Suzanne’s Blog

It’s one of those feel-good stories which I love to share with my viewers and friends. You must have heard about Susan Boyle by now… the overnight youtube sensation with that angelic voice as dubbed by the media.

When I first read about Susan Boyle’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent… the first thing I did was google her name and watch the clip on youtube. I didn’t cry like many others did but I did feel a surge of emotion overwhelm me as I watched the clip. I had no idea who Susan Boyle was but I felt so so proud of her at the end of the clip. Amanda said it right… this is a giant “wake-up call” for all of us.

You see ( in case you haven’t watched the clip)… most probably didn’t think much of her when she introduced herself… a frumpy middle-aged woman who describes herself as unemployed, living alone with her cat and never been kissed. When she took to the stage, the judges and the audience snickered and rolled their eyes… laughing at her wish that she wanted to become a famous singer. She was nothing more but a subject of ridicule in the beginning and everyone was prepared, or even looking forward to seeing her fall.

But she is sooooo~ not! And I’m so happy and proud of what she has done and how she proved herself. I mean, her story really teaches us something doesn’t it?

I loved how she carried herself on that stage… with her own brand of confidence, a little wry of humour and her poise and gutsiness. Oh, and did you catch that quick moment where she allowed herself a discreet celebration upon hearing the 3 ‘yes’es? Cute I say.

We live in a superficial age in modern societies. “First impression counts” we’re always told.

It’s true… image, style and persona will always matter, but ultimately it’s talent and substance that counts. And that’s the lesson Susan is teaching us.

We should look beyond a woman’s appearance and see what’s she’s really inside – her character, intelligence and heart. It’s time we give recognition to those who resist rather than conform to the beauty ideal.

Hi All,

This article was to be published in Weekend Today but we forgot there’s no print this weekend cuz it’s a long weekend holiday – Good Friday!! So, I thought instead of it going to waste, I’ll post it up here. Enjoy

David Archuleta’s visit creates buzz

Singapore fans hold a special place in the heart of this American Idol star

By Suzanne Jung & Nooraza Ismail

There’s always a little more buzz and excitement to our daily grind here at Primetime Morning when it comes to interviews with celebrities.

So when word got out that American Idol star David Archuleta was making his way to Caldecott Hill for a TV interview, a steady stream of colleagues whom we wouldn’t have suspected were fans, ‘fessed up their adoration for the 18-year-old singer.

“So when is he coming? I got my camera ready and set to go. Can I also get his autograph for myself and my nieces? ” said a video editor, as she earnestly reminded us to include her in our afternoon date with David.

With celebrities, it’s never a guarantee that an impromptu photo opportunity is a sure thing, once the formal interview is over.

That’s because these stars bring with them their entourage of “minders” (read: publicist, manager, bodyguard, record promoter, sometimes parents) who sometimes take it upon themselves to decide that impromptu photo-taking sessions with the stars are a no-no as it takes too much time out of their hectic media schedule.

Well, David and his minders weren’t like that.

The minders didn’t mind the fans’ requests and neither did David.  After we’d completed our interview with him, he stepped out of our studio into a crowd of fans who wanted nothing more than to meet him and pose for pictures with him, and this he agreed to graciously.

David’s graciousness aside, we found our hands full getting cameras and props all set up in our studio, before our interview with him.

Viewers seldom get to see what goes on behind the scenes of our morning show but what we can tell you is that half the fun (and hard work) of producing something for television is in the preparation.

In the one, single hour we had to set up, studio and camera crews worked quickly to get the backdrop, props, camera angles and lighting just right, but this they did and when David walked in, the cameras were ready to roll.

At eighteen, David has an air of innocence about him that adds to his cute factor.  He struck us as someone who’s happy and content with where he is today.

Ask him about his fans and he beams with pleasure, often breaking out in giggles as he recalls how wild they can get.

Singapore fans, by the way, have a special place in his heart.

“What’s so funny is that during American Idol, Singapore was one of the places I got the most fan letters from. It was just crazy! It’s great!”

 psss… David thinks Kris Allen stands out from the current season of American Idol. Do you have a favourite too?

Women who go out of their way and touch the lives of others are truly deserving of recognition.

I am amazed when I read about women who despite struggling with their own challenges still make it their personal commitment to help others. Take for example, Molly, the 2008 winner of the Singapore Woman Award., given out by MediaCorp.  She was suffering from ovarian cancer but despite her own painful struggle, she reached out to young victims of cancer and dedicated her time to them.  Molly died last year but she lives on in the hearts of all those she’s touched.

Now, that’s what I consider a starting point of any journey towards making our society a better place to live in.

Whether it’s the volunteer who devotes her in time in healing others or the campaigner who makes a real difference to her community, the achievements of such women are made all the more precious simply because, in most cases, they’ve been made in the face of adversity and hardship.

I often think about what it takes to build that inner strength, the courage that keeps these women going no matter how high the obstacles, and how I can learn that secret too.  It’s something I’ve thought about for quite some time now.  The only conclusion I can come to, is that you can do two things – lie down and give up, or work up to the challenge and in the journey, discover what you can do.

There is a nation-wide search now looking for ordinary women who have done extraordinary things  through its Singapore Woman Award 2009.  These are women who often, don’t set out to do great things but do them anyway because they felt they had to.   These women serve as great role models to all of us and most importantly, show us that we too are capable of extraordinary things.

But don’t be mistaken… to be extraordinary doesn’t always have to mean you’ve got to do things on a large scale.

It doesn’t have to be about how many lives you’ve touched.

Let’s not forget the mother who cares selflessly for her child or the teacher who inspires her students and forever touches their lives. Whether it’s one or a hundred, these women have been extraordinary and they too deserve our salute.

Remember, every life has a story.

And there’s a hero in every one of our stories.

For me, it’s my mother. For you, it could be your sister, friend, teacher or colleague.

If you feel they should be recognized, do share because the stories deserve to be heard.

And by doing so, as Laura Hwang, our recent guest on Primetime Morning and one of the judges for the Singapore Woman Award puts it, “You’ve already made them a winner.“

Do you know someone you want to nominate for Channel NewsAsia’s Singapore Woman Award? Log on to www.channelnewsasia.com/singaporewoman