Key Points
- Along with 11 others, 48-year-old children's entertainer Van will be participating in 'The Jury: Death in a Staircase'.
- 'The Jury: Death on a Staircase' is a five-part documentary event based on a real-life case that sees 12 everyday Australians deciding one man's fate.
- The show airs weekly from Wednesday 6 November at 8.30pm on SBS with each episode then available to stream free on SBS On Demand.
"I didn’t know that I could be easily swayed that much in such a short span of time."
Along with 11 others, 48-year-old children's entertainer Van will be participating in
Van, a Filipino who grew up in Western Sydney, is part of the cast of SBS' new reality series, 'The Jury: Death on the Staircase'. Source: SBS
'I should have maybe been on the Asian team'
Born in Davao and raised in Western Sydney since 1981, Van admits that he was fortunate that his Filipino heritage wasn't an issue with his peers growing up.
"By the time I hit high school school was all very multicultural, I went through the public school system.
Sure, my classmates would tease me for the Beatles-style helmet haircut or [my] colourful flares, but generally I was treated just like any other kid in the schoolyard.Van, 'The Jury: Death on a Staircase'
The only "questionable action" Van recalls from his school days was a game of cricket during lunch.
"[My schoolmates and I] decided to go 'Asians versus Whites', but I somehow got accepted into the White team without any comments from the Asian team! I forgot who ended up winning that day, but I remember feeling a bit weird that I should have maybe been in the Asian team seeing as I look more like them!"
Children's music was a game changer
While Van enjoyed the occasional game of lunchtime cricket, he admits that, unlike most Filipinos, he didn't develop an affection or acuity for basketball.
"I was more interested in jamming in the music room rather than hitting the courts. The one thing that I really loved doing was the school productions.
"When I was 16, I joined a local talent contest and won! I was hooked from then on. I joined the church choir and took up guitar lessons with a local teacher. By the time I hit university, I joined my first band doing covers on the weekends. By the late 1990s, I started my own band, exploring my songwriting craft until I was confident enough to go solo in 2005."
His childhood love for music and performing extended to adulthood, with this divorced dad-of-two now creating music for children.
When I became a dad, it was natural for me to write songs for my own children. When I saw my girls reacting in such a way, I thought 'Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I release these songs out to the world?'Van, 'The Jury: Death on a Staircase'
"Shifting my focus towards children's music was a game changer for me. Suddenly my videos were being watched on YouTube and the children's artist community embraced me into the fold.
"I could play a daycare centre and get home before dinner and not work midnight pub gigs anymore! Don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing wrong with a midnight pub gig, but I'm getting a little older and a 3-7pm shift is better preferred over 8-11pm!"
Joining 'The Jury'
While his children influenced his choice to focus on children's music, his ex-wife had a pivotal role when it came to his decision to join the cast of 'The Jury: Death on the Staircase'.
"I recently saw the mother of my children go through the jury process and was intrigued. I thought it would be fascinating to go through it all, and fun to have the cameras on to you the whole time. Little did I know what I was signing up for right? Prior to this, I had no jury experience whatsoever."
the most difficult bit was "having to flip-flop".
"You see, I don’t like being told what to say. Without spoiling anything, I think the viewers will see that I was influenced by the majority.
Being Asian I could relate to the suspect. I was very aware that holding the male Asian card within the group, so there was a bit of pressure on getting the decision right. I was losing sleep over it, going through the details of the case, tossing and turning, imagining different scenarios. [But,] in hindsight, I don’t think being an Asian man influenced my decisions on the show."
The weight of deciding someone's fate was heavy throughout the process, with Van admitting that he had to consistently hold steadfast to his faith, belief in justice, and principles.
"As a Catholic, I believe in forgiveness and support rehabilitation. I do believe that people who have committed crimes can change and should be given a second chance. If a crime has been committed, that crime should be punished and the perpetrator do the time.
"Authenticity, courage, transparency and a collaborative team spirit...[those are the principles I hold dear]."
airs weekly from Wednesday 6 November at 8.30pm on SBS with each episode then available to stream free on SBS On Demand. The Jury: Death on the Staircase will be subtitled in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
