Delightfully Tacky, yet unrefined (apparently)
Now I understand some of the Singaporean obsession with American culture, it fits well with the upwardly mobile consumer society they have created on this little island off the edge of Malaysia.
However on walking along the (man made) river to meet Jane and Jo in a Victorian pub near the city centre I stumbled in shock to see a hooters ‘restaurant’. There are over 400 in the US and International outlets in places as diverse as Sau Paulo, Seoul, Taipei, Nottingham and Whitby (China) (seriously). Also, clearly, Singapore.
For those of you who may not have seen many American teen comedies, Hooters is an establishment somewhat along the food lines of TGI Friday but with a waitressing staff of attractive and well-endowed cheerleaders not wearing much. In fact the ‘uniform’ consists of orange hot-pants and a tight white vest.
It’s the sort of restaurant lonely middle aged men go to if they’re not brave enough to go to strip clubs. Or sports teams go to so they can make ‘phwoah’ noises and pick on the guy in the team who’s never kissed a girl. It’s the restaurant equivalent of Zoo or Nuts magazine (shudder).
Or apparently in Singapore it’s where a pair of septegenarian American couples would choose for an early evening dinner. This is testament to the unreconstructed draw of those shorts, given that Singapore has such a volume of eating venues you could eat out breakfast, lunch and dinner for a year and still only get a hundred yards down the river.
Now I like a good feed as much as the next Croll but the multiple use of the word ‘jumbo’ on a menu puts the fear of god into me. However the main draw of Hooters cannot be the cuisine. This was another area however in which Singaporeans emulation of the American consumer nirvana was just slightly off the mark. According to their careers pages the Hooters Girl uniform can not be changed or altered in any way. However as my eyes were assaulted by the hot-pants disappearing into what can be most politely described as a rather large bottom I did find myself wishing for some sort of Hooters burkha. Or at least someone to poke out my eyes.
Andy 30 January 2007
Commenting is closed for this article.