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WANG Sa and Ya Fong were Singapore's version of Laurel and Hardy -- the grand old men of Singapore comedy.
Their fame in the '60s and '70s spread far beyond home shores to Malaysia, Hongkong and Taiwan.
They evoke such respect that many journalists and TV producers call them Uncle Wang Sa and Uncle Ya Fong.
Now they no longer do comedy for a living, only for a laugh. And so, we get to see their antics in the new series of Studio One Presents, which started early this month.
"We've had fame and fortune. Now this is only for fun. Fans ask us to come back and the head of Studio One Presents is our old friend," said Ya Fong.
Wang Sa or Ah San (Skinny) is now 65 while Ya Fong or Ah Pui (Fatty) is 56.
In their heyday : Wang Sa (left) and Ya Fong
were always good for a barrel of laughsYa Fong, Most Outstanding Comedian in the 20th Asian Film Festival, is also busy with his two salted chicken rice stalls, in Serangoon Gardens and Lorong Chuan.
His partner in humour Wang Sa is in semi-retirement. "My days are easy -- looking after my dogs, fishes, bird and some gardening".
Occasionally, he flips through old albums and newspaper cuttings.
Ya Fong said: "I don't keep my old photos. Why? I love tomorrow, not yesterday."
To that, Wang Sa replied in jest: "I love tomorrow but I also love yesterday."
Younger audiences may see them as has-beens.
I mean, how many youngsters today understand their catch phrase: "Tee ah, agak-agak chiu ho?" (Brother, take it easy!)
But that, plus their unique mix of Teochew, Hokkien, pasar Malay, mumbo-jumbo Cantonese and pidgin English, never failed to raise a laugh in the '60s and '70s.
Asked how mirth-making now is different from the '60s, Wang Sa said: "We were from the dialect era but that's not to say we can't make people laugh using Mandarin. But the thing about dialects, it creates empathy. It has better comic effect, it's more shiok, you see."
Ya Fong said: "It's easy to tickle the audience. You ask Qiu Shengyang (a SBC male compere) to wear a skirt and people will laugh. But is there any meaning in that?"
The two are Singapore's only Asian movie stars. The huge box-office success of their Hongkong debut The Crazy Bumpkins spawned three sequels.
Wang Sa said: "I was the oldest -- at 50 -- to become a movie star."
Movie offers came in because "everyone knew about the two funny men from Singapore", he added.
But after having worked in Taiwan and Hongkong, they still headed for home.
"I prefer the pace of life here."
First published in The Straits Times, July 26, 1990
More stories:
Wang Sa Laughter takes a back seat Last days spent in silence Ya Fong 'Never thought he'd be first to go'
Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.
