‘Auntie Lucy character saved me from S$160,000 debt’

In the second part of this exclusive interview, Dennis Chew talks about his star aspiration and how a failed business venture didn't deter him from trying again.

Despite his tumultuous childhood, Chew said he was a happy child and harboured hopes of one day becoming a star from an early age.

His mother attested to Chew's star aspirations, "From young he always liked to watch TV, whether it is Chinese, Malay or Indian programs and pretend to be like the actors."

His dream came true when he was picked by local theatre company The Theatre Practice to star in a musical in 1988.

Although he played only a bit-part role, the experience stirred his passion for theatre works. "I was envious of people who got to sing solo on stage and I wanted to do that too," he said in between sips of his milkshake.

Alas, his next chance at experiencing theatre in the flesh came only more than 20 years later when he was approached to play a role in the musical adaptation of the Royston Tan movie "881" last year.

"When Goh Boon Teck (the musical's director) called me, my thoughts were 'Why do I always have to wait so long?'" he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Likewise, belated recognition on the small screen arrived for Chew only in broadcaster MediaCorp's annual Star Awards in 2010, after Auntie Lucy became a TV sensation.

He was named one of the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes for the first time despite making the shortlist on a few previous occasions.

"There is an old Chinese saying 'Xin Xiang Shi Chen' which means when you keep thinking about something, it might come true one day. I think it really applies to me," he mused, while again on the verge of tears.

Chew's career story certainly reads like the script of a Channel 8 drama series.

In 1989, a year after starring in his first play, the then 16-year-old took his first stab at stardom when he signed up in a hosting competition organised by the former Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).

While he did not win the contest, his flair did not go unnoticed and he was soon offered a stint at hosting a TV program once a week.

One day while he was in Caldecott Hill for the TV recording, an executive overheard him talking in the lift and liked his voice enough to offer him a chance at becoming a radio DJ.

"When he brought me to the radio studio, I was amazed and thought to myself this is the job I want to do. It is more challenging than TV because I can only rely on my voice. I could wear singlet and slippers to work. I thought it was so cool," he said, breaking into a loud guffaw.

The next thing he knew, Chew was hosting a youth program on 95.8 Capital FM. He soon moved to the more youthful 93.3 FM station, where the popular DJ, known to listeners by his Chinese name Zhou Chongqing, has remained since.

A second shot at business

These days, while Auntie Lucy only makes the occasional appearances in TV commercials, Chew's visibility remains high.

He recently wrapped up filming another movie that is scheduled for release in May.

In the film "Ghost On Air", Chew plays a radio DJ who hosts a ghost storytelling program on air — a reference to his real-life popular "Zhou Gong Jiang Gui" (Grandpa Zhou Talks About Ghosts) segment that ended its run on 93.3 recently.

The movie is directed by Cheng Ding An ("Kallang Roar") and also stars former Miss Singapore Eunice Olsen.

Last July, Chew also became a boss — again — when he invested $100,000 to open a restaurant in Tanjong Katong with three partners. This new venture came after a failed attempt at entrepreneurship in 2005, when he invested $300,000 in a bridal business.

Then, tried as he might — he even offered free emcee-ing service with the wedding packages — Chew could not keep the business afloat and when the shop finally closed in 2007, he found himself saddled with a $160,000 debt, which he returned to a relative only after Auntie Lucy shot to popularity in 2009.

"On hindsight, I realised I went into the bridal business without first learning about it. I didn't know how to design bridal gowns and had to rely on people to help with every aspect of the shop.

"When my bridal business failed, I told myself I would never go into business again. But last year, I said 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' and decided to give it another shot," Chew explained.

Chew said the restaurant is closed "for the time being" since 29 February, as one of the partners withdrew his share recently.

"The rest of us thought that since he left, we might as well close the restaurant first and look for a bigger space in town, as location is important," Chew explained.

He added that he made "only a slight loss" on his initial outlay, but declined to reveal the exact amount.

With the estimated six-figure income from his various endorsement deals sitting pretty in his bank account, Chew started to acquire a taste in expensive, designer products. In his wardrobe now are branded bags from Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Hermes , Hugo Boss and Christian Dior.

He has also invested in stocks, which he said are performing "quite well". He declined to reveal more details about his investments.

'My life story should be able to motivate a few people'

While Chew is grateful for the success he now has, he said he could be a role-model for people facing difficulties in their lives.

"Look at me. I am not handsome, neither am I tall and yet I can be a host and a lead actor in movies," he said. "My point is sometimes when you have a dream, try your best and go for it. Don't be easily discouraged. Dreams can come true if you work hard."

His mother had the last words: "I will always pray for him that he will be happy and successful in what he does. He is a very good boy."

See Part One here