The issue of fake news is a very real one, especially in light of the recent Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods hearings that debated the problem. But in the midst of all the serious talk, having a light-hearted look at the issue can be quite the breath of fresh air.
Enter Derailed, a “public service announcement” created for the National Council on Fake News Singapore (which, by the way, does not exist). Done up by a self-professed creative agency called Lupsup — the one behind last year’s thrilling Oxley Road drama trailer Dear Papa — the fake news spoof about fake news highlights the sad, sad (and fake) story of a mother named Nancy and her young son.
With tears streaming down her face, Nancy wails about how heartbroken she was when her child was caught in an MRT breakdown and ended up half an hour later for his PSLE Math paper… all because she believed a Straits Times headline that read, “Rise in major breakdowns but MRT gets more reliable”.
Tragically, her boy only managed to score 245 on his PSLE (instead of the expected 260), and didn’t make the cut for his first choice school, Raffles Institution.
Watch the dramatic, emotional clip below.
As far as parodies go, this one’s rather timely in making fun of an issue that’s been on everyone’s minds recently. But it’s also an appropriate reminder of how fake news can actually have real consequences on our society and in our communities.
Reader Interactions