Roger Kool

Infobox Radio presenter
name = Roger Kool


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birthname = Roger Kiew
birthdate = 1954
birthplace = Singapore
deathdate = October 31 2005
deathplace = Vancouver, Canada
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Roger Kiew, who goes by his celebrity moniker Roger Kool was a Singaporean DJ who was well-known uniquely for being the first local blind celebrity. He was also remembered for his signature bells ringing sounds and the catchy "Here's Roger Kool!" at the start of his radio shows in the 1980s. Born to a poor family in 1954, Kiew became blind due to eye cancer when he was five years old. He was shunned by other children as a result of his condition, and did not have a good childhood.cite news|last=Rebecca|first=Lim|title=Ding, ding, ding, ding, the Kool man is back on radio|location=Singapore|publisher=Straits Times|date=May 9, 1997]

He first joined the cable radio station Rediffusion and as a result of his unique presentations he grew to become a popular DJ in the 1970s and 1980s, especially with the Burger King-sponsored radio show "Saturday Spin" that he hosted from 1984 to 1986.cite news|last=Mun San|first=Mak|title=Goodbye, King Of Kool|publisher=Straits Times|location=Singapore|date=November 11, 2005]

Despite having millions of fans across Singapore through his syndicate radio shows(one of which was his famous "Dial-A-Joke" programme, it did not stop there; the numbers grew with his start of sponsored radio shows for Kodak, Swensen's, Isetan, Sembawang Music Centre, Stamford Tires, as well a numerous college, polytechnic, and club appearances. Having met monumental stars such as Cliff Richard, Helen Reddy, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, and many more, he gained respect from critics everywhere despite his physical disabilities. He moved to Sri Lanka for a year, accepting a job there, and then continued on to work at NTUC Radio Heart 91.3 during the 1990s.

In 1998 he then started his own CD series, "Better English with Roger Kool", which has helped aid children in primary schools throughout Singapore learn how to speak better English. Alongside with that came a Multiplication CD, a CD aimed towards aiding kids to memorize their multiplication tables with catchy songs.cite news|title=Kool In Canada; former DJ Roger Kool enjoys a peaceful and comfortable life as a stay-at-home Dad in Vancouver, indulging in his favourite hobby, radio|location=Singapore|publisher=Business Times|date=June 4, 2005]

On July 1999, Roger and his wife Lynette held lunchtime roadshows twice a week at the National University of Singapore, Temasek Polytechnic and the Singapore Polytechnic for the entire month. [cite news|last=Rebecca|first=Lim|title=Kool campus road shows|publisher=Straits Times Lifestyle|date=July 3, 1999]

Kool died of bone cancer on 31 October 2005 in Vancouver, Canada leaving behind his wife, Lynette Loon, and two sons, Jay and Neil.

References

External links

* [http://odeo.com/audio/111941/view Coffee with Roger Kool] - last known available 'candid recording' of Roger.