Interviews

The following are excerpts compiled from media interviews. Those from Thai or Chinese publications have been translated into English. Enjoy!

Guide of Bangkok: Tell me about your childhood.

Jen: I was born in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania - a small suburb of
Philadelphia. My parents were married in the States, but came from
Shanghai. I was the only Chinese child in an all-white neighbourhood, and
was constantly being teased. It didn't help that I used to wear thick,
coke-bottle glasses and was so shy that my teachers told my parents I had a language problem.

Living In Thailand: But it's hard to believe, considering you're so
outgoing now.

Jen: It is, even I can't believe it. I didn't really "come out of it"
until adolescence. As for my early childhood, I grew up alone. My brothers
were much older and away at college. I was quiet because I had nobody to
talk to. My Mom couldn't speak English very well and my Dad was travelling
all the time for work. So I'd have little pretend sessions. I'd have all
these imaginary students, write little tests for them, make up poetry. Or
sometimes I'd just sit in the bathroom for hours, psychoanalysing myself.

Metro (Ones To Watch): So how did you get into singing?

Jen: When I was in school in Taiwan, my landlady heard me sing in the
shower and entered me into a national TV singing contest without telling me! To make a long story short, I ended up setting a national record in the
contest, which landed me a record contract.

Ploy Gam Petch (Thai): And what about those hats? Even the Bangkok Post has referred to you as "Bangkok's Mad Hatter"!

Jen: It all started in Taiwan. When I was a pop singer, my record company
used to tell me I couldn't go out looking a mess. I had to look neat, well
dressed, and they insisted I put lipstick and a lot of make-up on all the
time, which I detested. I grew up in a family that stressed education and
not looks, so the entertainment business was a bit of a shock at first. I
wasn't crazy about my forehead or my wide Asian face, so I would wear a
headband and put a hat over it to cover it a bit. I remember wearing a hat
and looking at the photos when I was on tour, and thinking "Wow! I like the
look!" I'd wear them more and more, and now I can't go a day without
wearing a hat!

The Big Chilli: How many hats do you have? And do you ever go without
wearing one?

Jen: I have over 200, though I actually can't keep track. And yes, of course I don't wear a hat when I'm anchoring the news. I also do not wear a hat when singing or emceeing in the presence of members of the Thai Royal Family, according to protocol. And I don't wear a hat when I'm in the shower... except a shower cap!

China Times (Chinese): Chinese all over Taiwan love your style of tv
presentation from "Good Morning China", and your syndicated program "Family Album" (Zou Pian Mei Guo) has garnered top ratings in Beijing and Shanghai as well. What is your secret?

Jen: Understand your audience, and take an honest approach to presenting. Do what you do best, and think positively. And communicate one-to-one. Speak from the heart and you cannot go wrong.

The Great News (Chinese): You sing traditional Chinese folk songs which is unusual for someone your age.

Jen: Yes, I started singing traditional Chinese songs at the age of 4, with
help from my father. In the US, I studied classical piano for many years,
and was the soloist with Frank Kaderabek from the Philadelphia Orchestra and performed on Channel 12 as a young child. When I was 10, I was on the Today Show and the Gene London Show performing Chinese traditional ribbon dance - so I suppose I was already mature even as a kid.

I released a Mandarin Chinese album called Lonely Struggles, and in Thailand, I've had the fortunate opportunity to release 3 more albums called Hats Off, Hat Full of Jazz, and Ballads from the Hat which have met with wonderful success and I'm particularly pleased that proceeds from the album and concert launches have been donated to charity.

Bangkok Post Student Weekly: What does it take to be a good news anchor?

Jen: It's important to have an in-depth understanding of current events, a
strong background in journalism, and a professional look and style of
presentation. Proper eye contact is critical, and a clear, mature style of
delivery is important. Since the news is live, it's also important to be
able to react quickly and calmly in case anything goes wrong.

Than Settakij (Thai): Are you happy with your work at Channel 11?

Jen: Oh yes, very much. The staff at Newsline, Insight Info, Channel 11,
and the Public Relations Department have been incredibly supportive. We
have a strong news gathering team of about 300 people, as the network is
entirely devoted to news and documentary programming. I've been told I am the first non-Thai to anchor the news on a national network, so I'm
especially grateful for this honor. I also had the fortunate honor of receiving the Mekhala Television Award on behalf of Newsline and Channel 11 in the category of Outstanding News and General Information.

The Nation Junior: Was it difficult to learn Thai?

Jen: Yes, I cried almost every day when I first came here because the
language was so difficult to learn. But then I studied hard, and made
friends with the local fruit vendors, taxi drivers, and cleaning ladies.
They couldn't speak any English and so I forced myself to practice with
them. I'd make mistakes and they'd laugh at me, but they'd be patient,
correct me, and I'd slowly get better. Now it's been five years and I can
finally say I'm fluent and can read and write Thai as well. - I suppose when
so many people write in to tell me how difficult it is for them to learn
English, I can relate 100%, because I've been in their shoes before.

Image (Thai): What do you like most about your work?

Jen: The ability to meet and to communicate with so many different types of people, of all ages, from some very diverse backgrounds. It's kind of the
ideal demographic - young kids and office workers through my work as a DJ
and singer, mainstream through my work as an entertainment reporter and
emcee, and well-educated/mature audience through my work as a news anchor. I have many interests, and I'm extremely fortunate that I've had the opportunity to pursue all of them. I also have to thank my family for
always supporting me, and the people I've worked with over the years - I've learned a lot from them!