www.rislow.sg
THE stage lights have long dimmed and the cat-fighting is now only a distant purr, but Ris Low is not going quietly into the night.
Had it turned out differently, she'd be trading air kisses with the rich and famous or fulfilling other obligations expected of a beauty queen. But with her Miss Singapore World title gone, the Singlish-spouting student spends her free time making smart appearances on talk shows and coining new words faster than you can shout 'BOOMZ!'
We caught up with the 19-year-old over lunch (which for the self-confessed binger meant a glass of chocolate milk shake for the entire day), and found that she has engaged a manager to turn around her negative public image.
After all she's been through, this young woman just shrugs off criticism and ridicule. Make no mistake, Ris may have given up her crown after her brush with the law, but she has never been more ready for the big time.
Q: Ris, it's no exaggeration to say that you're now officially Singapore's most recognizable ex-beauty queen. Has fame been a dream or nightmare for you so far?
It's been a dream, a fabulous dream. It's like being in wonderland, people recognize you and you get freebies...
Q: What sort of freebies?
Oh I get a lot of free nail treatments and hair treatments.
Q: I see. But surely it hasn't all been smooth-sailing? You have been getting your fair share of flak and criticism ...
(interrupts) No, I take everything with a pinch of salt. So it's just been a dream to me, even the bad parts.
Q: So you're thoroughly enjoying yourself?
Ah huh. There's no such thing as bad publicity, only publicity. (smiles)
Q: Some people say that you don't know what you're doing and have dragged our country's reputation down with you. What do you have to say to these people?
Can I tell them that they're bull-sh**ing? Please take a look at yourself in the mirror, as if you're not disgracing yourself. Is your English really that good? Can you really speak that well? Can you write that well? Do you think you can stand on the stage and portray yourself?
No, I don't think so. You're just somebody behind a computer, a nerd wearing specs, typing away. Just a coward.
Q: Has there been anything brought up in the media that you would like to clarify?
They said I bought my title, but obviously that's not true. If you spend money and effort going to grooming classes and catwalk classes, of course you'll win.
Nothing comes for free. You must put in the effort to make yourself well known, make yourself be seen. Saying I bought my title is so not true.
Q: Speaking of well-known, did you ever think that the word 'boomz' will become the national phenomena it is now?
No, I thought 'boomz' was just a word used by myself and in the comics, where the cars go crashing and then boomz!
Q: So how long have you been using this word?
I think since I was young. I'll just play with the (toy) trucks and go boomz, boomz, boomz!
Q: And did it always come with the z at the back?
You know there was this point in time whereby everything came with a z at the back? It was so yesterday, but ya ...
Q: So I see you've coined a new word, shingz, which you said translate to 'sucks'. Was that also from your childhood?
No, that's recently. It's like saying basket ... and when you can't say that, you just say shingz.
Q: So are you going to get into the habit of coining new words?
Ya, I can start a Ris Low dictionary anytime. (smiles) Because I'm always into new words, and I like coming up with new ways of expressing myself through different sounds. I base them on sounds la, don't really think there're words actually.
Q: Interesting. So has your daily 10pm curfew been 'shingz' for you?
Obviously, I can't go for any events if it's after 10pm, or I have to get approval from my probation officer. Other than that, it's not much of a problem because I'm not much of a nightlife person. I don't go chionging (clubbing), even though I look like a chiongster.
Q: What do you do when you want to go out and have a good time then?
Shopping, shopping, tons of shopping. (laughs) A woman can never get enough of shopping. You get real excitement and thrill out of shopping. It's like you're looking at the clothes and they're asking you to try them out. (in animated tone) That gorgeous dress, ooh look at that!
Q: Where do you usually do your shopping?
Anywhere with clothes. Heeren, Bugis, Cineleisure. And the infamous City Plaza.
Q: City Plaza? Eh isn't that where all the aunties do their shopping?
No. (shakes head disapprovingly) ... the clothes are so trashy. And I like trashy clothes.
Q: So what's the trashiest outfit that you have?
Haha, I don't even dare to wear it out, I think my mom will kill me. It's all furry, mid-riff and comes with a short skirt.
