July 04, 05:55 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 Kirk Wagar was appointed as the US ambassador to Singapore in September 2013.
Known for his irreverence and forthrightness, besides his funky leather shoes and brightly-coloured socks that contribute to his trademark look, The Straits Times christened him in an article when he first arrived as the "undiplomatic lawyer made a diplomat".
More recently, you might have seen a video of him gamely eating Bak Kut Teh, which made the rounds on social media:
Bits and pieces of information have been made known about Wagar so far, but what you have to know is that the 45-year-old is a lawyer who hails from Miami, was an immigrant to the United States when he arrived in the Land of the Free when he was 18 and he has been involved in politics for almost three decades.
He is a Democrat.
And Wagar is considered one of the top diplomats who has been sent to Singapore to connect with the locals here, as part of the Obama administration's re-characterisation of US foreign policy towards Asia by assigning higher priority and resources to the region, in an act that has been called “rebalancing.”
With his short silvery hair, athletic build and flashy footwear that would be more appropriate in his hometown Miami than Singapore, he joked that the socks were really attempts to "draw the attention away from my face", adding that he "gotta bring a little of Miami everywhere I go".
Mothership.sg sat down with the Ambassador ahead of July 4th Independence Day celebrations for a 50-minute chat about his impressions of the late Lee Kuan Yew, his time in Singapore and who -- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy PMs Teo Chee Hean or Tharman Shanmugaratnam -- he would rather spend time with on a lonely island, and if he ever would attempt to try durian.
1. Can you succinctly explain to Singaporeans what do you do as an ambassador?
Ambassador Wagar: There is no succinct answer to that but I'll do the best I can.
The office I hold is Ambassador and Chief of Mission and a lot of people focus on the ambassador stuff, but that's the more external part of the job.
I'm trying to talk about who we are as America, explain any misconceptions people may have and try to show the full panoply of the United States, rather than the keyhole view you might get from TV or the media or politicians or movie stars. My job basically is to be the chief marketer for the United States.
The second part of my external job is to learn as much as I can from all Singaporeans, and not be stuck just talking to the government, businesses or military, but really trying to get on the street and into the heartlands and understand what it is that makes Singapore, Singapore.
My job is kind of to explain Singapore back to the mothership, for a lack of a better term.
I am basically CEO of this embassy here. And we have 19 agencies and sections that range from economic, military, law enforcement, FAA, my job is to have the glue to hold them together.
.@USNFAO, @AmbWagar, @Vivian Bala, #Singapore Chief of Defence Force Ng Chee Meng, @USNavy Rear-Adm Charlie Williams. pic.twitter.com/9zG4sfgLwT
— US Embassy Singapore (@RedWhiteBlueDot) July 2, 2015
2. Speaking of Singaporeans, if you are stranded on a lonely island, which politician would you choose to keep you company? PM Lee Hsien Loong, DPM Teo Chee Hean or DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam?
Source: Teo Chee Hean Facebook
Ambassador Wagar: All three of them have great sense of humour. So they will all be fun.
On a deserted island, I am going to assume that there are animals on that island.
I love Tharman but I would probably knock him out because he hasn't had a military background.
I'm pretty sure PM or DPM Teo can help hunt and kill for me. So just for self-preservation, I would want one of those guys with a military background to help get food.
DPM Teo is hilarious -- he got the driest wit ever. He probably makes me laugh easier than any of them.
All three of them are good guys but I think Teo probably hunts better than any of these guys. That's my guess. He was a navy admiral -- he can hunt fish (DPM Teo was the Chief of Navy, and held the rank of Rear Admiral before he entered politics).
3. What was your impression of the late Lee Kuan Yew?
Source: U.S. Embassy Singapore Facebook
I know President Obama very well. I know President Clinton pretty well. John Kerry (Secretary of State), pretty well and CEO types of people. But I've never been that nervous in my life.
He was 90 at the time. There are many thoughts that come out.
First, I've never been in a more efficient conversation. There was not a single word that he used that wasn't for a purpose. I'm not saying I understood it all. But I felt I was being tested, educated, prodded, and came out so much smarter than I went in.
The problem was his mind was phenomenal, his body was frail. When he paused, I didn't know whether I was supposed to speak or not. I was stressed out!
