SEA Games: Host Sharon Au apologises for insensitive
remarks during opening ceremony
SINGAPORE - Former MediaCorp actress Sharon Au has apologised
for her attempt at mimicking an Indian accent during Friday night's
SEA Games opening ceremony pre-show at the National Stadium.
Au, who shared hosting duties with actor Chua Enlai and television
presenter Nikki Muller, wrote on her personal Facebook page on
Saturday morning: "It was intended to be comic but in hindsight I
realise how insensitive it was. I sincerely apologise to those whom
I've inadvertently offended."
Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Bhavan Jaipragas had
accused Au of putting on a strong Indian accent to mock a young
Indian girl sitting in the stands. He also said Au made fun of the
girl's name.
Jaipragas detailed the controversial incident in a Facebook post on
Friday evening, in which he called on Au and the organising
committee to apologise.
"In an audience interaction segment before the start of the SEA
Games opening ceremony at the National Stadium, emcee Sharon Au
approached an Indian girl seated in the stands. The girl did not
properly perform the act - saying aloud a line welcoming foreign
contingents (others before her didn't get it right too). Au,
speaking into a mike and with the cameras trained on her,
shockingly put on a strong Indian accent, and while shaking her
head from right to left asked the girl: "What (Vat) happened? What
happened?" he wrote.
Au had taken a step back from the acting and hosting limelight
since returning from her overseas studies in 2011 to take up an
executive position at MediaCorp.
-- ST
