Sisy Chen
A sharp-tongued media personality who pivoted from journalism to politics and back, becoming a controversial critic of Taiwan's establishment.
Born 1958 (age 68)·Taiwanese journalist, television commentator, writer and former politician·Birthday: March 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sisy Chen built a career on being difficult to ignore. Starting as a journalist, her incisive reporting and commanding presence made her a natural for television, where she hosted influential news and talk programs. In a surprising move, she leveraged her media fame to win a seat in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan as an independent, bringing a commentator's flair for critique directly into the political arena. Her tenure was marked by fierce independence and a willingness to challenge both major parties. After leaving office, she returned to broadcasting with renewed intensity, hosting programs that dissected the perceived shortcomings of Taiwan's democratic system with a populist edge. Chen's journey reflects a blurring of media and politics, driven by a persona that is equal parts intellectual, entertainer, and agitator.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sisy was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sisy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Sisy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hosted 'Sisy's World News,' a long-running weekly television newscast that shaped political discourse in Taiwan.
- Served as an independent member of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan from 2002 to 2005.
- Created and hosted 'Jie Ma Chen Wen Qian,' a political talk show on Phoenix Television analyzing Taiwanese democracy.
- Authored several books on Taiwanese politics and society, extending her influence beyond broadcasting.
Did You Know?
She holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
She is known for her flamboyant and stylish wardrobe on her television shows.
Her daily radio talk show was called 'UFO Dinner.'
“I am not a politician; I am a journalist who entered politics.”
