S2 Episode 1: Desmond Tan

The

Mutton Sandwich podcast.

All right. It is season two of the Mutton Sandwich podcast. So happy to be back. What's a very fun season one where we actually spoke to a whole bunch of our famous radio friends?

That's right. But in season two, we, you know, decided to expand our horizons and talk to the other people that we know in showbiz that happened to be wireless. We call them our friends, LA, where they were really friends and it's up to them. But yeah, we pretend we're friends and

we love them dropping. So of course, these are our famous friends who, you know, because of the pandemic as well. We haven't caught up with them in a long time. You know what lets everybody eavesdrop on our catch up? And of course, for the very first episode, we had to bring in a very big star.

Absolutely. One of the biggest stars on TV at the moment, and hopefully for a long time to come. He is Mr. Desmond Don. Hello, Desmond.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the new season and a good-looking one.

So good looking because you are here. I know.

Hey.

I don't think we had a chance to say this yet. Congratulations on the Star Awards.

Yeah, man, best

actor and obviously Top 10 as well. How is this your star? Was it? Was it strange? It was very different. I was at the airport and you guys were standing on the runway and tell us all about it.

The other thing is, Star Wars is pretty, pretty different and strange in some ways. And I think in some ways this is like, who would ever think that we have our Star Wars and Changi Airport? And then I would be like, Do the recovery act on on the runway? I mean, I never thought of that. I would never do something had before in my life so special. And I think it was more like a comeback for what as well, because obviously you missed last year and it's

and the weird thing, we were talking about it when it happened as well on air, we were saying that the funny thing is, if it wasn't for the pandemic, you could never have done it. Changi Airport Changi Airport is never so empty that you can just,

yeah, it's usually a very busy place,

but I think up on the tarmac and probably fingers crossed next year you can't do it either, because by next year, maybe travel would have opened ready. So this was the only you could have done that as actually.

But I hope that next year we can start traveling and not our last. What size and apply anymore?

Yeah, exactly. Right. Yeah, well, all fingers crossed hoping for that as well. Now it's been a strange year and a half almost. And I'm sure for you as well. A lot of things change. So so how has the pandemic been for you, man? What are the things that you have to change to, you know, resume some sort of normalcy?

I don't not mean, to be honest, after two years, I'm still doing adjustment and I don't really fully understand this whole thing yet. It was like a pendulum swing. You know, we start to ease back to a normal life and then and then you go back a step and then you kind of go you many more have

So for people who don't know and honestly, I don't know the answer to this as well, how many times a week does Desmond go to the gym

prior to the pandemic? I hit the gym almost five times a week and down by ambition that day.

That's what you call dedication. I mean, you're not going to be the star that you are. There's some things you have to maintain. I mean, there's there's there is no surprises there. So from five times to, you know, hardly any time now during the pandemic and all that. How do you keep fit, man?

So right now, I kind of just follow the flow and just enjoy it. And just one day at a time, not so much to get used to the more.

Right, right? Yeah. No, no, no snacking in between. And, you know, just to keep yourself healthy, like that's the least you can do as a promotion.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure about that, and I think I lost at see life is so unfair.

He just he just said he loves snacking. He loves eating.

He he looks like, Come on.

So unfair.

You know, now, Desmond, obviously, yo yo yo yo. We're very, very well known as a Channel eight star, in fact, winning star awards and all that right? But you've you've also branched out and because you're effectively bilingual, obviously, and you've branched out to the English drama besides our Court of law in L.A., you, you, you did a spin off series, a Derek, which is. Very interesting, because I remember having a conversation with you a while ago when

So they're in could have lost one of my favorite. Alan grew out of a and he's also one of the first English I'm going to because my career and what I really like about it is it's very different from the the typical roles that I was playing on the drama during then. So this is the first time I've played a villain. And then the director gave me a lot of space to adjust and create and fighting moments on set to create the psychotic version of myself,

Yeah, that sounds amazing, man. And obviously, you know, paid off because on screen, you you are absolutely psycho, you know, like

you said, yeah, you

could tell, though, that, you know, you almost couldn't tell that you were acting, you know.

How did your family react to it, though?

I guess then I just was pretty busy on set and I didn't socialize them. I didn't see my family that much. I didn't see my friends at my right, so they didn't really see the crazy part of me. Yeah.

Wow. You know, and of course, you know, playing a character like that, you know which which obviously you loved and enjoyed doing. What are the kind of roles would you say you would like to try now, now that you've done this psycho serial killer type?

You know, just before I came on this podcast, I was just watching the Olympics and every sport we sports, I was watching.

Oh, wow, diving.

I was watching volleyball, beach volleyball.

