Radio DJ Sammy Leung
Sammy Leung has been a DJ at Commercial Radio Hong Kong for almost 10 years, and is best known for his combative and often hilarious shows with sparring partner Kitty Yuen. Leung has grown up on-air, moving from shows for teenagers to more serious issues. He talks to Victor Chau about how radio shaped his life.
Radio was an important part of my life when I was growing up. But I never thought I’d become a radio host.
My mother is a traditional “Hong Kong” person. She wanted me to go to a famous school and university. I went to La Salle College in Kowloon Tong and then to the Chinese University. But I was “Hong Kong” too, and I felt I should have gone to an overseas university.
I’m an attention-seeker. When I entered university, I had the urge to perform. Even when we went to bars for a good time, I’d talk as if I was hosting a show. Sometimes my friends got fed up with it.
I joined Commercial Radio Hong Kong as a summer job. I applied because I reckoned it was the coolest summer job anyone can dream of.
I started as a junior radio host, a “red-shorts boy” in the industry jargon. I had comprehensive training on how to be a professional radio DJ, from scriptwriting, song- and sound-mixing to how to do a talk show. That’s why I can do radio shows professionally, unlike the new DJs who just hook up with a celebrity and pretend to be a real host.
When I see new DJs not doing well, I teach them how to do it right, although it’s none of my business. That’s why I’m nicknamed “Big Brother.”