This Will Make You Wish James Lye Was Still In Showbiz

The bevy of hunks — Darryl David, Bervyn Lee, James and Benedict Goh — were the dudes who were heating up the gogglebox (yes, it was still a box in those days) as hosts with brains and brawns. Hearts were set a-fluttering every Friday evening when James, then 25, hosted Showbuzz.

(This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 236, Apr 15, 1995)

8 DAYS remembers me for saying: “I wouldn’t consider myself a hunk, but I wouldn’t stop people from thinking I’m a hunk. It doesn’t offend me. I like to be very good at what I do, so it depends on what I’m engaged to do.”

He’s a true-blue Singaporean: “I’m sending out resumes as well for corporate jobs. I feel like I need that security. Entertainment is fun, but as you said before, what happens if one day I wake up ugly?”

If I could be someone for a day: “I’d like to be an intelligent Forrest Gump, because you get to experience so much — that’s what life is: to explore, to feel, and to enjoy.”

When I’m not fulfilling my role as a hunk, not being plastered on 8 DAYS’ cover, and not hosting Showbuzz: “Besides travelling? I like movies, hanging out with friends. I play tennis, golf, rugby, soccer, I rollerblade and I run. I hate running — I run for the sake of keeping fit; it’s almost like discipline.”

Together with Wong Li-Lin, James probably ignited police fantasies of many women with his turn as Inspector Michael Chin on Triple Nine.

“I feel really fortunate. How many people with zero acting experience get a lead role in a drama series? I’m more of a spontaneous person while acting is more scripted, so it doesn’t feel as natural. Also, we try to keep the show as local as possible, that means speaking like the man in the street. Two key words the directors keep throwing at me: neutralise (the accent) and slow down (speech). I’m slowly getting the hang of it. I think towards the end of the series, viewers might be tempted to stick a gun at their TV and yell, ‘Get off my TV screen, James!’ Star quality? I prefer to think the series will sell itself, like how there are some great songs out there where we don’t necessarily like the singer or the band.”

(This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 264, Nov 4, 1995.)

James is on top — top of the first-ever 8 DAYS Readers Poll, that is, as their Fave Dude of the year—together with Fave Babe Zoe Tay herself.

James beat Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, David Duchovny, Chris O’Donnell, and Noah Wyle in the Fave Dude ranks. “I thought my being in the category was a misprint because I was the only local there. Still, it’s very comforting to know there are more people out there liking you than hating you and that Singaporeans would vote for a local face over the likes of Keanu Reeves and Brad Pitt. It shows local entertainment has come a long way. Ten years back, no way this could have happened. I still think maybe the reason I won was because the Hollywood stars are so far away; I’m more real in a sense. But put me in a category with Thomas Ong and Terence Cao and the results would have been different.”

(This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 276, 1996.)

When we called him “the hottest selling human merchandise to ever emerge from Ch 5” in Issue 304, Aug 3, 1996. And it may very still be true today.

Triple Nine would later launch its second season. James’ fitness video and coffee table book was to be released shortly after this story was published. And women islandwide were buying chocolate and sending in the wrappers in hopes of winning a date with him at the now-defunct Compass Rose. In other words, James was everywhere. And yet he avers: “I’m a very, very normal person. I don’t like this star label. I hate this hunk image. I’m really an average Joe.”

Rumours that James was dating current wife Diana Ser were already swirling then. “I know a lot of people are talking about us, but to say that she’s my girlfriend or I’m her boyfriend would be unfair to either of us at this point. Yes, we enjoy hanging out with each other, but we’re too busy with work to make any sort of commitment. Let’s just say I will only settle down when I’m 30,” the then-27-year-old had said.

We went behind the scenes of the Triple Nine production.

James is the quiet one who spends most of his time in conversation with fellow actors. And Li-Lin’s the sweetie who offers Pocky all around and jokes with the crew in Malay. In between takes, they chat. And laugh about how small James’ shirt is: despite its ‘L’ tag, it doesn’t button up, and the sleeves are too short. Li-Lin is convinced he was given a child’s shirt. (This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 328, Jan 18, 1997.)

