Chace Messerschmidt

His uncles fought alongside Australia in the Vietnam War, for the freedom of their country from communist rule and therefore they were persecuted. There was threat of being captured and entered into "re-education camps" as many militants, police officers, civil servants and non-communist politicians experienced. The extended family sold all they had to buy a boat and flee the communist rule.

Two pirate attacks and dehydration threatened their very existence (one family member did not make the trip). They spent time in a Malaysian Refugee Camp until Australia offered the family sanctuary. The story doesn't end there. The settling process into Australian life was not easy.

"When my parents got us into the school (a catholic college in NSW) they were doing well because Dad was still around," Anh explains. "About a year in is when Dad left, and suddenly Mum was in a situation where she just couldn't afford the school fees, the books, the uniform. And the school did right by us; they really looked after us."

"Mum was behind in the school fees by about three years. And the school let her pay it off slowly, they never threatened to kick us out or anything like that. They really

showed wonderful Christian values, looking after the needy." (www.catholicweekly.com.au)

Anh uses all his life's experiences in his comedy shows and also as a keynote speaker for large companies, businesses and events. He gives the audience tools to turn hard times into bottom line results. He addresses themes of; teamwork, leadership, goal setting and change management, with a mix of appropriate comedic humour, intermingled with serious inspiration.

He is described, on his website, as being 'the perfect speaker for the current economic climate'. Anh says, "These uncertain times we face are actually an invitation to grow". (www.anhdo.com)

The Happiest Refugee

Anh is currently on tour in Australia to promote his best-selling book 'The Happiest Refugee'. It has made readers laugh and cry. The stage show combines stand-up comedy with real life stories, photos and filmed pieces to retell his amazing story.

Bookseller and Publisher magazine B.Owen Baxter gave the book the following 5 star review: "The way Do approaches his story is witty, charming, and heart-warming. This book has everything: war, escape, pirates, love, courage, racism, alcoholism, comedy, tragedy and hope. Above all, this book radiates hope."

Anh and his wife Suzanne have also written a children's version of his award winning book titled, 'The Little Refugee'. It is also available as a teaching tool for schools with the invaluable first-hand account of a child refugee.

"Many people told me not to call the book '… Refugee' because Aussies won't buy it,'' Do says. ''I told them I have faith in Aussies, and it makes me a proud Aussie to see that the title hasn't hurt the book.'' (www.smh.com.au)

Anh has pledged profits from 'The Little Refugee' to an Australian charity based in Vietnam. Profits go to Victorian nun Trish Franklin's Loreto Vietnam-Australia Program, based in Ho Chi Minh City, which provides shelter, food and education for disabled and destitute children.

1.67 million viewers

Recently, Channel Seven aired his show "Anh Does Vietnam". It was a ratings smash with a massive 1.678 million viewers nationwide. It follows Anh journeying Vietnam to see how life could have been if his family had stayed there in the 1970's.

In part one of the two-part series Anh visits the program that he has chosen to support. Handing a cheque over to Sister Trish who runs the program, they shed tears and shared a special moment of connection, evidently very moving for the audience also (I joined in with some tears). It showed Anh's heart for his birth country and his desire to change the lives of the disadvantaged children in Vietnam. Sister Trish explained that not only do the children receive an education and shelter, but they are fed two nutritious meals each day and receive care and love.

For Anh, the continuing media focus on Australia's refugee policy is a reminder of what his family has endured.

"We really should have died out at sea," he says. "And because we didn't, Mum and Dad taught us, 'Kids, we're lucky to be here. Let's do something with our life to justify the fact that we are alive. Let's not waste this chance that God's given us'."

"I realised that if you follow your heart, and you do what you know deep down in your heart is right, God will take care of the rest." (www.catholicweekly.com.au)

I have a new found respect for Anh. I have always observed him as a funny man. Through the telling of his personal story, partnered with raw honesty, both heart-warming and heart-wrenching accounts of his life and his passion for making a difference, I value and respect the impact he is making on our world. When people stand up and make a difference with their story and their passion, God takes care of the rest.

If I was to ask five people to dinner...along with Jesus, Mother Theresa, David (from the Bible), and my husband - Mr Anh Do would be the fifth.

Belinda Croft is married to Russell and she has a son BJ, 12 years. Currently Belinda is studying a Bachelor Degree in Journalism. She has a passion for God, writing, creativity, mission and social justice.

Hunt surprised viewers Friday on her early-morning MSNBC program, “Way Too Early,” by revealing that she was doing her last broadcast of the show. “This is going to be my final broadcast with all of you,” she said, vowing to offer details of “my new adventure in the next few weeks.” What she did not disclose, according to two people familiar with the matter, is that she will join CNN to focus largely on content that is produced for streaming viewers as part of a big bet being made by Jeff Zucker, president of CNN.

CNN spokespersons did not respond to queries seeking comment Friday morning. Hunt did not respond to a query sent to her via social media.

CNN is trying to hire dozens of people to help fuel its move into the streaming arena, and one person familiar with the matter said Hunt was offered an annual salary of between $1 million and $1.5 million that NBC News felt it simply could not match. This person suggested that Hunt could play a pivotal role in CNN’s streaming efforts, appearing online at moments of great national importance, such as during presidential elections.

She has played an increasingly large role at NBC News, where she has worked since 2013. After working as an off-air producer, Hunt gained traction by holding fort on a Sunday night MSNBC program, “KasieDC,” before taking over the cable-news outlet’s early-morning slot on weekdays. But she has also been a regular presence on “NBC Nightly News” and “Meet the Press” and filled in for anchor Chuck Todd on his “MTP Daily.” More significant, perhaps, is the fact that she had started to co-anchor NBC News’ coverage with Todd on big political nights on NBC News Now, the news outlet’s new streaming outlet.

All of the nation’s big TV-news divisions have begun to focus more intently on streaming video, well aware that a rising generation of news aficionados are getting their headlines from Twitter feeds and smartphone alerts. CBS News, which got in early to the game with CBSN, has been combined with its parent company’s local TV stations, and the combined entity has already begun producing special reports led by local-news anchors on the ground at events of great interest, like the collapse of the Surfside condominium in Florida. MSNBC earlier this week announced it was developing programs from top anchors like Mika Brzezinski and Nicolle Wallace for its parent company’s Peacock outlet. ABC News has broken down walls between streaming and linear programming, enlisting producers from its streaming efforts for its “GMA3” on ABC and elevating streaming anchor Linsey Davis to anchor a weekend broadcast of “World News Tonight.” And Fox News continues to bolster its Fox Nation streaming outlet with additional content — and in May announced it would make its linear primetime opinion broadcasts available on the service the day after they air.

As these outlets have pressed forward, CNN has held back. Even so, executives have been considering several ideas for streaming in recent months, and have both tested pilots with new anchor candidates and mulled the potential for anchors and correspondents to get involved with programming and topics that plays to their areas of passion and expertise. Any subscription product would not necessarily be limited to video. There have been discussions about concepts like newsletters and other formats.

Some prominent subscription-video services also serve up other types of content to people willing to pay. ESPN’s ESPN Plus, for example, has put some big analysis and feature pieces behind its paywall as well as tools for fantasy-sports fans.

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