Yeah, that's my favorite. You know, we're always

going for this. I decided to change my mind. I'm playing as a body bowler, so I think I'm trying to see how you can create. I mean, many,

many years ago when I was a very young boy, I remember, was it tennis? You won and a couple of other ladies are kind of the names now. They they mean a volleyball drama, right? And it did very well.

Exactly. And when I was in secondary school, they had another body blow. So that helped me to grow up a lot because he was doing my puberty period. Well, hi, there you go.

So maybe a drama where you play like an athlete, you know, trying to represent saying that you don't, you're going to be off

the yeah, why not? Right? Eventually, you. Wow. OK, wow. So so now with the acting and winning of the Star Awards and everything you let, let's let's talk more about Yo-Yo. Your personal life. Yeah. You know the stuff that you're willing to reveal to us, obviously. No. Of course. The other business a Desmond time. You know what? What kind of business ideas have you had? What kind of things would you want to go into a

lot of your colleagues and your peers? They they go into business through

a menu with McDonald's.

Know your name on the McDonald's burger? Yeah. Is that something you're saying? Yeah, no clearer what the idea of any any such plans

at the moment, a concrete concrete plan. But I think deep inside me, I'm I'm adventurous like businessmen, always have a business ideas, right? And then when I have like, you know, reference, I usually talk about it. I think I call. But in one year, it's all about creating in every cell, but eventually happen. Yeah. But then I know I do have some ideas, but even my friends who are come up to me say that, you know, like, you should have a scientist also other than your acting workshop. Yeah,

Desmond, you could do a business selling trash bags and be before 90 days. I'm sure everyone wants to smell like Desmond Bali. Nine Layla Desmond on perfume that will be also desperate.

Please, please tell us

about like if you launch and

he launched a pet thing because we're all animal lovers.

Yeah, yeah, exactly what support. Then you have us eating out of your hand. That's awesome.

Hey, actually

actually share this with me because Desmond, let me go back to the power. You know one. Do you call Vernon if you want to do things now in terms of our personal relations, think you are the U.N. one and go more way back then?

Well, we we share mutual friends and you know, so

your un un Verlinden, like, how do you know each other? And like, what was your impression when you first met him?

Yeah, it's interesting. Just like, you know, I listen to questions almost every morning to you guys and thank you, you guys. Really funny and full do sometimes. So when I first met Vernon, I was expecting, you know, just of this crazy guy, and I didn't find him having the usual quiet. So he was quite a. And then and then we started speaking and I realized that, you know, a different state on Vernon that we listen on the radio. You know? Yeah.

And I'm glad you like that because I would be there if I if I was having dinner with Derek, you know, all the cutlery, you know, like, Hey, I'll give you my former. So very dangerous.

But you know, that's the one thing that people say to us more often and not people who meet us for the first time. It's like, actually, you're quite you're not very funny. You know, if they have a meal with us. But we spend so much time every day on annotating people that if

it's quiet, then

there are times that you just want to, you know, reserve the energy.

So yeah, I can imagine. And I honestly don't understand how you guys are so power up early in the morning because like, I understand you guys have become like maybe four or five p.m. to start work, you know? Yeah. And then to crack jokes and keep people and the team where they are on the way to work or even when they're home is just amazing work that you guys doing.

Oh, thanks so much. It's a really nice of you to see.

That's why they pay us more than they pay you.

Hey, you know,

you're kidding, right? No, I'm kidding. There's no way that's true. Oh, hey. Yes. So, you know, speaking of speaking of stuff like that, right? Um, what is your favorite thing about being desperate time about doing what you do, being as famous and all that as you are? Like, what is your what is your favorite thing about about being in this profession?

To be honest, I think it is nicer when I'm in a locker room.

That's true.

That's true. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I know it's not that I had until recently because like when I go to hooker and you can be slightly nicer, then usually they speak to me. It's not to me when they're picking my order. And then, like at end this year, I have to shave my head for a role and I look completely different, especially with the muscle. And we had different hair, and all sudden people couldn't recognize me as

Oh, my goodness. Wow.

And I said, You know what? This is what you did. And yeah, and I'm get me something they do really like all these years. Welcome.

Welcome to another person's life. That's too funny, man.

That's that is hilarious.

Oh, saying like this, if we say we kind of like, I really enjoy doing this and bring joy to people when I meet them, because sometimes when I'm shooting and see that I really are tired doing this, I doing the last time. And then when they recognize me, you know, they smile and have a little bit check in there and be able to smile. Someone's life is something that I do enjoy doing after so many years. And it's like,

Oh yeah, that's amazing. And that's why most of us do what we do, isn't it? It's just making people happy.

No better feeling than someone actually enjoying your work. And, you know, because as an actor. It's one of the most challenging things, at least, at least, you know, the fact is I know that they tell me because you don't actually get feedback

and you don't see a live audience when you do

that. You don't get feedback about what you do or whether you're good or not. And two months later, you've forgotten what what seems you did, what lines you did. Buy time people see your show, right?

