The pageant interview process has always been shrouded in secrecy. What goes on behind those closed doors? What inhumane torture are the pageant nominees subjected to at the hands of merciless interrogators? (We hear that the guys were interviewed shirtless). Do looks only account for 25% of the total score while talents and abilities make up the rest? We’re not quite sure ourselves so we conducted our own email interview and subjected the nominees to our own brand of merciless and uncomfortable questioning.
M1: Kong and F1: Natasha
What would you be surprised to find in your partner’s bag?
Kong: “A watch! She’s always late for all meetings, so I’d be surprised if she actually keeps time.”
Natasha: “A jacket! Kong’s so hot, I can’t imagine that he would ever get cold! But then again, he’s always so full of surprises, so I’d be surprised not to find anything surprising!”
What would you name your LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) if you guys started a law firm?
Both: “[in unison] KIM KONG LLP!”
Kong: “She thought of it one month ago, when we just met. This is actually our couple name!”
Natasha: “We must be the lamest couple in the pageant!”
What is the most important thing in a relationship?
Kong: “Our ‘ba zi’ must match! I would consult a fortune-teller, and he must say we are compatible. After she pass the first test, our intellectual level must be the same so that we can hold deep conversations when we are 40 years old, ugly and wrinkled. If not we’d be damn bored of each other.”
Natasha: “Love, trust, compatibility, and a shared sense of humor. (:”
Are you single, taken or it’s complicated?
Natasha: “Taken! (:”
Kong: “Single [wink]”
What is the most challenging part of pageant prep so far?
Natasha: “Nothing’s been too challenging so far, it’s all been so much fun! The seniors must have put a lot of time and effort into the planning and organization of all this! Oh yeah, putting up with Kong has been challenging too!”
Kong: “What is that supposed to mean?”
Natasha: “All his wild and crazy ideas that I have to reject! He wanted us to be painted blue like the Na’vis from Avatar for our photoshoot!! But I must say that I’ve had a fun time playing along, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner!”
Kong: “[tears well up in his tiny eyes] I’m very touched by what she said. Challenging part… trying to dance and actually look good dancing. I’m always looking at my partner dance and feeling inadequate because she’s such a great dancer. Its difficult knowing how she’s probably judging me every time I dance”
Camo cream or body butter?
Kong: “Body butter? Sounds delicious…”
Do you think your female partner can survive National Service? Why?
Kong: “[looks at Natasha] Definitely. She got a Tawkwondo black belt., she’s also damn pretty, and every guy would just want to help her carry her field pack and everything else, so she’ll definitely survive.”
Where would you spend a romantic date? What’s your idea of a romantic date?
Natasha: “A lovely candlelight dinner and stroll by the beach in the Maldives (:”
Kong: “That’s all? Just stroll at East Coast Park la! Why must go until Maldives?”
Natasha: “Then what’s your idea of a romantic date?”
Kong: “A restaurant I book for the two of us. It must be on the second floor, so that on the way up, there would be rose petals covering the stairs. A harp being played, welcoming us with heavenly music. Mist from dry ice covering the entire restaurant area to give the place a fantasy feel. This is called real romantic date!”
If the world was coming to an end tomorrow morning, what is the last meal you would want to have?
Natasha: “Beef Kway Teow from Geylang Lorong 9, Prawn Noodles from Joo Chiat, Chicken Rice from Boon Tong Kee, Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Fried Carrot Cake and Chicken Wings from Chomp Chomp, Black Pepper Crab from East Coast, McSpicy burger, Tiramisu and Blueberry Cheesecake from Hilton! (:”
Kong: “You’d probably die from overeating before the world ends!”
When was the last time you got rejected by a guy?
Natasha: “My dad didn’t want to come down to Zouk to support me for Law Bash because he was afraid that the music would be too loud!”
Kong: “No guy in their right mind would ever reject her!”
M2: Ben and F2: Nicole
Beauty, brains or brawn? Arrange in order of importance to you.
Nicole: “Brains, beauty, brawn. Because you can work out to get brawn, and if you have brains you’ll know how to make yourself even more beautiful! :P”
If you had to sing a duet together, what song would it be?
Both: “The Barney theme song!~”
How has your life changed ever since you joined pageant?
Nicole: “It’s been busyyy! And I get suanned a lot more than I usually am. >< People now call me queen chee…which sounds like kimchi…which is odd.”
Are you single, taken or it’s complicated?
