3 radio DJs talk about life outside the booth

I used to imagine becoming a radio DJ.

It wasn’t because I was crazy about music or talking to people or anything remotely related to DJ-ing. I thought it meant I could go to the office in my pyjamas and knock off after a three-hour shift.

Then, I found out how hard MediaCorp Radio DJs actually work. They put in hours preparing for their radio shows and hosting press conferences, road shows and corporate events. And if these weren’t enough, some of them actually have businesses and projects on the side.

FD’S FLIGHT PLAN

Gold 90.5FM DJ The Flying Dutchman — or FD, as he is commonly known — is working on what he calls his “retirement plan”. Mark van Cuylenburg has literally taken his nickname seriously and invested in a couple of businesses: The Air Adventures Flying Club Bintan, which offers flight training and introductory flights in a two-seater aircraft, and Flyboyz, a bar and bistro right on the beach in the heart of Bintan’s Lagoi Bay.

“My one fear is that I will become someone who is retired and who goes to the coffee shop to drink coffee in the morning. I need more to my life than that. I’ve worked so hard at it. I deserve more than that!” joked FD.

He added: “Flyboyz is right on the beach, so it’s really beautiful. Jokingly, my wife and I talked about (moving to Bintan after I retire). But it’s a ferry ride away and I could be there four days a week if I wanted to and just commute back to Singapore.”

Even though he has had to cut back on work since he suffered a heart attack in 2012, the 58-year-old is still so busy, he sleeps only four to five hours every night.

“It’s tiring, yes,” FD conceded. “But when you go to bed at night and have accomplished something during the day, or seen yourself get closer to your dream, it becomes worth it. (Running my businesses) has given me a dream to head towards. It’s very exciting.”

VERNETTA’D DOING THE ROUNDS

FD isn’t the only one with side business. Equally busy has been his on-air partner Vernetta Lopez.

In addition to co-hosting The Gold Breakfast Show, Lopez runs RoundHouse Pizza, Bar and Grill at Horse City with her husband, as well as Eternally Yours, her wedding-planning business.

“It’s been an interesting, eye-opening experience to do so many things and you realise what you can prioritise, what you can do, how far you can take it. It’s nice to get to know yourself,” Lopez said. “F&B has been so fun, challenging and creative at the same time. It’s very tough, but when you get good remarks (from customers), it is so satisfying.”

While Lopez is more of an investor and creative consultant at Eternally Yours, she spends five days a week at RoundHouse, helping out wherever she is needed — which also means obliging when customers ask for photos and autographs.

The 41-year-old added: “I’d rather work smart than hard. It’s about laying the foundations and, eventually, you’ll reap the rewards. It’s about doing things you like to do and experiencing them. It doesn’t have to be a hundred per cent, every day of your life. This is why, once I can make sure (my businesses) are in good hands, I’ll move on to different pastures.”

JEREMY’S STAR STRUCK

Unlike Lopez, who is juggling several projects as we speak, including her new book, a Christmas song and acting, Class 95FM’s Jeremy Ratnam has stayed true to his first and greatest love — astronomy.

“My first astronomy talk was in Victoria Junior College, but at that time, I was still a secondary-school student!” said Ratnam, who most recently spoke on the subject at Singapore Polytechnic and the YMCA. “To me, it was an experience. At that time, I was far younger than (my audience), but I gave the talk about my experience observing the night sky. And then, we took the talk from the lecture theatre onto the grass patch.”

Despite his great passion for astronomy, Ratnam has no plans to leave his work as a DJ.

“Although my first love is astronomy, I think the two marry very well,” he said. “I believe both astronomy and my work as a producer-presenter have tied in very nicely. Because, as you can see, it has helped me give talks to anyone and everyone. If I didn’t have the ability to host in front of people, I don’t know, I don’t think I would have carried on giving astronomy talks.”