So this is one different thing. And that's the reason why we enjoying speaking to people at the public places where they're telling you about their feelings about my rule or a particular scene or drama. And then you need a bit of feedback and response that I get on the street and I can actually bring that energy and those constructive feedback. So I make sure

that's right is really and you get the real thoughts and of people who actually watch the show. Yeah, yeah. So so that's fantastic.

So speaking of shows, what what is the next thing that people can see you in?

Yeah, what can we catch you with?

So currently, I'm doing a show commissioned by CMT, the narcotic bureau, and I'm playing as a narcotics officer. Nice. So this is really interesting because we actually went through a lot of training. Secrets can be harmful, like the handcuff handling, weapon handling, how to read it, how it's done like that. And we actually went for some of the operations. Oh, you're kidding. Interesting. Yeah. Yeah, we do. Did. So we actually read it some houses and some hotels as well. So I'm doing

this. I wonder if the people being really well. Yeah. This one is Jeanette Dominy. Marijuana was a

real first operation on the first. How did you actually read it? The guy who was it recognized some of us. Yeah, the three of actually went in for that operation. Thought when he was handcuffed, he doesn't look at us smiling. And that was a little bit creepy.

Yeah, that's right. Oh my goodness. Wow.

That hole in his head is like, shit, Derek is I'm

is going to give me

that. So do you know when this show comes out

of this show up in November? No, I do not see that coming up in August, and that show is called key witness. And there's a show that I actually shaved my head for. Oh, no particular in

another killer show.

Wow. Yeah. And actually show. I hope you don't get that. We do have, like many media action scenes, almost every episode, so I think there's something quite different. My regular 9pm teenage drama is something that you guys kind of do. Take it on. Also on you watch.

Very cool. Very cool. That's what I mean. Yeah, exactly

right. Side, we've never seen of you before.

That should that should be fun to watch. Hey, one more thing to do before we go Desmond now, because we know it's you off there. You've you've taken time off you off to talk to us. We're very appreciative of that. No one zero one one little shtick we love to do here in the Mud and Sandwich podcast is that we like to end with our guest being able to ask us a question. So you have the

OK, OK, so this question is going to the two of you. Just give me some ideas. Oh, nice. Oh yeah, we don't know that you get to me. This question is now The Muppet Show. We'll go into some kind of show is there are two of you and one of you was seen as the only cool would it be? Wow.

Wow. What a great question. And the serial killers question? Yeah, exactly. So one of us is killed off and then, you know, the other had to continue to show, who would it be? I would say that you answer it. Yeah, no. I would say that Justin will continue the show. Oh yeah. Why? Because he he can't do anything else. He's quite useless. He has. He has no other skill except pressing buttons, talking and eating. So. Yeah. You know, whereas I could probably go off and do quite a few other things.

I've been doing this this job since I was 16 years old. You can't blame me. I have no other skill. Oh, right. I really don't. My my answer is actually the other way around. You know, and obviously, I'm the nicer person here because I will volunteer myself to be killed and you to continue. Oh, wow. Not because of the show. Oh man. Not because of the show. OK, Jeff, just one appeal factor. I have no children, so there's nobody to miss me

rise or no responsibility.

Like you have two kids. So don't get killed, Matt. And don't don't leave the

dog, OK?

You need to bring my godson to be a good man.

Sure, I will try. I will try. No, no. If I can kill you and then, then I'll get Desmond to cause you me, that'll be perfect.

All right. Wow.

Never expect that question like that.

Well done, man was requested.

How about a few things you guys haven't asked a second question? Oh yeah. Go ahead, shoot. Can I get the recipe for a fucking movie? I love it.

Oh man, you through nicely.

We appreciated this one, but it's a hot A.. Yeah.

Yeah. Because if doesn't want to open his own restaurant. This restaurant is dead.

I'm sorry. No, but we'll tell you the truth, Desmond. We don't even have the recipe because the recipe is a it's a real secret locked inside the head of our head chef,

and only he knows how to get your hands as well as you become.

No, no, no. But but then again, no, you, you you you're best known for for that picture of you wearing a leather apron. You just show up at our restaurant and I'm sure the chef. Will stand aside, they don't want to mess with a serial killer and you will know everything.

Oh my God. Sounds like a plan, whether you go to task.

Is it really Choshu or is it something else?

Oh my god. Thanks for the kind words about cooking, though. We appreciate it. Thank you for the nice. Thank you for your support. Any time you want, bro, just let us know what we'll send some to you. Hey, thank you. That's been for for for spending the time with us today. Please go enjoy you there.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me as well. You guys stay safe. Hands off.

You too, man. They care, buddy. You too.

Cheers.