Nicole: “…Oh, look, that cloud’s so fluffy I could die!”
Which module are you most looking forward to in law school? Why?
Nicole: “Torts. Because it sounds like tarts.”
Do you think your partner has more beauty or brains? Why?
Nicole: “Brains; his hair’s so big (to hide his smarts)! :P”
Have you ever been in love?
Nicole: “Yes, though I guess loving someone and being in love are two very different things.”
What is the one advice you will give to your partner?
Nicole: “Go shop! You don’t have enough clothes! (It was a great struggle to find clothes to match mine for the photoshoot -.-)”
If you could have a meal with any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Benjamin: “I wanna meet Kristen Stewart and tell her to stop acting.”
Do you have a special talent?
Benjamin: “Apparently I found out during SMU law camp 2012 that I can stuff 10 marshmallows in my mouth in 30 seconds -.-”
What type of drunk are you?
Benjamin: “Sleepy drunk (I’m a bummer at parties and drinking games)”
M3: ChangZhong and F3: Jillian
If you were partners on the Amazing Race, who will be the one to endure all the challenges?
Jillian: “Him, no prizes for guessing haha! i will cheer him on.”
Changzhong: “Me! And she can count on me (:”
Siri or your partner?
Jillian: “My partner, because he understands what i am saying!”
Changzhong: “Siri…ously, Jillian, so My humor will be received with laughter”
Are you single, taken or it’s complicated?
Both: “Happily taken by our respective other halves”
If the world was coming to an end, how would you spend your last day?
Jillian: “Hug everyone i love, say goodbyes, and eat pizza while watching a good movie in bed.”
Changzhong: “Jelly fishing from a pineapple under the sea.”
What are your views on the recent changes to the mandatory death penalty
Both: “Death be not proud, thou some have called thee mighty and dreadful”
Do you think your partner has more beauty or brains? Why?
Jillian: “More brains, which says alot because he is good looking! because his puns are very amusing haha.”
Changzhong: “More beauty cos her physical brain size is finite but her beauty isn’t.”
Share the funniest lawyer joke you’ve heard
Both: “Changzhong and Jillian are lawyer (loyal) friends”
What is your favorite type of toilet paper?
Changzhong: “The soft plush 3 ply sort”
Do you think you have what it takes to be an A&F model?
Changzhong: “No. They sport 8 pecs. I can but dream”
Do you think your female partner can survive National Service? Why?
Changzhong: “Sure she can. She’d charm the socks off the officers”
Why do you love the trumpet?
Jillian: “My conductor in concert band has always told us to treat our instrument as our spouse, and so i do!”
What is your definition of success?
Jillian: “Success is if my younger and older selves are proud of who i am and will be.”
If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Jillian: “A giraffe. so i can tower over the world and have super long eyelashes! and baby giraffes are really cute!”
M4: Jun Hong and F4: Shenna
If you were stranded on a desert island with nothing to eat would you eat your partner first or starve to death?
Junhong: “Starve to death (:”
Shenna: “Wait for him to starve to death then I eat him.”
Are you single taken or it’s complicated?
Junhong: “Single”
Shenna: “Taken”
Shoot Shag Marry (Pageant contestants)
Junhong: “I’ll shoot Kong, shag Chang Zhong and marry Collin.”
Shenna: “I reserve my right to remain silent until I have spoken to my lawyer”
What is one piece of advice you will give to your partner?
Shenna: “Calm yo tits”
Jun Hong: “Stop being so R-rated”
What are your views on the soon-to-be implemented mandatory pro bono scheme?
Jun Hong: “It’s great la.”
Shenna: “While I think it may defeat the purpose of doing pro-bono in the first place, I think it still gets the job done ultimately so, why not?”
Comment on the recent ruling by the High Court that the Prime Minister has unfettered discretion to call a by-election.
Junhong: “I think it’s alright.”
Shenna: “I agree to a certain extent.”
How do you pronounce your surname?
Shenna: “It’s pronounced as ‘Chua’. I’m half Indonesian but I don’t like admitting it cos it’s not cool.”
What would you do without your thumbs?
Shenna: “Finally quit my habit of sucking them.”
Should men be able to menstruate and give birth too?
Shenna: “No. Then we have no excuse against them.”
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would that be?
Shenna: “PEANUT BUTTTER”
If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Jun Hong: “I would invest the money to get even more money.”
Do you think your female partner can survive National Service? Why?
