My Perfect Weekend with Marion Caunter

Just two years with 8TV, Marion Rose Caunter is already creating waves.

LOSHINI CATHERINE JOHN takes a sip of coffee with this cheerful character.

WITH all that energy, it's no wonder that the producers of 8TV wanted her in front of the cameras rather than behind it. Marion Rose Caunter is such a bundle of joy. With a perpetual smile on her face (which is real by the way), she's the epitome of the bubbly TV personality. "I actually started off working in the production department at the station and was in the midst of auditioning some hopefuls for a show when the producers asked me to give it a shot myself!" giggles this 25-year-old. A broadcast journalist by training, Caunter recalls being unfazed. "I'd been on TV in America where I studied. I had to do presentations and such then, so the idea of being onscreen wasn't half as scary."What was scary though was the fact that here, I was on a new TV station about to make a debut appearance across the country!" continues this Penang native of English/Portuguese and Chinese parentage. Within a month of appearing on 8TV's Quickie, Caunter became famous. "I remember that soon after my appearance onscreen, I got a call from a local newspaper asking me how I spent my Christmas. My initial reaction was like, why would anyone care how I spent Christmas?"I'm just an ordinary person but I guess with my TV stint comes a price as well. I mean, it was really bizarre initially, the whole celebrity thing but now it's settled and has become quieter. I like it ths way."Despite being named one of Malaysia's most Sexist Women by FHM magazine and having appeared numerous times in magazines, TV and on stage, Caunter has always remained level-headed. "When I first started Quickie, I was doubling up doing production as well and I guess juggling both jobs behind and onscreen have kept me grounded. It’s not all fun and games," she offers. So you can bet that there is no such thing as a lazy weekend for this petite beauty as she has to perpetually go on road shows and emceeing stints. Though work technically only starts at night, there are still loads of things for her to do before getting on the set. "Work at the station starts at 10pm on weekdays. Before that I'm normally running around trying to get meetings out of the way, hitting the gym and, when I do have the time, have my hair done. Weekends are supposedly free but not of late. Thanks to the TV3 Carnival, all of us have been so busy travelling all over the country for the promotions. As a matter of fact, I just got back from Penang," she says.Does she missed her hometown? "One thing, my family’s there. I love going back to spend time with them. I have an older sister and a younger one and we are pretty tight," she says. "Growing up, of course, we hated each other's guts, but right now, I just can't live without them."But as for the island itself and whether I miss it, I can't really say. You see, Penang somehow is different now. It is still not as chaotic as KL but it’s bustling nevertheless," she says. "There's just so much development going on that it's just losing its island feel."Aside from family, the other thing Caunter can't live without her phone. "I just have to have it. I lost it recently but by the next morning, I had it back on, SIM card and all running as usual," she muses, adding that perhaps it’s because she still maintains a very strong bond with her friends. "These are people I used to know, prior to all this TV stuff. They are my closest friends."So, due to the hectic lifestyle, Caunter’s ideal weekend means being able to sleep in late as much as she could. "I love my sleep. I wake up late and then most times, I'm out with a group of friends just hanging out and eating or catching up over coffee at the nearest Starbucks. My friends treat me the same and that's cool. I guess that's why every girl needs her friends," she reasons.For a girl this fashionable, one might think she’d also spend Saturdays or Sundays browsing at the nearest mall. "Though I love clothes, I'm not one who ‘plans’ to go shopping. If I happen to be at a mall and see something I like, I pick it up and that's it."Still, I do like dressing up though. During the day, you'll see me in flip-flops, ripped denims and a T-shirt but if I do get out at night, it's stilettos and the works," she laughs. While she tremendously enjoys what she does now, Caunter hopes one day to start her own business. "I've always thought that there'll be nothing like owning my own company but whatever I venture into, it will definitely be entertainment-based as that really is my forte."True enough, try talking to her about anything airing on 8TV at the moment and her eyes instantly light up. Small wonder when one considers that one of the highlights of her career with the station was when she made a trip to the United States early this year to meet the cast of hot TV show Desperate Housewives. "That was just so great. I never imagined it would be possible — everything was just so surreal and so fun at the same time. They (the cast) were all really tired because they had been giving non-stop interviews but they were still ever so obliging."The one who stood out for me was Eva Longoria. She's just this tiny bundle of energy who made me feel so comfortable the minute I walked into the room. That was pretty amazing, I really take my hat off to her," she recalls.Meantime, THIS weekend would be different for this lass — her family is journeying down to the city for a visit. Which means no snoozing till late for her but, of course, there are exceptions...

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