Joey Zhou – More Than Meets The Eye

Author: Doug Ivanovich  

TV host Joey Zhou, founder of the Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA)

Joey Zhou is many things to many people. He is a friend and business associate, a long-time TV personality, hosting and interviewing guests on his shows for over 30 years, as well as on red carpets and at various high-profile events. Joey is the founder of the Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA), as well as a co-founder of Beverly Web 3.0, a forward looking business that will be part of a coming, new and more private, decentralized web ecosystem.

The indomitable Joey Zhou is also a people magnet, a journalist, a philanthropist, an entrepreneur, an event organizer, a facilitator, a master of ceremonies, and a tireless promoter of international cultural exchange. 

Joey Zhou reads a poem at an art event in Beverly Hills

What people may not know, however, is that beyond Joey Zhou’s typical professional activities, during his more quiet and contemplative hours, he is a deep-thinker, something of a self-made philosopher, and a poet! Being a poet, a self-made philosopher and about-to-be published author, it is therefore easy for me to recognize some of Joey’s special poetic gifts and talents. Hence, the reason I am writing this testimonial.

Some years ago, at a Southern California recording studio I have been associated with for some time, Joey spontaneously recited one of his poems before a small group of highly accomplished music and entertainment professionals. Having never seen the more universal or poetic side of Joey Zhou, several of us were quite surprised, perhaps I most of all, by the quality, content and meaning of his poem… so much so, that I walked around for some hours, and even a few days, marveling at the depth of his thought processes, the nature of his insights, and quality of his poetry. The pleasant surprise of that day stayed with me for a number of years.

Douglas Ivanovich and Joey Zhou at Revolver Studios

When I saw Joey recently, the subject of poetry came up and I inquired as to whether the poem I liked so much was an isolated expression, or whether poetry was something that he approached more frequently and earnestly. I was pleased to learn that Joey’s romance with poetry was far more than an isolated incident, and that he has been cultivating the art quite seriously for many years. 

I reminded him of the impact that the first poem he shared had had on me, and that I would like to hear more! After a few minutes of discussion, Joey quite excitedly offered to send me another of his poems, entitled, “Light Of Destiny,” which he forwarded to me the next day. As Joey’s native language is Chinese, we writers often know that translating from one language to another can be the enemy of great poetry. Nonetheless, “Light Of Destiny” traversed the topics of love and affection, life and death, our humanness, the nature of thinking and feeling, time and space, sensitivity and passion, our solar system, the universe and our place in it, history, mythology, the future, courage, as well as, the great eternal light.

Joey Zhou at the 2019 American Icon Awards

Having been alerted by the experience of the first of Joey’s poems a few years back, I found myself, once again, pleasantly surprised by the depth and breadth of the inspiration, insights and thoughtfulness he coalesced, in “Light Of Destiny.” I highly recommend Joey’s poetic works to those whose minds lean toward expansion, profundity and adventure, as I honestly confess, that I am looking forward to reading other Joey Zhou poems, in hopes that there are more on the way!

About Douglas Ivanovich

Doug Ivanovich is a member of the LABA Board of Directors, and has over 40 years of experience in entertainment, broadcasting, marketing, public relations, finance, and business development.

He is the CEO of Synth Studios, Inc., founder and CEO of World Peace One Concerts and World Peace One Foundation, founder and executive director of Storm Aid, executive producer of the American Icon Awards and the Onetopia Mental Health Concert.

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