Down and dirty with the 8 dukes

Much has been said and done about MediaCorp’s 8 dukes since their induction into royalty at last year’s Star Awards. Their harmonious relationship and work achievements have been put under the microscope and magnified for all to scrutinise as the local media ran reports, cover stories and popularity polls pitting the dukes against one another – just like what we will be doing when our voting poll opens at 12 pm today.

Over the past month, we ambushed Aloysius Pang, Desmond Tan, Ian Fang, Jeffrey Xu, Romeo Tan, Shane Pow, Xu Bin and Zhang Zhen Huan, at a variety of places – from the make-up unit on campus to hotel venues at press conferences – and put them in the hot seat with Toggle. In a test of wit and eloquence, these dukes were made to select and answer four random questions (from a pool of nine) about themselves and their fellow dukes.

It wasn’t an easy task for some however. “You’re out to sow discord!” protested duke specimen A, when asked to single out his brothers, while specimen B demurred: “It feels like you’re trying to start a war.”

All in the name of good fun, fellas! For the record: we come in peace and no, we’re not in for the kill. Our mild-mannered questions are far from destructive but we promise they’re bound to tickle your insides. Read on for the best and finest replies from the 8 Dukes, and watch the clips for the full experience.

#1 Dukes who feel that their eyes are their sexiest asset:

Zhen Huan says… Someone has told me my eyes are very bright and lively.

Romeo says… Having a ripped body doesn’t necessarily make one sexy… So I think it’d be my smiling eyes because it sends out a positive vibe.

Aloysius says… My eyes (...) When a person acts, your emotions are portrayed through your eyes too. It’s capable of leaving others mesmerized.

Most popular remark made with reference to their eyes: Eyes are the windows to the soul

#2 The dukes who are attracted to a woman’s eyes:

Shane says… I think a woman's lips is also very important and I would notice the shape of it when she speaks. There’s no specific lip shape (that I fancy)… another body part would be the legs – I like girls with long legs.

Xu Bin says… Well, it depends if I’m looking at her from near and from afar. From afar it’d be her legs because it’d show her body proportion, and if I’m looking at her up-close it’d be her eyes.

#3 The duke with the most ingenious answer (on his sexiest body part):

Desmond says… It is my skin… I think I have healthy skin and that’d be the sexiest part of me!
(Ed’s note: Okay… the skin is the biggest organ of the body, so we’ll let this one slide)

WATCH: Who's the sexiest duke of them all?

Zhen Huan says… Aloysius. I think he’s very mild-tempered, has a mind of his own and is a good boy. I’m a pretty good guy too and I’m sure “my sister” would be good too, so that means we’ll all get along well ‘cos we are on the same frequency. (Laughs)

Romeo says… Aloysius (he also approved of Jeffrey and Shane) These three give me a good impression and it seems as if they’d be able to take care of my sister. As for the rest, they feel more cheeky to me…

Ian says… Desmond or Romeo. Romeo should be a pretty sweet boyfriend and Desmond seems like he is capable of taking care of the family. I’d stop her from dating Aloysius ‘cos he’s so boring! And I’m only saying this ‘cos we are close.

#5 And this brings us to our next point about the duke they’d forbid their sister from dating: Ian … because he’s also the duke who is (supposedly) a ladies’ man.

Xu Bin says… I don’t think any of us have much luck with the ladies, but if I had to pick one I’d say Ian – it feels like he’s the type that most girls would fancy. The bad boy look.

Romeo says… Everyone’s equally good-looking, I’m sure we’d all have some lady luck right? But amongst us 8, I think it’d be Ian who is the most popular – he has a glib tongue and knows the right words to please the ladies. He’s not only like that towards women but men too!

Zhen Huan says… I think it’d be Ian… He’s very lively and popular amongst men and women. You’d always be entertained in his company. He’s very good at making women happy.

WATCH: Ian Fang's the gossipmonger amongst the 8 dukes