It was stressful but it completely changed how I approached this job. The wisest person I ever sat with. Wise, wise, wise.
Someone who fundamentally, despite the fact that we (United States) do not show our best side, believed in America. And believe that we are a global force for good. I get that from some of my Singaporean friends. Sometimes we don't do everything right. People here aren't mad at us -- they want us to succeed. And that's why I think Singapore is such a viable friend.
I think that when Singapore gives us an opinion about something we are doing or not doing, you know our best interests are at heart. I don't know if we have many friends like that in the world.
Could Singapore survive without the relationship with us? Probably. Other countries in the world? Maybe not. But Singapore believes in our shared vision for safety and security for this region, and believe in the rise of all people in the region.
But it was pretty scary.
4. What have you learnt having spent two years in Singapore?
Ambassador Wagar: I think it is a tremendously patriotic country. I talk to people of all political stripes but at the end of the day, this is a country where her citizens are very connected. Even people who might disagree about the direction of the future, are proud of the past.
There's many unique things about this country. You've got 80 percent of the population own their HDB flats and another 10 percent owning private homes. I don't know any country where 90 percent of the country owns a piece of the country.
The social harmony peace is so impressive here. When you first come in, it looks a little manufactured, maybe even contrived, until you start talking to folks and realise how proud Singaporeans are about the fact this is truly a diverse nation in Asia and the pride they take in that and it doesn't happen by accident.
If there is some government push to manufacture it, well, good on you. This is where you have gotten.
The bottom line is, I don't know of any other country in the world where almost every single citizen sees themselves in a global context. Singapore has gotten to where you are today by being connected in the region and in the world.
5. Was there any culture shock when you first got here?
Ambassador Wagar: Not really, I haven't eaten durian yet.
I have to say that Singaporeans have to find a better way to describe it to make it more appealing.
6. Do you miss chewing gum?
Ambassador Wagar: I smuggle some back every now and then but I don't chew it in public. [Knowing looks around the room.]
Frankly, I've grown a whole new affinity for mints, that's just easier to get.
7. On a scale of Singapore-style authoritarianism and US freedom, how free are you as the US ambassador here?
Ambassador Wagar: That's probably not a fair question because one thing, I got diplomatic immunity, so God forbid... But more importantly, I'm less free here because of my job than anything to do with Singapore. I take very seriously the role that I play as much as Kirk Wagar is irreverent and fun, I know there are times when I am the personal representative of the President of the United States.
It's an incredibly high standard that I want to make sure I live up to.
This is a very hip city, there's a lot to do here, I've never really felt I was curtailed. This is not a boring city.
8. How much do you think Singapore has changed in the last two years you've been here, having seen the Amos Yee case and Pink Dot?
Congratulations,'>
Posted by U.S. Embassy Singapore on Friday, June 12, 2015
Ambassador Wagar: I felt incredibly fortunate to be here during the funeral of LKY. That was a moment where it has been suggested that Singapore surprised itself. You saw the underpinnings of society that are so strong, so together. I don't know how long it will last, but I think Singapore today is different from the Singapore before the funeral.
I think a lot of your readership, frankly, probably has a deeper understanding of some of the challenges the pioneer generation gone through, looking at those old speeches, the old Singapore. And I think the younger generation now has a deeper appreciation of what it is to be Singaporean and I think it is a very positive thing.
Here's what I'd say, the one thing that I'd never do: I'd never come to a sovereign nation and wag my finger and say 'You should do this'. One of the reasons America has such strength, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, is the diversity. And I think that we have an advantage over many countries in the world because no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, you can be successful there.
Be good at your job, be good at your discipline, we'd welcome you. We'd benefit from that, you'd benefit from that.
It was wonderful to watch how people came together at Pink Dot, that's a Singaporean event for Singaporeans and this country is going to have to decide their timetable and their trajectory.
The city of Miami I live in is better because of its inclusion. It's more fun, it's more creative, people are themselves and they bring their whole selves to work.
I'm not going to be arrogant enough to think that America has the answers. We certainly stubbed our toe over the years and maybe people can learn from our mistakes and will not repeat them, but doesn't mean we're sitting in some superior chair.
Photos by Medha Lim.