Anna Sophie Loewenberg, who most of you know from Sexy Beijing, agreed to do an interview with me for Asian Jewish Life. We plan to discuss her current project — a documentary on gay themes — and anything else she’s working on with Goldmines Film. I’d also like to ask about her upcoming marriage to a man from Venezuela, as well as some questions related to being Jewish and living in China.
I know a number of you are fans of her work. So before I interview her (I plan to set something up for the following week), I thought I’d put this question to you — what would you like me to ask Anna Sophie Loewenberg?
Wow, how exciting! I would love to know how she landed in China in the first place. I love Sexy Beijing, but don’t know much about her background and how she became interested in China. Also, does the fiance live in China and what does he think about her fame there?
How come she is marrying a man from Venezuela?
I thought she was looking for a Chinese guy 😉
Awesome! I have the same question as Augis’. Maybe one more, did she stop making the Sexy Beijing series? Haven’t seen any new episode for quite a while now.
I have watched some of her videos. They are funny and interesting. What to ask her? Well, I don’t know. Maybe what she thinks of the Chinese people and especially of the Chinese men? And is she not updating her videos?
Oh wow never heard of her blog checking it out now!
@Susan, thanks for the suggestions! I think the question about her fiancee is a great one. I’ll have to think about how to integrate her background into the story, maybe in the introduction to the interview, as many of her past interviews have covered her reasons for coming to China pretty well (for example, see the Q&A with the New Yorker):
@Augis, thanks for the comment. I will definitely ask about her marriage — but I also want to be careful that I don’t invalidate her and her choice of husband. I’ve known many women who dated Chinese men, but in the end, they end up with someone else. Just as I never intended to find love in China and did, no doubt there are women like her who intended to find love in China and surprised themselves with a different choice.
@Siva, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I’m also curious about the status of Sexy Beijing — I have a feeling she is trying to move her career in a new direction, and perhaps focusing more on documentary/film work with Goldmines Film.
@ordinary malaysian, thanks for the comment! I actually originally approached her with the hopes of discussing the Chinese men-Jewish women connection, but she gave me the impression she wasn’t really as interested in discussing this. But definitely, I will find out what’s the status of Sexy Beijing, as I mentioned to Siva.
@Andi, I think you’ll enjoy some of her past work with Sexy Beijing. I really loved the “Freudian Episodes” myself. 🙂
OMG this is too exciting! To the first commenter, she already did a very thorough documentary on why she came to China how she got there, just the whole story really.
I can’t think of a really great question, but it would be really intersting to hear from her how to get her uber sexy beijing accent, how long did it take her to get so fluent and just general tips on getting the Queen’s English but you know… in Chinese hahaha
Also tips of great books she recommends on really understand chinese life and culture TODAY, comic romantic or whatever, so that a foreigner can immerse themselves in a piece of China before they even go there!
You can ask her can she be my friend, hahaha she is too cool!
Thanks so much for the New Yorker link! I love it!! The interview answered many of my questions, but others have asked some great ones that weren’t addressed in the NYer!
Sexy Beijing’s Chinese is impressive…I high five anyone who’z learned a foreign language as an adult…I know how hard it is; as I’m doing the same myself (Russian & Arabic) and i’ve seen…90+% of people quit learning due to the level of difficulty.
Sexy Beijing’s Chinese has got some problems with her tones. She tends to mix them up. Luckily in sentences you can usually deduce the meaning from experience.
Its worse for people like me. I’m from Hong Kong and my problem is i tend to think in Cantonese and speak in Mandarin. My tones AND MY SOUNDS ARE incorrect. Add to the problem is i tend to use Hong Kong Grammar which tends to confuse Mainland Chinese who don’t watch enough TVB to deduce my meanings…XD
Oh ok.. it’s just that sounds so good and authentic… perhaps by living then I will one day get an awesome Chinese accent that sounds native… probably not though, as I am past the age of being able to assimilate completely… oh well…
Quick update, since I just interviewed Anna Sophie Loewenberg yesterday. Good news is, Sexy Beijing is still alive and well, and she has plans to do more episodes. I’m really psyched and just thought I’d share that briefly.
I’m going to work up the interview soon — I’ll keep you posted and let you know when it comes out.