I want to be a radio DJ for the interesting love life

Two radio DJs, two break-ups. One with his second wife, the other with what seems like his 98th radio station.

On Valentine's eve, Glenn Ong announced his separation from Jamie Yeo, a former DJ herself, after divorcing another DJ, Kate Reyes, in 2003.

Three days before Glenn's bombshell, Joe Augustin was fired from Power98FM eight months after getting fired from Radio 91.3FM after having worked at practically every English-language radio station in the country.

These guys get around.

Still, I wish I could be like them - talented, funny and crazy rich from all those emcee-ing gigs. That's where the money is, you know.

Plus local DJs have such interesting love lives.

Daniel Ong dated fellow DJ Jean Danker before marrying a former Miss Singapore, Jamie Teo.

Mark Richmond married and divorced fellow DJ Vernetta Lopez before marrying someone closer to his height, Beatrice Chia.



Hoping to get in on the action, I once actually auditioned to be a radio DJ. I figured, hey, I liked music, I spoke English - what other qualifications do I need?

During the voice test - don't ask me why - I decided that the way to impress was to sound like Patrick Stewart from Star Trek: The Next Generation.



Needless to say, I didn't get the job, although I'm not sure if it was because I sounded like a Federation starship captain or because I tried and failed to sound like one. Maybe I should've gone for William Shatner instead.

Imagine my confusion years later, when I met Glenn for the first time, he said he was a fan of mine. For what, I don't know. My bad Patrick Stewart impression? The encounter was so strange that I've avoided him ever since.

And now that he's separated from Jamie Yeo, whom I've worked with on a TV show, bumping into him would be even more awkward.

I would also be uncomfortable around around Mark and Vernetta because of their divorce. Their wedding dinner was the funnest I've ever attended, if for no other reason than I was seated at the same table as Paik Choo.

But after Mark and Vernetta broke up, my fond memory of that dinner has been somewhat tainted and I feel this odd tension like I should break up with Paik Choo too.

Fortunately, I have no such issue with Joe, who, despite his job-hopping, sometimes not by choice, at least didn't marry (and divorce) another DJ.

But it's hard to feel sorry for Joe because unlike me, I know this is a guy won't have trouble landing another job even in these tough times.

And I can't wait to see who Glenn marries next.

As Captain Jean-Luc Picard would say: "Engage."

- Published in The New Paper, 22 February 2009

UPDATE: Glenn Ong to marry Jean Danker and Joe Augustin has rejoined MediaCorp Radio

UPDATE UPDATE: Who is 'B' in Vernetta Lopez's new book?