DiscoverTell You FirstSingapore’s War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll
Singapore’s War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll

Singapore’s War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll

Update: 2025-11-25
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Description

From banning Playboy and pinball to cutting the hair of foreign pop stars, Singapore once waged a full-blown crusade on what it called “yellow culture.” This episode dives into the secret morality purge that started with tabloid scandals in the 1950s and spiralled into raids, bans, and a nationwide obsession with purity and control.

 

Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).

 

Credits:

 

Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)
Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)
Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi

 

If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

 

Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Singapore’s War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll

Singapore’s War on Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll

Mediacorp