Malaysian comedian Kuah Jenhan’s Guide to Happiness

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What makes me happy?

Oddly enough, this lockdown has reaffirmed that I am a voyeur of life. Wait, voyeur sounds bad, more like a peeper of life (sounds less bad). I am in my happy place just watching passionate friends exercise their passions from home. I watch my comedy buddies organise live streams from home like Crackhouse Comedy Club KL and I feel inspired. I exercise at Ministry of Burn and it hasn’t stopped them either. That’s amazing because my fitness friends only have fitness and NOTHING ELSE in their lives. You’d think they’d be the first to go insane but there they are, documenting and sharing routines for free.

The resilience of passion makes me happy.

A book that makes me smile

Fleabag: The Scripture by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It’s the script for the first two seasons of the hit show Fleabag—with commentary. I remember watching Phoebe perform the Fleabag play and I was immediately enthralled. The TV show is great! Phoebe Waller-Bridge is great!

A song that makes me smile

Kill This Love by Blackpink because it’s a kick-ass song but it also comes with a lot of memories for me. I watched them at a concert. Friends tease me all the time. These memories make me smile. Also, BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA!!!

Netflix shows to watch that never fail to cheer me up

Hopefully for you, MACC’s (my comedy group) comedy special and six-part series, which is coming really soon.

But currently, I am watching this Japanese anime called Assassination Classroom on Netflix. Just check out this insane premise: A destructive alien who is threatening Earth becomes a school teacher whose students are tasked with killing him, even though they adore his fun ways. WHAT?!

 

Feel-good movies to watch when I’m feeling down

Gosh. Over the last (many) weeks, most of what I’ve watched have been edits of the MACC show.

But at the top of my head, I can list two movies I saw recently:

• The 400 Blows by François Truffaut—An old French film that was beautifully shot in black and white; and it’s about the different worlds children and adults exist in
• Flight of the Conchords: Live in London concert—For something more unconventional and funny. LOLs every time for me!

Go-to Instagram accounts for a pick-me-up

I like art accounts such as @brechtvandenbroucke, @jean_jullien, @agathesorlet, @abstractsunday, and @uglymalaysiana.

Special mention: My friend @rambotan.jpeg.

Happy foods

Bread and butter. I’ve been thinking about it and I think the only way to explain it is I am just in love with bread. It’s just flour, yeast and water. It is magic how something processed, something rotten, and something free come together. Oh my god, I am human bread.

Happy Hour drinks—non-alcoholic (and alcoholic)

I am generally a water drinker. Drink your water!

 

But when the mouth is notti — Yomie. Option C4— Jujube and Purple Rice.

What I do when things feel overwhelming

I’m an obsessive person and it’s where I do my best work. But when it gets overwhelming, I nap.

 

I try to step out of the experience and observe from further away. I do something physically intensive that requires me to focus in the moment. Could be anything from exercise, jumping around, to learning a new Tik Tok dance.

Here’s an inspirational quote, written by me

“I am human bread.” 

ASMeowR—A Kuah Jenhan original

Take a break, play the clip below and close your eyes for a meow-gical track like no other:

Brought to you by one of these cats…

Please send your lockdown looks to @kuahjenhan on IG. He is asking for it/them.