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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 PART Is ‘Oscar curse’ real? Bob plays it again ‘He’s a big boy’ Two film bus Dylan strips Jackie Chan won’t be C find out if Oscar down in Beijing to welcome wins truly American Jaycee upon release lead to divorce standards from prison C2 C10 C26 MUST-SEE ASIAN INSPIRATION China’s ZhouT Xun (left) andV South Korea’s Park Shin Hye are among the biggest East Asian stars to come to viewers’ TV in the first quarter of this year. GWENDOLYN NG talks to them. C6&7 DESIGN: CAROL GAN PHOTOS: SINGTEL TV, ONE, EPA, COLUMBIA RECORDS C2 LIFE! THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Actors nominated for Oscars, but who did not win and went on to get divorced soon after include (above, from left) Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas and Mickey Rooney. Best Actress Oscar winners (below, from left) Jane Fonda, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon and Halle Berry saw their marriages break up after winning the statuette. PHOTOS: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS, NEW YORK TIMES Dr Heeyon Kim and Dr Michael Jensen, who wrote a research paper on the Oscar curse, argue that male Oscar winners and nominees are more likely to get divorced than non-winners. ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN Oscar curse hits men more than women Two academics argue that male But in a new study to be published in Organization more opportunities for them, such as spousal getting divorced in 1958). Science journal tomorrow, two academics appear to alternatives. Data for the actresses, however, is not as clear Oscar winners and nominees have debunked both parts of the popular myth. “Suddenly, they become more desirable to other and so it is “inconclusive”, say the researchers. Dr Heeyon Kim, an assistant professor of strategy women. While female Oscar winners and nominees If anything, it seems that women are less likely to are more likely to get divorced and policy at the National University Of Singapore are also presented with new opportunities, men in get divorced after the Oscars. In the first year of Business School, along with Dr Michael Jensen, an general, as past research has shown, react different- marriage following the Oscars, the divorce rates of Yip Wai Yee associate professor of strategy at University Of ly to such opportunities.” female Oscar winners is 85 per cent lower than that Michigan’s Ross School Of Business, argue that it is, He says the men “are a lot more likely than for female non-nominees. ow much truth is there to the famous in fact, the male Oscar winners and nominees who women to show regret” at passing on sexual tempta- The academics, who profess to be film buffs, “Oscar curse”, which has it that actors’ are more likely to get divorced – not the women. tion. “And of course, if they cheat on their wives, began their study in 2008, simply from a point of careers mysteriously go downhill after Dr Jensen, 48, tells Life!: “After looking at more then it could potentially lead to divorce.” curiosity about the mythological Oscar curse. their Oscar wins? than 800 actors from 1930 to 2005 in our study, we Alarmingly, the divorce rate of male Oscar Citing a love for the films of American director H found that divorce rates for male Oscar winners as winners is 205 per cent higher than the rate of Richard Linklater and South Korean director Kim Ki The jinx apparently extends to the romantic relationships of Best Actress Oscar winners, well as for nominees increase following the Oscars, non-nominees within the first year following the Duk, they wondered about the paradox of how as it is said that married female stars head for divorce but not the divorce rates for women.” awards. snagging a coveted prize could potentially have soon after snagging their coveted acting trophies. The researchers do not find this particularly What surprised the researchers is that male Oscar negative consequences. Just look at Jane Fonda, Sandra Bullock, Reese surprising. nominees also had higher divorce rates than actors But their study is not all bad news. Pessimistic as Witherspoon and Halle Berry, for example, whose Dr Jensen adds: “The Oscars is a social event, who have never been nominated. it may be about the romantic lives of male Oscar marriages broke up in the years after bagging that which elevates the nominees and winners to a higher Dr Kim, 31, says: “We guessed that male Oscar winners, it looks like the Oscars can only help to coveted golden statuette. status in their field and this, in turn, opens doors to winners would have higher divorce rates than boost their careers professionally – not jinx them. non-nominees, but