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You are so ***** up man. never seen such a disgrace to singapore.
You SHINGZ .
You should pity yourself. Living in self denial.
Well, after all I have to take my hat off you. You're still good and strong after being thrashed with so many negative news and comments. Is that the reason why u love TRASHY clothes? I seriously think so!
I know Singapore has a Singlish culture. But you being a woman who is representing Singapore should show proper english to the whole world since English is our country's first language. And seriously I thought only my grandma pronounces bikini as bigini now.
I don't usually condemn people because everyone make mistakes. But you, after so many bad incidents, truly remained thick skinned ( or even thicker ) and feel you've done nothing wrong. Learn to take a little humble pie. Or at least reflect a little? -_-
And so i guess the attempts at being associated with the Down Syndrome Association (DSA) and the Breast Cancer Foundation are part of an attempt to rehabilitate her tattered image then? Spouting that she had learnt her lesson, and she would henceforth be a smart bitchy backstabber and then claiming to want to bring awareness to the two very deserving charities in the same breath simply smacks of ill-conceived opportunism with the sincerity of a hyena. "There's no bad publicity, only publicity" remember?
I think she must have missed taking her "bipolar" medication to reduce 3 grams in weight for the interview. Whoever the fool she's seeing now, i hope the boomz is worth it.
Well... well... the immaturity and lack of sophistication is rather glaringly obvious. I hesitate to use the word naivety as that would imply childish ignorance.
Let's hope that you do bring yourself out from the coconut shell you have been living under.
act smart..
"Can I tell them that they're bull-sh**ing? Please take a look at yourself in the mirror, as if you're not disgracing yourself. Is your English really that good? Can you really speak that well? Can you write that well? Do you think you can stand on the stage and portray yourself?
No, I don't think so. You're just somebody behind a computer, a nerd wearing specs, typing away. Just a coward."
Yes, yes, yes.
As for the last of your questions, I'll be honest - I'd be a total nervous wreck and make mistakes while talking. It has happened before, I've done the occasional emceeing jobs for my school. But never to the extent of using Singlish, that's just disgraceful.
Sorry, lady.
As much as I am, right now, a bespectacled, self-professed nerd typing away behind a laptop, I am not a coward.
Okay , firstly , to all the haters , get your own life .
' You're just somebody behind a computer .. Just a coward ' .
I agree with what Ris Low had said . Do you people dare say it in front of her face ?
If not then just mind your own business and stop with the criticism .
Then if you haters english is so good , why don't you join the pageant then ?
It's not about the english okay , its about the courage , the passion and the beauty .
Although her english is bad , as how she may had claimed , at least she had the guts to go up on stage , show herself off and admit that her english isn't up to standard .
Would you haters do something like that ?
Secondly , so what if she likes trashy clothes that displays her body ?
Don't tell me you haters never wear trashy clothes before or just plainly show of your legs ? She has a nice body , so ?
She may have a bad past , but don't tell me you haters don't ?
Everyone makes mistake and no matter how bad it is , everyone deserves a second chance .
You haters are just jealous and freaking stupid to not even think for yourself .
Why are you even wasting your time commenting on her when she doesn't even give a thought about it ?
STOP BEING CHILDISH AND START THINKING MATURELY .
if she can , why can't you ?
I aint siding anyone , but i feel that Ris Low deserves a chance as everyone does .
& Yes , atleast Ris Low has guts .
Ris Low.... my advice to you is to lay low.
focus on getting your education and understanding that it's not all about beauty and fame. work on your personality as it is not winning you any favours right now. can't you see these journalists are baiting you? they are trying to make you look worse than you already are. bad press will still be bad press.
Ris Low lay Low, take this time to reflect on yourself. what made you cheat and lie? something about your childhood? I am very surprised your parents are not even encouraging you to rehabilitate. you can be beautiful on the outside but your greed is making it all very ugly and it will reflect on your face. that is certainly not beautiful. learn to let go and be a magnanimous person. let the wind blow this away. it's not wise to keep wanting to make your mark with such bad publicity. not in singapore. you are not in hollywood.
the journalists are all making fun of you to get headlines. stop letting them do that to you.