Dr Palanivel Manickam is an Indian-origin gastroenTerologist based in the United States. Popularly known on social media as Dr Pal, he was recently in Singapore to perform his unique 90-minute “Med Com” (Medical + Comedy) show, where he blends medical advice with humour.
“This is my first time in Singapore and, from what I see, people here look relatively fitter,” he said.
Through short reels and podcasts, Dr Pal shares tips on gut health, food, nutrition, weight loss, and lifestyle. His witty clips, often featuring his wife, family, and friends, have amassed millions of viewers.
He turned his personal weight-loss journey and other health insights into a comedy-style stage show and began performing at different venues worldwide.
The Singapore event, presented by Mask Studios, took place on Aug 30. In an exclusive interview with tabla!, Dr Pal spoke about his journey, passion, and his future plans.
“The whole media journey started as an accident,” he said, adding that “during the pandemic, my hospital asked me to make an awareness video”. He added: “I wrote a script and recorded it, but they felt it was too casual and funny. They told me I could upload it to YouTube if I wanted. That was the starting point of all my videos.”
Dr Pal said his agenda is to help people live healthier lives.
“When patients come to us, our wish is that they don’t have to return. This journey is an extension of that thought. The moment my audience hears my name, they think – eat dinner before 7, avoid junk foods, eat more fibre – that is my success,” he said.
Dr Pal said he enjoyed dim sum in Singapore and praised steamed food as a healthier option. He also called out on a widespread belief that slim people are healthier in general.
“In medical terms, we call it TOFI – Thin Outside, Fat Inside. Health cannot always be judged by body shape,” he explained.
Dr Pal also cautioned against blindly following health tips online. “Without full context, information will never help,” he said.
Dr Pal said it is rewarding to hear from viewers who changed their lifestyle after watching his content. At the same time, he admitted he also faces criticism. “People think I earn a lot through social media,” he said with a laugh.
He clarified that “producing videos takes a lot of time and effort”, adding: “If I invested the same energy in my medical profession, I would earn much more.”
“It gives me joy to see people laugh when I talk. It just gives me extreme satisfaction to talk about things I know, in a digestible way,” he explained. Dr Pal added that he is working on various projects, including meeting celebrities from different backgrounds and introducing more creativity in his videos.
He even plans to create a new cartoon character called Gut-Man to better engage children.
With regard to his comedy show, Dr Pal said: “It’s not a mere medical lecture, it’s also entertaining but when people leave the show, I want them to walk away with a deeper concern for their health and motivation to stay healthy.”
