SPH

It's my second last day today at SPH and I really feel quite sad. I absolutely love this job, it offers everything that I like, and it's somewhere where I can truly develop my strengths, and I really love the flexibility of the job. I'll never forget how my 'colleagues' Yunn Horng, Gui Er, Xuemei jie and of course Joyce helped me along the way, they are so, so nice and willing to teach me, which is really precious. What surprised me more was how everyone (even those outside of office) were very willing to help me even though I look like a groupie. People would smile and talk to each other, and help each other when the need arises, which really alarms me. I'm pretty sure about making this my future career if possible, though I'm still undecided about which language I'd like to pursue. But of course my mandarin is still not up to standard.

Would like to make a little summary of the artistes I have interviewed and seen so far, and what I think of them. To make this slightly more interesting I'd give them titles:

Seen The Most Number of Times: Kym Ng
OK this little lady who's really small and cute actually stands at 160 centimetres, so stop saying she's short!! I saw her a grand total of 7 times within 5 weeks, and we actually started making conversation from the 2nd or 3rd time onwards. The last time was pretty funny and it went like this (in mandarin though):
(We were talking about how some kids called her auntie, and she was quite 'frustrated' haha)
Me: Don't worry, some kid called me auntie too the other time!
Kym: Are you kidding??! How old are you only?!
Me: 17! So technically you're about 20 years older than I am!
Kym: ?!?!?!?! (looks embarrassed) No la no la, only um 15 la!
Me: Ok fine then, if you want to!
Kym: Eh wait, how old would that make me?
Me: Err...32?
Kym: No la actually, make that 10. Make it a whole number!
Me: Isn't 15 already a whole number?!!!
Kym: HAHAHA!
Me: Actually you're not as short as they say you are! 160 is not bad!
Kym: (Looks proud) Of course, of course! You're an honest child!
Me: And when my mom asked me who was the prettiest star of all, I said you!
Kym: (Looks delighted) WELL OF COURSE! What an honest child you are! Full of integrity! (We all laugh) So where are you studying now?? What do you study?
Me and Minsi: Hwa Chong! We do double lit, Higher Chinese and Eng Lit!
Me: Ya we are Language Elites (Shuang yu ren cai).
Kym: Aiyo!!! How can you call yourself the elite!!
Me: But I only tell the truth. Are you saying I always lie?? That all I said were lies??
Kym: OH of course not!! (Shakes head violently.)

And we all laugh. I love that woman she's friendly and answers questions candidly. She's brilliant though she may look easy to bully. Watch out people she's SO gonna make it back into Top 10 next year!!

Artiste I Used to Like but Stopped after Interviewing: Zoe Tay
I used to love this woman. Always felt she had style, so I was pretty excited when I met her and got to speak a little with her. But I must admit both interviews were pretty disappointing. Not that she wasn't friendly at all or anything, in fact she was very nice and receptive. But I just couldn't feel the sincerity. It's just a gut perhaps, but I don't really think sometimes that she really means what she says. Hope she's not like what I think she is.

Longest Silence in an Interview: Fann Wong
Now Fann Wong was the most beautiful and elegant lady (I felt) amongst all the artistes during the Star Awards. However I began to doubt her mental capacity when she started hemming and hawing throughout her interview with me and a Newpaper reporter. Perhaps it was because the question was regarding Chris Lee, but there was a really embarrassing lapse of silence for about 2 minutes or so when the Newpaper man posed a question to her. Well what can I say, kudos to our only representative in Hollywood!

Best Speaker Award: Quan Yi Feng
Best buddy of Kym Ng, I never ever feel bored when speaking to either of these two women. Quan Yi feng is basically a highly intelligent woman. Her reflexes are sharp and quick, she doesn't get upset and she doesn't scold you, but she's direct and frank. Straight to the point, most of what she says is normally quote-worthy, as is Kym Ng's. I've never seen anyone who deserves the Best Compere award any more than she does.

