My Jakarta: Uncle JC, Radio Personality

'The thing that keeps me here is the freedom to do my art,' Uncle JC says.

My Jakarta: Uncle JC, Radio Personality

Uncle JC is known for playing the bitter bule on 95.1 KIS FM's "Rush Hour" radio program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He's also famous for his wigs, though offstage his hair isn't exactly the mane you might imagine. Today, he explains why Jakarta feels like "LA unplugged," reveals a little-known spot for some of the best food in the city and talks about his days on the smash TV hit "Republic Mimpi."

How long have you been in Jakarta?

I've been here 14 years too long [smiles]. A friend was teaching here, I was teaching at the University of California, Riverside, and I wanted to travel. I came here for a two-year contract and ended up never going back. Since then, I've been through several language schools, I've built two and lost one in the riot [1998] and been on four or five different radio stations. I've been on the air for about 12 years.

What keeps you here?

Like most people living here, I have a love-hate relationship with the city. The thing that keeps me here is the freedom to do my art. I'm very artistic. I got on the radio by accident. Twelve years ago one of the radio stations called me up and said, we hear you're building a new English school and if you do an English program for us we'll give you free advertising. I used to send my teachers, but they didn't like it, so I had to fill in for them and I ended up liking it and being the best at it.

How do you describe Jakarta to your friends and family back home?

It's sort of like Los Angeles unplugged. Los Angeles with no rules, a little bit dirtier, a little brighter. The best way to describe it is: "Jakarta is where irony comes to die."

How has the city changed over the years?

More skyscrapers, motorcycles and the malls. When I first came here there were basically three or four malls in the whole city, this is back in '96. Then, cosmopolitan meant the McDonald's at Sarinah or Gajah Mada Plaza. Now the city is growing faster than I can keep track of.

Do you ever get asked to do your President Bush impersonation anymore?

I used to, but now it's my Rod Stewart impression. "Republic Mimpi" — where I did impersonations of President Bush, the CIA and the president of the World Bank — begot "Mama Mia" and "Superstar" on Indosiar. That's where I became famous nationwide. They called me to judge a talent show with Eko Patrio, Ruben Onsu, Ivan Gunawan and a cast of thousands. What I've learned about Indonesian TV is the cornier the better. That's why I'm proud of "Republic Mimpi," it actually changed politics in Indonesia. It actually made Time magazine. It was one TV show that changed society in Indonesia. We used impersonators to play Indonesian politicians, we got harassed about it, almost killed, but ultimately everybody ended up loving the show. It was about the last intellectual show on Indonesian TV.

How have you managed to stay passionate about radio all these years?

Because it's one of the last public media, at least here, where it's still free. It's spontaneous comedy. My show is like an addiction to me. We like making people laugh.

Can you tell us a little bit about your show?

It's called "Rush Hour," it's a live call-in English show on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. I play the bitter old bule and we have a rotating cast of about five people and we're all the different parts of Jakarta: I'm the bule, we have a Chinese-Indonesian, we got the pribumi [native Indonesian], socialite, et cetera, et cetera — it's a melange. Basically we talk about current topics and joke around a lot. It's an addiction because we are creating theater of the mind. What started out as an English show is now a comedy show in English with audience participation — and random violence. It's really an addiction, we can't stop doing it. We simply love the show too much.

I've heard that you have a particularly large wig collection.

I would like to say for the record that I'm older with thinning hair and I don't mind that, but when I'm onstage, I want to look special. I'm pizza with extra toppings when I'm onstage, so yes, I do wear wigs when I'm on TV. And it has the advantage in that no one recognizes me when I'm offstage. With the glasses and the bald head nobody knows it's me.

If you had one last day in Jakarta, how would you spend it?

I would take a day trip to Kotak Island in Pulau Seribu, followed by a last supper of kepiting saus Padang [crab in a thick spicy sauce] at the best place in the ugliest mall in Jakarta. It's this old beat-up mall that looks like 1950 Hong Kong Plaza, Chandra food court in Glodok.

What is the one flaw Jakarta has that you have learned to live with?

Why do ticketing agents want you to pay in US dollars, series H? It makes me feel like I'm doing a drug deal.


Uncle JC was talking to Zack Petersen.

Jakarta Globe