Jun Hong: “Of course not. She barely survived an outdoor shoot battling the sun, ants and ducks.”
M5: Guo Wei and F5: Jeslyn
Are you single, taken or it’s complicated?
Guo wei: “It’s always complicated when you are single.”
Jeslyn: “Agreed. Singleeee.”
When’s the last time you got rejected by a girl/guy?
Guo Wei: “It depends on how you see the answer ‘no’…”
Jeslyn : “Just awhile ago, no one can make it for law bash: REJECTION HURTS.”
Shoot Shag Marry (Pageant contestants)
Guo Wei: “No comments.”
Jeslyn: “Love all, serve all. Help ever, hurt never.”
Describe each other in 3 words.
Guo Wei: “Awesome, awesome, AWESOME.”
Jeslyn: “Seriously too hot.”
What are your views on the soon-to-be-implemented mandatory pro bono scheme?
Both: “We think charity should come from the heart… not by making it mandatory.”
What books are you currently reading?
Guo Wei: “Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene”
Jeslyn: “Too busy with pageant… no time to read. But my next book will probably be We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver or Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. (Don’t ask me why all the books I have at home have all turned into movies… probably means I have been putting them off for too long.)”
What is the most important thing in a relationship?
Guo Wei : “Love.”
Jeslyn: “Being comfortable around your partner in no matter what situation. Basically, trusting each other.”
Favourite musician?
Guowei: “Nelly Furtado, her poetic songs and light hearted attitude never fails to make my day. My favourite song is ‘I’m like a bird’.”
If the world was coming to an end, how would you spend your last day
Guowei: “I would sing at the orchard underpass.”
If you were stranded on a desert island with nothing to eat, would you eat your partner first or starve to death?
Guowei: “I would make a sandcastle and watch the wind erode it away…”
How do you pronounce your surname?
Jeslyn: “CHIOOOOOO-nh (according to google translate). If it’s really that hard then just pronounce it as “CHIONG” like everyone else. No seriously, try it…chioooooooo-nh. (:”
What kind of childhood did you have?
Jeslyn: “One filled with a lot of smiling, running, driving everyone crazy with my random bursts of energy and singing, the all-too-frequent visits to the zoo and watching sesame street shows. Actually, that still sounds like my life now… oh snap. But seriously, I think I had an awesome childhood(:”
If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Jeslyn: “I would go backpacking around the world with a Leica (: then along the way, set up some charity that helps rebuild lives in war- torn countries. If I have any spare money left after that… get a big house and an apple farm as my parents’ retirement gift (:”
Why should you win pageant?
Jeslyn: “Honestly, I don’t really think I’m pageant material; being in a pageant is already a very new and daunting experience for me. But if you are considering why you should vote for me (THANK YOU(:), here’s why! I’m a cheery, happy girl who loves trying out new experiences because I believe in living life to its fullest and enjoying what life has to offer. So if you would like to add ‘Won a pageant!!’ to my list of experiences, your votes are very much appreciated (:”
M6: Collin and F6: Irina
If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be and why?
Ira: “The ability to teleport. Because its cool!”
Collin: “The ability to read minds! Because i would know how people truly feel.”
What would you be surprised to find in your partner’s bag?
Ira: “Used female laundrie.”
Collin: “Cigarettes”
Are you single, taken or it’s complicated?
Both: “Single”
Shoot Shag Marry (Pageant contestants)
Both: Decline to ans.
What are your views on the soon-to-be-implemented mandatory pro bono scheme?
Both: “We support the new scheme! We think everyone has to fulfill their social responsibility.”
What type of drunk are you?
Irina: “Friendly drunk”
How confident are you of winning?
Irina: “Not everything is about winning.”
Where did you learn to pole dance?
Irina: “Groove dance studio.”
Have you ever been in love?
Collin: “I guess”
Do you think you have what it takes to be an A&F model?
Collin: “Been there done that”
Are Do you think your female partner can survive National Service? Why?
Collin: “Yes! But i think she is too glamourous for it!”
Catch the pageant nominees at the inaugural NUS-SMU Law Pageant 2012 on the 11th August, 7pm at Zouk. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/lawbash2012.
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Article contributed by Adriel Chioh (Law 2).
Special thanks to Desmond Chng (Law 2), Jermaine Ng (Law 2) and Clement Yap (Law 2) for contributing questions.
Photography sponsored by www.yewkwangphoto.com