First Interview in Cantonese: Ah Sa Charlene Choi
This skinny and adorable little lady of 24 may appear to be a little withdrawn and fatigued, but she's actually just an introvert she says. Extremely friendly, the first real view I got of her was when she was chewing and munching on an especially juicy chicken wing, when she offers us (minsi and I) some too. We rejected her kind offer, and began the interview. But then I remembered Ah Sa, being a HKer, is not very profficient in her mandarin, and often gives wrong replies to questions posed in mandarin. So I asked her questions in cantonese, and she replied them fluently and accurately too! But yes I love the language, it's lovelier than mandarin! So my first interview in cantonese was given to ahsa of Twins! And I love the way she slurs her words around, how interesting! HKers who are not very fuent in their mandarin obviously feel better when interviewed in cantonese, they express their views a lot more clearly than what they would have been able to in Chinese. (Unfortuately since minsi couldn't understand canto, we had to switch back to mandarin eventually.) AhSa also told us that she was once an intern at a newspaper as well, and she even interviewed Wyman! Haha, a very adorable lady, this one. This girl may not be fabulous in terms of singing, and can still seek improvement in terms of acting, but she's truly the kind of girl all of us journalists love. Very interesting girl, would love to speak to her more if I ever have the chance to.

Oldest Celebrity Interviewed: "Auntie Hao" Sheet Kar Yeen
Technically she's not really the oldest I interviewed, but the other one Cui Ping is not really known anymore, so I shan't consider her as a celebrity. Kar Yeen- jeh was a also another bubbly character, receptive to all sorts of questions, even when I posed her a difficult one like "How much were you paid?" Her smile was never off her face, and her cheerfulness and vivacious laughter just spread across the room when she was delighted by any part of our conversation. I nearly went deaf but she was indeed a very bubbly character for someone over 50!

Best Vocalist: David Tao
I was so, so, so, so impressed just by watching his concert. He played around with the music and was so much in control that I was so, so taken in by everything, and the atmosphere of the concert. Definitely one of the best concerts I've attended!

Celebrity who Leaned the Closest: Andy Hui
Not that I'd be upset that Sammi's ex whispered into my ear when I interviewed him, but after he did so, I could fully tell he had just smoked. But anyhow, he was still very friendly, and even assured me that he would take care of my Queen. A nice man, definitely.

The 2nd Best Looking Man Award: Takeshi Kaneshiro
Didn't manage to interview this Japanese-Taiwanese heart-trob, but he did walk past me when I attended the Red Carpet event for the gala premiere of his show, "Perhaps. Love". He's extremely fair, and his short hair and suit just makes him look better. I guess his everyone's dream, but not really mine (and that's why he's in second place.) He's tall and quiet, almost like a royal. He's got eyes that makes a girl curious about him. What is he like? Where does he live? What kind of books does he read? What kind of woman would he fall for? Perhaps it's all these questions that make this big boy even more attractive!

The Best Looking Man Award: Nicholas Tse
Many might protest regarding my choice for this award, but I must say though in terms of features, Takeshi Kaneshiro beats him hands down, but in terms of overall attraction, Nic Tse is one great magnet. It's true that Nic Tse is only a mere 170 cm (disappointing for some, maybe, but it doesn't matter for me, does it? Haha!) but gosh one look into his eyes, everyone faints. When he removed his shades, everyone just screamed. What is more attractive about him is his personality. He doesn't speak much, but his sincerity can be felt, and when he says THANK YOU to the audience, and apologies to his fans for leaving, everyone in the audience knows he's meaning what he says. Good genes, baby, it's good genes. And personality. Absolutely delicious, this boy.

Other artistes I interviewed/saw/spoke to along the way: Basically almost everyone in Mediacorp including and especially Jacelyn Tay, Christoper Lee, Quan Yi Feng and etc, Alex To, Hacken Lee, S.H.E, Milk from Energy, Kang Kang, Jiao Jiao, Zhou Xun, Peter Ho and etc.

My favourites out of all the people I have interviewed, besides Kym Ng, are all the HKers: Nic Tse, Ah Sa, Andy and Kar Yeen-Jeh.

I don't know why, but I prefer to interview HK artistes. Somehow, there this unsaid bond I feel towards them. Maybe it's because I grew up surrounded by HK everything. They're just so much more than Singaporean and TWnese stars, because they have the STAR quality. Like how everyone just diverts their attention to the HK stars. Maybe they've been through some form of training. And of course, I can sense that they feel happier speaking to Singaporean press, because we're definitely not as unfair or barbaric compared to some mags I may mention.

But anyhow, this job has taught me a lot of things, and given me a clearer direction as to what I intend to do in future. Thanks SPH, and everyone at Shinmin Entertainment!!