What’s the hype? Price of Peace was James first Chinese drama — where he starred alongside then-newbie Christopher Lee — and his star was rising so rapidly, we had to put him on the cover again.

“You want to be seen and heard — but not to the point where people get sick of you. It’s like, when you eat rice too often, it just becomes very… ordinary.” (This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 358, Aug 16, 1997.)

(This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 358 on Aug 16, 1997.)

The perils of being James Lye. Okay, peril’s overstating it, but it’s at least a burden, you decide, listening to this anecdote he’s relating in a mixture of embarrassment and flattered glee. “I just finished making an appearance at Marina Square, and a group of us were sitting in the bus, waiting to be taken back to TCS. I see this teenage girl tapping on my window, and I think, ‘Okay, no harm in signing an autograph.’ So I open the door for her. Little did I know she was coming up to ask for a date! Lina [Ng], who was next to me, was laughing in eager anticipation, like: ‘I wanna see you get out of this one.’ Gallant James asked for her number then called the lass a few days later to turn her down. Why the delayed reaction? ‘Well, it seemed less cruel than turning her down on the spot,’ he figures.

(Double) trouble is in the air. Word on the grapevine was that James Lye, whom we’d dubbed king of Caldecott Hill and “practically synonymous with Ch 5”, toyed with the idea of quitting showbiz. Of course, he didn’t — not at this point, anyway. If he did, we would never have seen VR Man (filming had been going on for almost a year at the time this was published.)

“The other day, we were filming VR Man at Shenton Way, and I was staring at all these impressive office buildings. I said to Lisa [Ang], ‘I feel like trying out this shirt-and-tie kind of life. But after a while, I’d probably start missing the bright lights of acting… can’t help it, I’m a Gemini.” (This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 392 on Apr 11, 1998.)

“Some days I wake up, think about what I do for a living, and I get scared: do I know what I’m doing? I don’t think I’m bold enough for showbiz, yet I seem to pull through every day… But I guess I’ve conditioned myself to be more comfortable in the limelight. You know, when I was in school, I got low marks for class participation because I refused to speak up. When I played rugby, I was the quiet captain. My vice-captain was the ra-ra one.”

“If I leave, I won’t stay in this industry, nor will I come back. If I did that, then I’d look like the devil. People would wonder what games this guy was playing!”

Two Ch 8 dramas and one VR Man flop later, James returned to Triple Nine (it was into its fourth season by then). What’s different this time round: former partner-in-crime Li-Lin had left showbiz and Robin Leong had joined the fray. Was Triple Nine big enough for two leading men?

On his on-off relationship with Diana Ser, whom he’s now married to: “[We were dating] On and off for three years. That’s how long I’ve known her. She actually tried out for Showbuzz with me. I didn’t think it was my job to call the press and say, ‘Okay, we’re on. Hey, guess what? We’re off!’ (Laughs) We’re not together any longer. [Was I ever in love?] I’d say yes. At one point I was very in love.” (This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 431, Jan 9, 1999.)

“Not money! I don’t think I’m the greatest guy around. But when I’m in love with someone, I really give it my all. I’m good at judging what someone needs, whether it’s more space or attention. I’d say I’m mature when it comes to that (smiles). And this is the most frank I’ve been with any magazine!”

Low-crime doesn't mean your crime-fighters can't look this good.

8 DAYS: This season’s been hyped as a battle royale between TCS 5’s most eye-catching blokes. What’s your reaction to the hoopla?

JAMES: We laugh whenever we hear things like this. This is an old game for me. There’s no end to the comparisons. I find it amusing and I really don’t think anyone takes it seriously. Ultimately, who cares? (Laughs)

ROBIN LEONG: We joke about it a lot. The comparisons started three years ago when I did Three Rooms. We know what it’s all about and we don’t get involved.

(This is an excerpt from a story that first appeared in Issue 443, Apr 3, 1999.)