was dropped and TV advertisements featuring the director were taken off air. Other advertisers, such as Bee Cheng Hiang and Goh Joo Hin, initially adopted a "wait-and-see" attitude, but otherwise similarly dropped all endorsement deals.[19]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1997 12 Storeys Ah Gu Actor
1998 Money No Enough Chew Wah Keong Writer, Actor
1999 That One Not Enough Hong Haoren Writer, Director, Actor
Liang Po Po: The Movie Liang Po Po/Liang Xi Mei Writer, Actor
2001 The Snow Are Activities Party Assistant Cameo, Director
2002 I Not Stupid Mr Liu Writer, Director, Actor
2003 Homerun Beng Soon's father Writer, Director, Cameo
2004 The Best Bet Writer, Director
2005 I Do I Do Member of Parliament Neo Writer, Director, Cameo
One More Chance Reporter Writer, Director, Cameo
2006 I Not Stupid Too Mr Yeo (Steven) Writer, Director, Actor
The Snow Are Activities II Cameo, Director
2007 Just Follow Law Doctor Writer, Director, Narrator, Cameo
2008 Ah Long Pte Ltd Composer Writer, Director, Cameo
Money No Enough 2 Yang Baoqiang Writer, Director, Actor
2009 Love Matters Writer, Director
Where Got Ghost? Yang Baoqiang Writer, Director, Actor
2010 Being Human Waiter Writer, Director, Cameo
The Snow Are Activities III Cameo, Director
2011 The Ghosts Must Be Crazy Executive Producer, Writer
Homecoming Karen Neo Actor
2012 We Not Naughty Writer, Director
Ah Boys to Men Writer, Director
2013 Ah Boys to Men 2 Writer, Director
Everybody's Business Executive Producer
2014 The Lion Men Writer, Director
The Lion Men: Ultimate Showdown Writer, Director
2015 Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen Writer, Director
My Papa Rich Pokok Lim Actor
7 Letters - Segment "That Girl" Writer, Director
2016 Long Long Time Ago[20] Writer, Director
Long Long Time Ago 2 Writer, Director
2017 Take 2 Executive Producer
The Fortune Handbook Executive Producer
Lucky Boy Executive Producer
Ah Boys to Men 4 Writer, Director
The Snow Are Activities IV Cameo, Director
2018 Wonderful! Liang Xi Mei Liang Xi Mei/Liang Po Po Writer, Director, Actor
2019 Make It Big Big Cameo
Killer Not Stupid 杀手不笨 Writer, Director
2019 Not So Long Time Ago 我们的故事之沉默的年代 Writer,Director

Variety shows[]

Year Show Role Notes
2018 Happy Can Already! 4
欢喜就好 4
Liang Popo 梁婆婆 Dialect Variety series
2017 Happy Can Already! 3
欢喜就好 3
Liang Ximei 梁细妹 Dialect Variety series
Happy Can Already! 2
欢喜就好 2
Liang Ximei 梁细妹 Dialect Variety series
2016 Happy Can Already!
欢喜就好
Liang Ximei 梁细妹 Dialect Variety series
2016 Hero
大英雄
Liang Po Po 梁婆婆 Cameo 客串
2002 The Return Of Liang Ximei
笑傲江湖梁细妹
Liang Ximei 梁细妹
2001 The Return Of Liang Popo
梁婆婆冲出江湖
Liang Po Po 梁婆婆
2000 Liang Ximei S1 & S2
再见梁细妹 S1 & S2
Liang Ximei 梁细妹
1996-2000; 2003; 2006 Comedy Nite
搞笑行动

Discography[]

Drama soundtracks[]

Year Drama Title Song Title Notes
2014 118 夠力夠力
  • Opening Theme Song
2018 Say Cheese 喜剧收场
  • Opening Theme Song

Awards[]

Year Ceremony Award Nominated work Result
1997 3rd Star Awards Ceremony Special Achievement Award Template:N/a Template:Won
1998 4th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
1999 5th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
2000 6th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
2001 7th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
2002 8th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
2003 9th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Won
2016 22nd Star Awards Ceremony Best Theme Song 118 Template:Nom
2018 24th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Template:N/a Template:Nom

References[]

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  18. 18.0 18.1 Foong Woei Wan (12 March 2010). "He sobs, she collapses: Neo and wife face the press". The Straits Times (Singapore).
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External links[]

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