Television

Sexy sitcom

By Suwitcha Chaiyong

Paula eyes the boy next door

Hot 25-year-old VJ and model Paula Taylor is one of the most popular cover girls in the kingdom. The charismatic star charms audiences with her lovely smile and vibrant personality.

Paula recently took the lead role in a romantic sitcom called Nuea Khu Pratoo Thad Pai (Love Next Door). Co-staring in the show is attractive 26-year-old DJ and TV host Thanakorn Chinakul (DJ Beau).

Produced by comedian Opal Panisara, Love Next Door is about wannabe actress Kwanjai (Paula), who is looking for love. A fortune teller predicts that Kwanjai will find her soul mate living next door. Khun Wee (DJ Beau) is one of Kwanjai�s neighbours. He�s a real gentleman, but unfortunately he�s also an unfashionable geek.

Student Weekly recently met with the two young stars to talk about their first sitcom and how their characters relate to their real life experiences.

• Did you know •

Paula started working at the age of 12 as a waitress at her mother�s restaurant in Perth, Australia.

STUDENT WEEKLY: What got you guys interested in Love Next Door?

Paula: When I read the script, I couldn�t put it down. I couldn�t stop laughing and smiling as I read it. I like smart humour.

Beau: I like anything that�s fun. I used to work with Opal Panisara at a radio station. She�s always good fun, so I knew that working on this sitcom would be a great experience.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Kwanjai believes in a fortune tellers. How about you guys?

Paula: I do. I get very worried when they predict something bad. Once I was told that somebody close to me would destroy my reputation. That made me paranoid, so I stopped seeing fortune tellers.

Beau: I don�t care about their predictions. My co-workers once talked me into seeing a fortune teller. I was curious to see if he was accurate. His reading was very vague, and only one out of the 10 things that he predicted came true.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Do your parents influence who you date, like Kwanjai�s parents?

Paula: When I lived with my mom, she wasn�t happy when guys hit on me. But now she lives in Australia, and I live here � so she can�t do anything. [Laughs.] But I�m a good girl. I don�t do anything bad.

Beau: My mother said that she will accept whoever I love. My parents allow me to make my own decisions, but they�re happy to help when I need it.

STUDENT WEEKLY: If you had to choose between dating a geek who�s a nice person or a good-looking but sloppy musician, who would you pick?

Paula: I�d go out with both of them. It�s fun to have different experiences. The playboy musician might take me to a concert, while the other guy might take me to a museum.

Beau: You can see from the sitcom that nobody is perfect. I�d get to know both of them both before making a decision.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Khun Wee is concerned about global warming. How about you guys?

Paula: It�s silly to ignore it. I don�t take any plastic bags when I go shopping.

Beau: Sometimes I use a car pool with my co-workers. It also helps me to save money.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Paula, did your experience in the Amazing Race Asia competition change you at all?

Paula: Definitely. I made friends all over Asia. It made me realise that I can get a lot done every day. While I was racing, I went to three countries in one day. I do more with my life now.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Why shouldn�t viewers miss Love Next Door?

Beau: People are so stressed these days. Sitcoms bring a bit of happiness and make people laugh.

Love Next Door is suitable for everybody. There�s no slapstick, and the gags are easy to understand. It�s just like joking around with your friends.

	charismatic (adj): having a powerful personal quality that attracts and impresses other people vibrant (adj): full of life and energy sitcom (n): a regular TV programme that shows the same characters in different amusing situations wannabe (n): a person who behaves, dresses, etc. like somebody famous because they want to be like them soul mate (n): a person that you have a special friendship with because you understand each other�s feelings and interests geek (n): a person who is boring, who wears clothes that are not fashionable, etc. reputation (n): the opinion that people have about what somebody is like, based on what has happened in the past paranoid (adj): afraid or suspicious of other people and believing that they are trying to harm you, in a way that is not reasonable accurate (adj): correct and true in every detail vague (adj): not giving enough information or details about something sloppy (adj): that shows a lack of care, thought or effort car pool (n): a group of car owners who take turns to drive everybody in the group to work, so that only one car is used at a time slapstick (n): the type of humour that is based on simple actions, for example people hitting each other, falling down, etc.