IT IS obvious that actress, comedienne, emcee, Qafe cafe owner and CEO of artiste management company Fly Entertainment Irene Ang takes her multi-hyphenate tag very seriously. But now the 41-year-old has taken her game to a whole other level by becoming the first Singaporean actress to become a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
"A guy with a US number left a message on the Fly office answering machine," Irene told TODAY, with a laugh, about how she first heard the news back in May. "We joked about how maybe I just landed my first Hollywood role - as Chinese Housewife No 3, to be featured somewhere in the background."
It turned out the call was about her being nominated to join the academy. The Phua Chu Kang actress had to wait three months after sending the necessary information - including her CV, certificates of accolades and entire body of work - before learning that she had been officially elected into the academy.
A membership-based organisation comprised of selected media and entertainment figures from over 50 countries and 500 companies from all sectors of television, including Internet, mobile and technology, the academy's yearly schedule of events includes the International Digital Emmy Awards at MIPTV in Cannes, the International Emmy World Television Festival, and the prestigious International Emmy Awards Ceremony, which Irene attended in New York this morning, Singapore time.
"To think it's happening to a small town girl like me, on an international stage like this," she quipped. "Until this day, I don't know who to thank for nominating me in the first place. I even wrote to the academy asking who it was, but they wouldn't tell me. So thank you, thank you, thank you, whoever you are. Thank you for this opportunity!"
Irene will be joining an elite group of elected Singaporean members which includes Raintree managing director Man Shu Sum, Asian Food Channel co-founders and managing directors Hian Goh and Maria Brown, and The Moving Visuals Co managing director and creative director Galen Yeo.
When asked if she think she'll be star-struck when she walks down the red carpet at the awards ceremony, Irene smiled and said, "Of course. I'm going to try and take pictures with as many of my favourite television stars as possible," adding that she would love to pick Simon Cowell's brain if she had the chance.
"But my main purpose really will be to sell Singapore and our incredible talents," she added. "I'll just keep talking until they listen!"