Upclose with Jim Chim Sui-Man
Outrageously funny Hong Kong comedian Jim Chim Sui-Man talks to Sophia Chan about the story behind his latest production.
HK Magazine: Why did you pick pseudo-models (lang mo) as your latest parody?
Jim Chim: Six months ago, my show didn’t have any pseudo-model references in it. There was a big debate on the internet forums between Hong Kong girls and boys. The girls were complaining about guys in Hong Kong, saying they weren’t able to act like real boyfriends, while the guys hit back and said the girls were too materialistic and shallow. It was a big issue, so my partner Edward Lam and I decided it was a good time to do a project about it. When the pseudo-model issue became big, I realized we could work the parody into the show, since “lang mo” as a subject matter would be very funny and easy to incorporate.
HK: What are your thoughts on the pseudo-model phenomenon?
JC: You can look at it from many viewpoints. You could say they are artists providing entertainment and trying to create commodities to sell, but with a very public approach that is morally offending to some people. They are provoking and challenging people’s thoughts and arguing back.
HK: What particular features of pseudo-models have you imitated?
JC: I used the obvious features that models like Chrissie Chau use, such as the seductive toothbrush pose and that infamous life-size pillow. In the show, I portray the pseudo-models as how the ‘Kong girls and boys view them and how they penetrate our daily lives.
HK: Do you have any bigger ambitions? Or have you already achieved what you want?
JC: No, I want to expand and do things no one else has done before. My main aim is for our production and work to influence China. There are not many comedian actors in China so I want to break into the cultural industry there. I think I can become one of the famous comedians there.
HK: What do you consider the most important aspect of your work?
JC: In general terms, I want to make people feel happy. My company is called P.I.P., which stands for “Pleasure Imagination Play.” My wish is to bring these three things into all aspects of people’s lives.
HK: So how funny do you think you are, really?
JC: I would say I’m about an eight on a scale of one to 10. But I’m working towards the top.