Ahok says his political career is over, wants to host a TV show like Jimmy Fallon

Photos: Twitter/@basuki_btp and Instagram/@jimmyfallon
Photos: Twitter/@basuki_btp and Instagram/@jimmyfallon

Fans of former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama may have to live with the fact that he won’t ever return to politics in Indonesia. But that doesn’t mean he’ll completely withdraw from the public eye — quite the opposite, in fact.

During a speech today, Ahok put to bed any speculation that he would return to politics following his release from prison in January after he finished serving the two-year sentence he received at the end of the highly controversial blasphemy trial.

“The majority of followers of a religion have already branded me as a blasphemer. The middle class, especially women, are angry over my divorce and marriage. So, my career in politics is over,” Ahok said, as quoted by Kompas.

Ahok was sentenced to two years in prison in 2017 after being found guilty of blasphemy against Islam. While in prison, he filed for divorce for his wife at the time, Veronica Tan, over allegations that she had been engaged in an extra-marital affair with another man for years. Soon after he was released in January, Ahok married his wife’s former bodyguard, a policewoman named Puput Nastiti Devi.

While Ahok has been very private post-release, he has been keeping his supporters updated about his life through his vlog on Youtube and other social media channels.

And it’s through the showbiz medium, not politics, that Ahok will continue to reach his supporters. In his latest vlog, which was posted yesterday, Ahok said plans are in motion for him to host a TV show on news channel Metro TV.




“I want to create a show on Metro TV. What does it contain? I forget, there are 8 to 12 segments [per episode]. But, in essence, first and foremost it will be for stand up comedy,” Ahok said in the video above.

It appears Ahok wants to emulate the late night comedy talk show format popular in the US, as he said that Jimmy Fallon would be a major influence for his show.

“Have you seen Jimmy Fallon’s talk show? He wears a suit, so that he looks a bit cool. I’m trying to lose weight so my belly doesn’t show as much,” he said.

Well, whatever kind of show Ahok decides to host, we sure hope he doesn’t adopt Fallon’s annoyingly giddy and overly excited mannerisms.



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