4-7-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Joycelyn Chia recently shared her excitement about being invited to be a guest columnist for Newsweek, a prestigious American weekly news magazine. For Jocelyn, this opportunity holds immense significance as it fulfills her childhood dream of becoming a journalist, specifically a columnist.
Reflecting on her journey, Jocelyn revealed that she had even written an opinion piece for The Straits Times, Singapore’s national newspaper, which was eventually published. However, receiving an invitation from Newsweek to be a guest columnist has taken her ambition to new heights, fueling her enthusiasm further.
The opportunity holds sentimental value for Jocelyn, as Newsweek magazines were among her reading materials during her studies in the Current History course. Looking back on her remarkable journey, Jocelyn expressed her gratitude and remarked, “Honestly, this is actually making me feel KINDA grateful to Malaysia lol.”
In her published article titled “I Was ‘Cancelled’ For a Joke” on Newsweek, Jocelyn shared her experience of facing backlash from Malaysian netizens after her MH370 jokes circulated on social media. She candidly admitted, “I was in this all alone, against an angry nation of 33 million people.”
While the viral incident did have an impact on her career, resulting in the loss of her job, it also catapulted her popularity, leading to numerous invitations for shows and performances. Responding to claims that her career was destined to “blow up,” Jocelyn expressed her disbelief, stating that it brought forth an inner strength she never knew she possessed.
My first ambition in life was to be a journalist, ideally a columnist. I even did a stint writing for the @straits_times, Singapore’s national newspaper, and have published an op-ed piece in it.
More than 20 years later since I first held that ambition,…
— Jocelyn Chia (@JocelynChia) June 30, 2023
