I've not been super-duper lucky with meeting celebrities although I have been in the service line for quite some time now.
My peers have met the likes of (to name a few!) Bill Clinton, Cindy Crawford, Morgan Freeman, Andre Agassi, Margaret Thatcher, Heidi from Atomic Kitten and almost all the Bollywood superstars in person (coz they happen to like to fly Emirates to come to Dubai!). There was one time our smaller aircraft, the Airbus 310, had the whole posse of Bollywood babes and babas and my very kental, typical Perth farmboy friend Michael was operating that flight. No, he had no inkling at all who they were and actually told Shah Rukh Khan, "No, I'm sorry I don't think I know you but would you like ice with that Coke?"
It's like I'm never on the right flight or be at the right place at the right time to meet the right people. My fantasy passengers would be my girl, Victoria Beckham and family (woo hoo!!), Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Orlando Bloom, Chris Cornell, Rob Thomas, Dave Navarro (and his hot wife Carmen Electra!!), Mike McGrath, Robbie Williams, the whole cast of Friends, the whole cast of Desperate Housewives, the whole cast of House, the whole cast of Sex and The City, Angelina Jolie (yes, I'd make her sit beside Jennifer Aniston), Oprah Winfrey, Jay Leno (yes, duduk sebelah Oprah ok?!), Tony Blair, Nelson Mandela, Mr and Mrs LKY (I have my reasons!), Nicholas Cage, John Travolta, one of Dubai's princes, cannot mention name (the youngest one, who is about my age and very hensem gila!) and if I think of some more I will add on to the list. But I'm guessing I won't get to see them even if all these aformentioned people signed up for the same tour package to come for the Dubai's Shopping Festival or something.
But I've hit the nail sometimes. I've met Vivienne Westwood (who was so old, her skin was translucent!) Blue's Simon Webbe and Lee Ryan (who were so cute, I almost became a groupie!), Shirley Bassey (who was in a bad mood and conquered First Class), Prince William (whom I saw in London from a distance only lah coming out from Buckingham Palace in a white stretch limo) and one of the recently crowned winners of Miss Universe, I can't remember her name now coz I was trying to measure her legs. I couldn't take pictures of any of them since they were in the premium cabins (except Prince William and the boys from Blue, the latter of whom I met in Ritz-Carlton Singapore and Ritz's rules were super anal about taking pictures anywhere in the hotel with celebs!!) but it was kinda thrilling to be near them anyhow.
And then some. A few days ago, coming into Jakarta, I had the honour of meeting Kool and the Gang (for the uninitiated, the dudes of the Celebrate Good Times song!). At first, I wasn't too sure when I saw them but after awhile it dawned upon me that I was in the presence of one of the greatest jazz and funk talents ever to hit the scene. It wasn't the whole original band from the 60's, of course, it was the younger band but it was still jazz manna, nonetheless.
Raihan, Lisa, Kool and the Gang. We could take a picture coz they were all seated in Economy coz our Business Class was full and this sector did not have a First Class. Lucky for us, not so lucky for them...kena bumped down to cattle class. Heh.
One of them (guess which one?!) told me he thought I was so beautiful (buta ke dia?!) but I told him I beg to differ. Haha. I am so not good with compliments. He kept staring at me throughout the flight but was so polite and respectful when he spoke to me, I got over the awkwardness (I get nervous when people flatter me, I don't know how to react. I handle insults better. Really.) and when I told him I was happily married, he actually looked sad! Which was kinda adorable. The last time anyone looked sad because of me was my Azim when I told him to stop singing for me I've Got You Under My Skin coz he was spoiling the song with his so salah lyrics and inadvertently insulting Sinatra! Awww.
Anyway, Lisa Miss Malaysia, my little harlot, flirted outrageously with them and at the end of the flight, we got invited to their concert in Jakarta Jazz Festival, which was yesterday but I didn't go coz I wasn't feeling well (THAT time of the month!), and promised us backstage passes to meet the other jazz talents and such.
Left: Lisa Mentel and Gang. Right: Lisa with one of the passengers' babygirl and Ben, one of 'em! Notice the little girl's face, eyes so big looking at Ben so full of fear. I bet she thought Ben might eat her up anytime soon! He looked capable enough. Heh. She is sooo cute. And he is sooo huge. But he's very nice.
I was quite bummed out about not going to their concert yesterday but we also got invites to their concert next week at the Dubai Jazz Festival and backstage passes to boot so I'm sufficiently sated with the thought. Plus Dubai's one promises more jazz greats and thus more jazz pleasure for the jazz lovers. I hope I won't be away on a flight then. I've promised Lisa we'd go together. Asalkan kau tak tinggalkan aku sorang sudah, ok?! Flirt is flirt. Friend is friend. Friend kena tinggal is no friend. Heh.
T'was a good flight, that was.
More celebrities, please?!
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