JENTZEN Lim’s flair for languages has been his ticket to success in the entertainment industry. At ease with English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien, his broadcasting career quickly took off in 2004 when he rode the wave at a Chinese radio station, Melody FM.
In 2006, he expanded his repertoire by hosting television shows in Cantonese.
While his first year as a TV host was a momentous change, his career route took a drastic but satisfying turn the following year.
He was selected to be part of an inaugural team to launch Astro’s Hokkien-themed TV channel.
Drawing on similarities between his formative tenure as an editor with a magazine prior to hosting on TV and radio, Jentzen said: “The habit of structuring content in my mind is so deeply ingrained that it comes naturally when I’m hosting on TV or radio, regardless of what the script is.
“And because of my education background in advertising and copywriting, understanding words, be it spoken or written, is an innate trait that I have been able to hone over the years.”
However, in the past year and a half, his career as an event emcee has been siderailed by the pandemic.
“On a personal level, I’ve adjusted to it pretty well.
“It’s common to hear people expressing how frustrated they are being cooped up at home during the lockdown, but I really enjoy staying at home most of the time. I’m a homebody. Spending time at home with family is a luxury when you’re constantly busy with work.”
What keeps you motivated?
One thing is for sure, the pandemic has realigned my values and I have come to realise that I have been lazy for too long. Of course, it is up to an individual to choose what they do at home. You can attend online classes, pick up new skills, work out or indulge in other ways to improve yourself but I didn’t.
Days went by and I wasted months, or even a year worth of time. This complacency later became a motivation for me to join broadcasting again when Melody FM approached me. The opportunity could not have come at a better time for me to be productive again.
I think I work better in a systematic environment like a full-time job at a radio station where everything is organised and scheduled. If I am given a free rein with flexibility as a freelancer, I may not be that disciplined because I know myself well.
That said, the feedback from my peers, my superiors and even from audiences has been a great source of motivation that has kept me going.
Tell us a little about your new radio programme on Melody FM.
From the name of the breakfast radio show, which is called “Morning So Easy”, we want to convey content that have meaning and substance, but at the same time is easy to listen to in the morning.
The idea is for it to be informative and interesting. We filter through the latest news and current affairs, and deliver them in our 7am News Feature. Other segments include SME Hour, Expert Hour and Healthy Thursday.
Do you think the way you speak changes when hosting in different languages?
It does change. The most extreme case would be English versus Hokkien. When I am required to speak Hokkien, I am expected to be relatable and affable in a down-to-earth manner, and to use familiar slang so I can engage the audience. If I am not required to do that, I would usually take the middle road because I do not want the language to dictate how I appear. I just want to be portrayed as myself.
To put it bluntly, many think the Hokkien dialect has an inferior status, which I totally disagree with. I think whatever language or dialect you speak, you can still convey the essence the way you want to, and not by a preconceived belief.
Would you say that you are naturally charismatic?
I would not say that even though I have been told so on occasion. I think charisma is something that is in the eye of the beholder and thus, it is rather subjective. If I exude charisma, some people may be drawn to it but there are also those who find it revolting, deeming it as an attempt to impress.
The truth is you cannot control how people feel towards you, which is something I have learnt along the way, being in the public eye. There will be people who support you and then there are the haters.
How do you deal with haters?
I am lucky that I do not have many to start with, but there have been comments that are negative and hostile. However, I have to admit it does get to me, depending on how emotionally strong or fragile I am at the time. Ultimately, you just have to recognise that these keyboard warriors do not have to be held accountable for what they say.
