Banana Writers​

“Whether it’s love or hate, it’s an emotion. It’s a reaction. I’d rather be polarising than boring. I’d rather someone dislike me, even if it’s intensely, if that means they’re not indifferent. And that’s how I’ve approached criticism.”

Elaine “Lainey” Lui is a TV Presenter for CTV’s Etalk and one of the world’s most influential gossip queens. On her hit website Laineygossip.com Ms Lui covers everything from the Brangelinas' latest adoption to JLo’s foray into the publishing world. In an exclusive interview with BW, we chat about dealing with Twitter bullies, negative Asian stereotypes in Hollywood and her Chinese mother the “squawking chicken.”

As a child, you attended the Toronto French School where there were only a few Asian kids. You have been quoted as saying, “I wanted to be white.” Being an Asian woman who works in Hollywood, do you still feel very much as an outsider?

I myself don’t feel like an outsider. That’s what’s so great about existing on the internet. You will always be able to find your people. But I do report on Hollywood. And when celebrity is your subject matter, it is frustrating to see that that landscape is dominated by one colour. More and more, I try on my blog to point out the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry. Because for many people out there, they don’t notice it. They’ve never been in a different skin.

That one thing is all they know.

So that myopia frames their perspective. I do get frustrated when I’m met with resistance when talking about race, especially since that denial is rooted in institutionalised stereotypes that people aren’t even conscious of. It’s not always a lack of sensitivity either. I’d rather someone be insensitive initially but follow that insensitivity up with a question, with a willingness to learn. It’s the lack of information and the absence of curiosity that often leads to ignorance. 

Internet surfing has opened up new worlds and new experiences. However, one of the negatives of the Internet is cyber bullying and Internet trolls. Have you ever experienced being trolled and what advice would you give to people dealing with bullies?

I know that there’s a lot of bullying that goes on on social media. And that it’s very painful to have to be the victim of that kind of behaviour. I can’t imagine how it must be for a young person in these times dealing with that kind of negativity.

I was called names as a teenager. I’ve had a few online stalkers over the years. People yell at me on Twitter a lot. But I never engage. I just …don’t have the time or energy. You’ll never win and it’ll never end. I was raised by a very tough mother. She was never easy on me. She has always been my first and worst critic. And because of that, I feel like she prepared me for attack by having expectations for me. She wanted me to improve, to constantly work on learning more, think faster and train my mind. She told me that my mind could be my protector and my weapon, and that knowledge was something no one could take from you. Because during the darkest times, when you’re alone, and people are hurting you, if there’s one thing you have, if it’s one thing you can believe in, it’s yourself.