Marcus Chin: From Superstar to Storybook Fall
When the 67‑year‑old actor‑turned‑host pops up on the meWATCH talk show Hear U Out, his past isn’t hidden – it’s front and center. Fans remember him from the infamous “old cow eats tender grass” scandal, a debacle that still fuels gossip columns. But this time, he’s sharing the honest, heart‑wrenching truth about his financial escapades.
Money, Milestones, and Those “Merrymaking” Days
Picture this: 1980s, the era of glittering stage lights and booming concerts across Southeast Asia. Marcus, the Aussie‑budding star, was raking in US$400 (S$544) a day during his gigs in Indonesia. A typical tour spanned two months, translating into a whopping US$20,000 per trip.
With cash piling up faster than a popcorn machine at the cinema, he could have bought a landed property after every show. Yet something wasn’t adding up.
“Food, Drinks, and a Lot of Laughter”
- When host Quan Yi Fong asked what he splurged on, Marcus confessed, “Food, drinks, and merrymaking.”
- He joked that no one ever had the decency to give him a warning about his spending habits.
- He admitted he didn’t know how to manage his money – a big mistake for a man earning six figures every month.
Did He Gamble?
Yi Fong theorized that gambling was the culprit, but Marcus was quick to disprove that.
“I stopped gambling once I left the theatre,” he said, looking a little sheepish.
But the real cost was in the “split‑second”— procuring women’s luxury hand‑bags and watches.
Those items weren’t cheap: some branded cigarette lighters alone cost over $300 each, and watches went into the thousands.
“And let’s not forget the costumes; my pride in my outfits meant I kept buying fresh, flashy outfits, and that wasn’t free, either.”
Laughs, Lessons, and a Silver Lining
Despite it all, Marcus has turned his mishaps into a life lesson for his fans. He’s become an example of how mismanagement can happen even when you’re earning a fortune. In part, he believes his “old cow eats tender grass” saga has made him more transparent – not just a case of a celebrity “toxic” flippin’, but a reminder that the human side is always there, no matter how famous or famous or how many tours.
So next time you hear his name up on the list of “best‑selling stars”, just remember the guy who can still feel the weight of his belts and the smoke of his lighters, and he’s kindly pointing us towards the pitfall where all walks of the circus and dancing plays will be content to talk to.
Marcus didn’t want everybody to know about the mess, but he was ready to fix that. With kids and his curiosity in mind, a toast to future pitfalls gets better if everyone knows the ways the next where laughter and sadness and a monthly fear – resonance, and his career is rebuilt became clearly mediated.
‘You name it, I did it’
How Marcus Got Hooked on Hedonism at the Haiyan Opera Theatre
Picture this: it’s 1979, the Haiyan Opera Theatre is on the brink of collapse, and Marcus, a fresh‑in‑the‑show talent, landed a job that paid a cool $1,000 a month. He did the whole “bonus if I star in a skit” gig, so his wallet was already looking pretty thick.
Enter the Wild‑Horse Lifestyle
- Started betting horses
- Picked up drinking, smoking, and ladies’ night (very seriously)
- Kept the lights on till 3–4 am, then would hit home and face his mom staring out the fifth‑floor window
“I was a wild horse on the loose,” Marcus confides, and the picture of a midnight snack‑and‑sips crowd comes to life.
Guilty Confrontation with the Real‑World Deal‑Breaker
When he reminisced, the past punched hard. He started crying, and it was clear he was still the same person who didn’t care about his mother’s worry. “I would hit the bottle and just get drunk every single day… My family couldn’t stop me,” he laments.
Words of Wisdom from a Cautionary Tale
That painful memory stuck—and so did his advice: “Young people, be filial to your parents before it’s too late for you to do so.” He’s basically saying, “Don’t wait until your mother is frantically checking the glass again.” Mm‑mm, sage advice.
Why It’s An Eye‑Opener
Marcus’s teetering between ambition and debauchery is a stark reminder that money and fame can amplify the worst habits if you let them steer you wrong. A pinky‑promised story, a lesson in being true to yourself, and a pinch of humor keeps the tale from sounding like just another cautionary note.
