Cheryl Samad’s youth belies a wealth of experience, stretching all the way back to her appearance in a TV commercial for Magnolia ice-cream at the tender age of four. An accomplished presenter, Cheryl cut her teeth as a VJ on music programs MTV No Limits and MTV Pulse, before moving on to acting, securing lead roles on dramas like Astana Idaman and Table for Two. She is currently best known as the host on the popular Malaysian Idol, as well as lending her bubbly and energetic style to Nescafe Kickstart, a reality TV program that has SMS voting.

Oon Yeoh

MW: What phone do you have?
CS: A Nokia 6230 because it’s the easiest phone to use.

MW: Are you dependent on your phone?
CS: Yeah, I am. One day I left my house without my phone, and I felt so naked. I just left the phone for an hour and had 15 missed calls when I came back. I really need my phone because I’m out and about all the time.

MW: How do you describe yourself, professionally?
CS: A little bit of everything, really. To say that I’m a presenter would not be accurate. I’m an entertainer. I do hosting but I also act and I can even sing.

MW: You can sing?
CS: My first passion is singing. I come from a musical family. My aunt, Angeline D’Silva is a singer.

MW: What did you study?
CS: I studied law at Universiti Malaya.

MW: Why law?
CS: I was an idealistic teen. I wanted to be the first female PM! But seriously, law is very versatile. You can venture into anything you want, including politics.

MW: So is there a political future for you?
CS: Probably not. I’ve lost a little of my idealism. Things are not what you think what they should be and it’s just not one area I plan to go into anytime soon.

MW: Is Cheryl a glamour name?
CS: No, that’s my real name. I was named after Cheryl Ladd. My dad’s a Charlie’s Angels fan, you see.

MW: Do you come from an English-speaking home?
CS: Yes, we speak English at home. Up to the age of seven, I spoke only English.

MW: How did that come about?
CS: My mom is Eurasian. She’s Portuguese.

MW: What do your parents think of your career so far?
CS: They are very supportive. They are my biggest critics but also my biggest fan.

MW: How did you get involved with Talent Factory (www.talentfactory.com.my)?
CS: Talent factory is owned by Ping (Ng Ping Ho), Anne (Anne Low) and Jien (Soo Kui Jien). The three of them are friends of mine. Before, I didn’t use to be managed by anyone but now I have them to help me.

MW: Is that better?
CS: Yes, because I’m getting busier and busier. As my career develops, deals get trickier and it’s not a good idea to deal with them yourself.

MW: You are hosting Nescafe KickStart. What’s it all about?
CS: It’s a Reality TV show that gives an opportunity for Malaysians between the ages of 18-25 to achieve their dream jobs.

MW: What are your views on SMS voting for reality shows?
CS: Nothing wrong with it. I mean, if people want to spend money to vote for someone, what’s wrong with that? They are participating and helping to determine the winner.

MW: Are you good at SMS-ing?
CS: I can SMS without looking. I don’t recommend SMS-ing while driving though.

MW: So, are you an SMS freak?
CS: Actually, I prefer to talk on the phone. When I need a reply, I get edgy waiting for an SMS reply. But people I deal with are very busy people. Sometimes, calling is not the smartest choice.

MW: Why do you think some people prefer to SMS?
CS: It’s part of young culture: “Just text me”.  But why can’t I just call you? I think it’s a bit impersonal to communicate via SMS all the time. You’re avoiding speaking to someone. Avoiding confrontation maybe?

MW: Do you have a PDA?
CS: I have an HP iPAQ. It’s a phone iPAQ, actually but I tried using it as a phone and found it too complicated to use. So now, I just use it as a PDA.

MW: Do you use the Internet a lot?
CS: Just for e-mail. I don’t chat online. I keep in touch with my friends through e-mail. My best friend lives in England.