'Being funny is the most difficult thing of all for me'

Starting with a small role in a comedy show, Indra Safera, 33, went on to become a multifaceted entertainer. He is a noted emcee, a popular talk show host, a radio personality and a creative director at PT Indomugi Pratama, an event organizer and artist management company. Oh, and one more thing, Indra also writes for Harper's Bazaar. He recently spoke with The Jakarta Post's Hera Diani, in fluent English and in a surprisingly serious manner.

Question: If you had the choice, what would you be doing now?

Answer: Dropping everything here and going back to school. Learning more about entertainment, about how to organize events correctly, with a bigger scope, in a more international standard. There are so many competitors, and people here like to copy things. If someone does something and it's successful, others quickly follow. I want to be the trendsetter, and in that case I have to learn new things.

Q: What makes you tick?

A: My job, my friends, people around me and learning new things every day.

Q: Which trait do you most like about yourself?

A: Actually I'm not the kind of person who loves myself too much. Err... I guess my sense of caring, my attention to other people, my sense of humor.

Q: And deplore?

A: Bad temper (laughs). I have a very bad temper and I'm too much of a perfectionist. I'm a jealous person also. Most of the time I wish I could just be happy for other people (laughs).

Q: Whom do you admire?

A: In the (entertainment) business, of course, I admire Oprah Winfrey. And also big producers like David E. Kelley of Ally McBeal. I think he's very smart. Barbra Streisand also. Here, I admire my seniors like Susanti Pudjo who has been emceeing for so long. I learn a lot from her. I also admire filmmakers like Mira Lesmana. There are just so many people I admire.

Q: What was the last book you read?

A: Bridget Jones' Diary (laughs). I'm so embarrassed to admit it. The book's so girly. It's just that I was in New York recently and Bridget Jones was really happening, so I bought it. But actually, it's very nice, very relaxing and funny.

Q: What makes you angry?

A: Lying, imperfection, unorganized things.

Q: When was the last time you were angry?

A: Actually yesterday, at my assistant for being unorganized. I was unable to fulfill a promise to my client because of that. I'm very people oriented and the client is like a king to me. But I'm a forgiving person, so after I got angry I forgot the whole thing.

Q: What makes you laugh?

A: (Thinks a moment before answering). What makes me laugh? Well, I think I make people laugh more than they make me laugh (laughs). But I have friends that really make me laugh. Like (emcees and radio personalities) Indy Barens and Muthia Kasim.

Q: And cry?

A: I'm a very sensitive person. I'm easily moved by death, and many things can make me cry. Maybe because I'm an artist.

Q: If there was something you could change about your appearance, what would it be?

A: My hair! I don't have much hair. Basically, I don't like my body at all. I hate my voice, my hair. And I would really love to lose weight.

Q: Why do you worry so much about your appearance?

A: I don't know. My friends back in high school complained about it and said, "Man, why don't you just try to love yourself?" It's just that I was brought up in a family that taught me not to be easily satisfied. So there's always something lacking, or missing. Besides, it's better to be humble than self-conscious.

Q: What makes life worth living?

A: Friends. Friends to me are everything. And family.

Q: And a favorite movie?

A: As Good As It Gets (starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt). It's very good, very simple and real. It's also a social critique. One more thing, the movie was set in New York. I really like New York, with Broadway and all. I would really want to be in a Broadway play in the future. Also I'm a city person, and New York is vibrant and multicultural. I have also found the city friendly to me so far ... but ... (knocks on wood and laughs).

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: I eat a lot. I like Sundanese because I'm Sundanese. I also like Vietnamese. But I eat everything, and I like to try new food. That food guide by Laksmi Pamuntjak really helps.

Q: Where is your favorite hangout?

A: Home (laughs). I like to invite people to come over. But Jakarta now has more and more cool places to hangout. I like the Manna Lounge (Taman Ria Senayan in Central Jakarta), and Bali. I love Bali. It's beautiful.

Q: What is the cost of popularity?

A: Privacy. I hate it when people hit me ... yeah, they hit me, and pinch and giggle at me. It's very intimidating. I feel like I'm a topeng monyet (monkey show) or something. But that's the risk. People always expect me to be funny all the time and that's hard. Being funny is the most difficult thing. That's why I prefer to be called an entertainer rather than a comedian. My philosophy when entertaining people is to make them go home and smile rather than laugh. Because when they laugh, you have to make sure they will laugh again.

Q: What will you be doing 20 years from now?

A: Living in the countryside. Traveling.

Q: How would you like to be remembered?

A: As a good person.

Q: If the world were going to end in 24 hours what would you do?

A: Go to Mecca to perform the haj pilgrimage. Try to be more religious. (Hera Diani)