we found that to be true for For both male and female Oscar winners, the male nominees as well. study saw that they continued to be gainfully “It does make sense if you think about it. When employed following their awards. Oscar winners, on you are nominated but do not win, you suffer great average, appear in more films than Oscar nominees disappointment. And men are worse at handling – who in turn, appear in more films than those who disappointments than women, especially when it were never nominated. comes to work-related events. Dr Kim says with a chuckle: “Professionally, it “So they are more likely to experience divorce seems that there is no such thing as an Oscar curse. following professional disappointments, such as not Actors and actresses continue to do well after winning their Oscar nomination.” winning or getting nominations. Examples of male actors who were nominated for “But when it comes to the personal lives of the Oscars, but did not win and then went on to get men, it is not so great. And that’s where the real divorced soon after are the late Humphrey Bogart Oscar curse is – that it could ruin marriages and (nominated 1943, divorced 1945), Kirk Douglas (nom- increase the likelihood of divorce.” inated 1949, divorced 1951) as well as Mickey [email protected] Rooney (nominated and then divorced in 1943, remarried and nominated again in 1956, before Follow Yip Wai Yee on Twitter @STyipwaiyee THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 C3 C4 LIFE! Music THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 In the Minions’ (far left) parody of I Swear by All-4-One, comprising (clockwise from far left) Delious Kennedy, Jamie Jones, Tony Borowiak and Alfred Nevarez, the words “I swear” were changed to “underwear”. PHOTOS: ALL-4-ONE, YOUTUBE All for underwear A few months later, R&B band All-4-One loved the All-4-One recorded their hilarious Despicable Me 2 version, which hit No. 1 in many countries, including the Bill- version of their hit I Swear board Hot 100, where it remained at the top for 11 con- Yip Wai Yee secutive weeks. The song also Book it earned the group a Grammy &B group All-4-One’s hit I Swear was Award in 1995 for Best Pop RETROLICIOUS famously parodied in animated feature Performance by a Duo or flick Despicable Me 2 (2013) – and the Group with Vocal. Where: Fort On Saturday, fans here will Canning Park American band loved every moment of it. When: Saturday, 8pm R In the film, four Minions – those cute get to hear the group belt out Admission: $125 yellow characters that spout gibberish – sing their the popular song live, when from Sistic (call they perform it at joint hilarious version of the song, changing the words 6348-5555 or go to concert Retrolicious at Fort www.sistic.com.sg) from “I swear” to “underwear”. Canning Park. All-4-One Instead of being offended, All-4-One lapped it comprise Kennedy, Jones, up. Nevarez, 42, and Tony Member Delious Kennedy, 45, tells Life! over the Borowiak, 43. important. I look at Motown music from the 1960s to Singapore, their first time here in almost two telephone in between laughs: “I thought that was This latest edition of the annual event celebrating as retro, but I still think the music is great.” decades. They last performed at Suntec City in 1996. just awesome and I loved how they mimicked each of older acts will also feature American singer Tommy Besides, the band are actively working on a new Kennedy gushes: “We love, love, love Singapore us from back in the day. You know, with the glasses “Shoulder To Cry On” Page and R&B group Color album, which is slated for release later this year and and the people are just amazing. I remember the last and the beret, and Alfred Nevarez with no hair. It Me Badd. will feature re-recorded versions of old songs as well time we were there, I went to a bar and had a drink was just so funny.” Ask All-4-One how they feel about being as new original music. His bandmate Jamie Jones, 41, adds: “That’s that was on fire, and that was the first time I ever considered a retro act and they appear not to be One highlight is a duet of I Swear between had anything like that. actually one of the reasons we get younger fans these bothered. All-4-One and Montgomery, 50. “I was like, ‘How do I even drink this?’ Singapore days, when our songs get played in new movies. Jones says: “The funny thing is, I think, we feel so Kennedy says: “We’ve been talking about this “Other than Despicable Me 2, I Swear has also young and we’re still young, but it has been 20 years duet for the longest time, but never got around to has great memories for all of us and we can’t wait to been featured on Earth To Echo (2014) and The that we’ve been doing this professionally, so I guess doing it.