The first warning sign I saw was in The Straits Times on Thursday, Jan 12, in the form of this half-page in-house ad:
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It was to promote The Sunday Times revamp, including Sumiko Tan's new Sunday interview series, Lunch With Sumiko.
The next day, she was replaced by a giraffe (I mean in the ad), but the recently promoted Straits Times executive editor's picture still appeared at the side, albeit smaller.
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The day after that, the giraffe was replaced by the shorter-necked Selena Tan, and Sumiko was pictured with Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung.
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Perhaps feeling the need to explain why he would be in a picture with Sumiko, the minister posted this on Facebook:
Then on Sunday, after all that build-up, Lunch With Sumiko dropped.
Since then, I've read more about the article than the article itself.
Ironically, by discussing (and dissing) Lunch With Sumiko so much, the haters are doing a better job at promoting it than those half-page ads ever did.
What has gone unmentioned is that a week earlier, The Sunday Times ran a somewhat less-heralded interview with the other Education Minister, Mr Ng Chee Meng.
By... Sandra Davie, the senior education correspondent.
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Maybe they had brunch.
Read Sumiko Tan: Singapore will miss her when she’s gone
It was to promote The Sunday Times revamp, including Sumiko Tan's new Sunday interview series, Lunch With Sumiko.
The next day, she was replaced by a giraffe (I mean in the ad), but the recently promoted Straits Times executive editor's picture still appeared at the side, albeit smaller.
The day after that, the giraffe was replaced by the shorter-necked Selena Tan, and Sumiko was pictured with Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung.
Perhaps feeling the need to explain why he would be in a picture with Sumiko, the minister posted this on Facebook:
Then on Sunday, after all that build-up, Lunch With Sumiko dropped.
Since then, I've read more about the article than the article itself.
This Sumiko Tan interview is basically a Yelp review in which a potential prime minister also happens to be there. https://t.co/kaAu9VwvCy— Kirsten Han (韩俐颖） (@kixes) January 15, 2017
Is it just me or do people dislike Sumiko Tan? I thought everyone adored her column.— petty & proud (@luxedlyani) January 15, 2017
If your lunch with Sumiko is not followed by retching without Sumiko, your interview is not worth reading. But... https://t.co/3DWXSAbHKH— Molly Meek (@Molitics) January 15, 2017
Lunch with Sumiko interview marks official end of journalism https://t.co/lgDiyuTVECpic.twitter.com/wMMDQUvP2R— New Nation (@NewNationsg) January 16, 2017
Ironically, by discussing (and dissing) Lunch With Sumiko so much, the haters are doing a better job at promoting it than those half-page ads ever did.
What has gone unmentioned is that a week earlier, The Sunday Times ran a somewhat less-heralded interview with the other Education Minister, Mr Ng Chee Meng.
By... Sandra Davie, the senior education correspondent.
Maybe they had brunch.
Read Sumiko Tan: Singapore will miss her when she’s gone