Tell You First

Mediacorp

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani & Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know. And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained. Produced by Ministry of Funny, and brought to you by Mediacorp The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

  1. 1 day ago

    The Coffee Shop That’s Hiding Singapore’s Biggest Sex Forum

    Sam's Alfresco Coffee Shop sounds like somewhere you'd order a flat white. But it's actually the innocent-looking front door to the Sammyboy forum, sharing commercial sex reviews, explicit erotica, and lewd photos. Click one link deeper, and you’ll enter the “Asian Commercial Sex Scene” forum, Sammyboy’s sex-focused arm with almost 250,000 members. It was allegedly founded in 1997 by a Singaporean man known only as Samuel Leong, whose real identity has never been confirmed. We trace how a list of brothel recommendations on Sammyboy curdled into a cesspool of hidden camera footage, incest-themed erotica, and an escort business run entirely off the forum's advice, before spilling over into a real-life wife-sharing ring.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 8 Sept

    The Beyoncé Concert Malaysia Didn't Want You to See

    In the 2000s, Malaysia became known for a very different kind of concert run. The Pussycat Dolls' outfits led to a fine against their organisers, Gwen Stefani changed costumes for every song just to stay covered up, Avril Lavigne was warned over her punk image despite barely showing skin, and Beyoncé cancelled her show rather than follow the guidelines. So what exactly were artists allowed to do on stage? As a radio DJ with her finger on the pulse of the region's pop scene, Sonia Chew joins us to unpack the strange history of concert censorship in Malaysia.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Guest - Sonia Chew (@soniachew)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. 1 Sept

    How a 28-Year-Old In Singapore Killed Britain’s Oldest Merchant Bank

    Barings Bank was founded in 1762 and was Britain's oldest merchant bank, trusted even by Queen Elizabeth herself. But in 1995, a 28-year-old trader in Singapore brought the whole 233-year-old institution to its knees via a mysterious account numbered 88888, buried deep inside the bank's paperwork. Nick Leeson’s actions triggered a global manhunt, and brought forth a sweeping wave of regulatory changes in Singapore’s financial system. We trace how the rogue trader hid billions in losses from the financial and regulatory institutions that were supposed to spot the warning signs. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. 25 Aug

    That Time Indonesia Bombed Singapore, And How Lee Kuan Yew Brought Peace Back

    On 10 March 1965, two Indonesian Marine Commandos walked into MacDonald House and planted a bomb that killed three people and injured 33 others. But MacDonald House wasn't even their original target. What followed was a dramatic manhunt, a controversial trial, and an execution that nearly pushed Singapore and Indonesia back into conflict. We trace how it took eight years, and a Prime Minister scattering flowers over the graves of the men he'd ordered hanged, to bring the two countries back from the brink.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. 18 Aug

    The OG Singapore Idol Finally Reveals Why Singapore Idol Ended (w Dick Lee)

    Singapore Idol premiered in 2004 to a reported 1.2 million viewers, skyrocketing a local talent show into a national obsession. Dick Lee, sidelined into a desk job, found the show reigniting something he'd lost. He judged all three seasons, and watched Singaporeans become fiercely split over their favourite contestants. He also takes us behind the auditions, the infamous judging moments and the finale that saw 1.1 million votes cast. As one of the few Singaporean artists to break out of the Singapore market, he shares what it actually takes to become a Singapore Idol, and why there was never a Season 4.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Guest - Dick Lee (@dickleeparadise)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. 11 Aug

    Why Nobody Knows The USB ThumbDrive Was Invented in Singapore

    Today, the USB thumbdrive is one of those bits of tech we use without a second thought. But before 2000, the best way to store digital files was a floppy disk holding 1.44 MB, barely one song. Then Trek 2000 International walked into a German trade fair with one cardboard sign reading “The World’s Smallest Drive,” an 8 MB device the size of a thumb. Buyers swarmed the booth within hours. That tiny invention would cement Singapore’s place in tech history, but also trigger a global fight over who invented it, leading to billions of dollars in lawsuits that no court could fully settle.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. 4 Aug

    Should Only Singaporeans Write National Day Songs? (w Ben Kheng)

    Singer-songwriter Benjamin Kheng knows exactly how hard it is to write a song for an entire country, he did it himself with 2024's Not Alone. But long before him, the identities of the people behind some of Singapore's most beloved anthems were kept secret for almost twenty years. In this episode, Ben Kheng joins us to trace the evolution of National Day songs, and reveal what it was like turning a one-word prompt into a song that millions of people could call their own.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Guest - Benjamin Kheng (@benjaminkheng)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. 28 Jul

    The Singaporean Artist Who Had to Sue to Prove She Was Original

    A Luxembourg art student copied Singaporean fashion photographer Zhang Jingna's photograph by flipping it, changing the colours, adding earrings and a sword, before calling it his own. His painting won a government backed prize and was presented to Luxembourg's princess. While fighting the case, Zhang had to face racist and sexist comments, and a court even ruled that Zhang's photograph lacked originality, before an appeal reversed it two years later. We trace how close the plan came to working, and what it took to stop it.   Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).   Credits:   Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi   If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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About

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani & Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know. And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained. Produced by Ministry of Funny, and brought to you by Mediacorp The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

Information

  • Creator
    Mediacorp
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Tell You First