Unexpected Access

I know it might be a little bit late, but I just wanted to give a plug out to this great new show called Unexpected Access premiering tonight here in Singapore.  The premise is simply going to check out places you normally aren't allowed access such as a mortuary, abattoir (slaughterhouse), and plastic surgery operating theater.Don't worry...the program most likely won't be too nasty or disgusting because it got a PG (Parental Guidance suggested) rating.  However, you know it should be pretty good cuz the host is Wong Li Lin.  Actually, I've been trying to recruit her to join AnD too, but she claims she's just got too much on her plate at the moment.  Oh well...in the meantime, you can check out her personal blogsite at:  http://www.wonglilin.blogspot.comI've attached a recent news article about the new show below...and it's just about to start so I'm outta here!  Catch ya later!!Nothing's off-limits for Wong Lilin

By May Seah, TODAY |

Posted: 20 February 2009 1305 hrs

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Wong Lilin in an abbatoir

SINGAPORE : When MediaCorp TV Channel 5 embarked on a programme that would give viewers access to the inner workings of practices shrouded in mystery or controversy, they knew there was only one woman for the job.

Faster than a speeding waistband and braver than a bunch of BMT recruits, she was Wong Lilin.

In the new series "Unexpected Access", Lilin explores usually off-limits places such as a mortuary, an abattoir, and a plastic surgery operating theatre. Not exactly a day at the spa.

"In general I was very happy to take on this project because... I just like to find out about things. I like to know how things work. And that's always been the way I operate, I think, since primary school."

For the first episode, the Fly Entertainment artiste witnessed the embalming of bodies. "I'm cool with it," Lilin told TODYAY "For me, no topic's taboo. Nothing fazes me. I've seen a lot because I've had a pretty colourful life in general. I've seen dead bodies from a very young age."

The most unsettling thing about the mortuary experience wasn't being in close proximity to a corpse. "Fortunately for me, the first few corpses were the elderly - I didn't have to deal with facing somebody my age or younger."

Rather, it was the smell. "Formaldehyde is a very strong chemical. It makes your eyes water. The smell of blood is very strong, too. One of the pallbearers said to me, 'I've never seen any girl go in there. You can really stomach this.' I guess I do have a strong stomach, but it did shake me a little."

The 34-year-old mother of two might have a strong stomach, but working at the abattoir made her lose her appetite - just a little. "I had to jump onto a tugboat full of pigs and I had s**t and pee all over me," she said. "I grew up in a squatter neighbourhood and we used to have to do our business outside and then you'll see a big tub of poo. Not a big deal. It was difficult witnessing the pig dying in front of me, though, 'cos it's a life."

While you too might need a strong stomach to watch this show, Lilin insists that the PG-rated "Unexpected Access" will not only entertain, but also inform. "It's not sensationalising - it's just showcasing what happens. Obviously this might pique the interest of the viewer because it's got blood and gore. But it also provides an overview of the services these people offer."

Lilin learned a few things at the abattoir, too. "Sometimes we over-consume because it's so convenient for us to buy meat. But if I had to raise my own pig and slaughter it, I would be much more respectful about my role in it. It comes back to your place in life."