So charming! But earth didn't move for me

[SamIAm]

Source : forumgaul.com
URL : www.forumgaul.com/forum/index.php?s...opic=1223&st=60
URL : 64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:-pjie...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Original Source : The New Paper/Asia1
Author : Chang May Choon
Date : 2003
Note : Chang May Choon is also the author of « The Lonely Outsider », 7 Nov. 2002.

So charming! But earth didn't move for me
By Chang May Choon

I'VE always thought that meeting the drop-dead gorgeous Takeshi Kaneshiro would be, well, a drop-dead experience. The earth would move, my heart would stop beating and everything would come to a standstill.

For 10 years now - from the early days when I was a teenage groupie until now when I've become a professional groupie, er, reporter - I have religiously followed his career path. I've watched most of his movies and dramas, be they romance, sci-fi or slapstick comedy, and till today, still keep his old magazine clippings, hand-laminated pictures and old cassette tapes of his album.

And, thanks to my job, I had the perfect excuse to meet him yesterday.

The Japanese-Taiwanese star was in town to promote his movie, Turn Left, Turn Right.

It was a dream come true, except that it didn't turn out as sweet as I had imagined.

Like most movie stars, Takeshi in person is not as mesmerising as the romantic hero he is on the big screen. No doubt he's attractive, what with his chiselled features, charming smile and deep, magnetic voice.
But my heart didn't skip a single beat - not even when I got to shake his warm and firm hand. Nor did I break into a cold sweat like I did when I first met my other idol, Chow Yun Fat, three years ago. Up close, Takeshi was a tad too skinny and fair-skinned. His usually stylo-milo hair was too long and looked like it needed conditioning. His brooding charisma was also missing in action, though he did stare into space for a while.

I wasn't the only disillusioned one. A few female reporters were also discussing how Takeshi was not as hunky as they had imagined him to be. About 100 of us had turned up at the press conference, mostly females who had wanted to catch a glimpse of the elusive star.

The only thing that surprised me was Takeshi's reaction to seeing himself on the front page of Wednesday's edition of The New Paper. I had placed it on the coffee table prior to the group interview we had.
His smiling face - captured when he arrived at the airport on Wednesday - occupied a quarter of the front page. The moment he saw it, he gasped and said: 'Wah!' His eyes widened and a smile of disbelief spread on his chiselled face.

But how can it be, for someone who has graced countless magazine covers? Even as he was leaving the room at the end of the session, Takeshi could not resist stealing a glance at his picture again. Pointing to his face, he laughed and said: 'I'm so ugly!'

He was just joking, I'm sure.

Good news is, after I passed the copy to his assistant, I saw it again somewhere near the lift lobby on my way out. But the cover and inside page bearing his picture were gone.

Hopefully, if he ever comes to Singapore again, he will remember this paper.

And this reporter, too.

[jadedragon]

Thanks for this great article, SamIam! This lady must be one of those rare people who are not awed by Takeshi's awesome good looks! We all know he's on the lean side, and we all know he's fairly light in coloring--but, bottom line is---we'll take him as is!!! Oh, yes!!

[tatiana]

Thanks SamIAm
The article was very interesting. I think it shows that Takeshi is only human like the rest of us and isn't perfectly beautiful every moment of his life. ( Well, he's perfectly beautiful every moment of his life to me !!)Jadedragon summed it up accurately- WE"LL TAKE HIM AS HE IS !!!! Thanks again SamIAm for sharing.

I like TK even more that he thought the photo of himself was ugly!

[glaucia]

I think he may considers himself not so handsome. A lot of beautiful men and women do think like that. But I'll take him just the way he is. And It's a great way

[jean]

Must be hard work to look good all the time, he must have his off-days. Sleeping problems, illness, too much video games etc... would cause an off-day. After-all he is only human not superman.

All I could say is the reporter was very unlucky, she had a chance to see TK and caught him at a bad moment and it had put her off for life and thats how shallow people can be sometimes, thats show business.

[blue]

I think I would have been more interested in whatever "interview" was actually conducted. It's unfortunate that the focus was on his 3-D aesthetics, or lack thereof, rather than any substantial reporting.

[kami291]

I can't blame the reporter. I mean if your collecting his pictures and watched all his movies, all while admiring his beauty, of course your gonna be let down. But that doesn't mean she views him only as a face. Cause he's a very talented person. Its just people don't look the same when you take away all the air brushing and calculated hair. Now speaking for me, i'd be happy either way. I love that he's human and his beauty isn't going to get in the way of having a good conversation and learning more bout him.

[kris]

lol! i still chuckle everytime i read this article...his reaction to his picture is gold!

[lily]

That article's a bit old now. But I still think it's great. For some reason, Chang May Choon saying that makes me like TK even more. It shows he's real and not some fake guy who wears pancake make up all day. Nobody's perfect and if all the pics of TK blurred her reality then she can forget about ever being a fan. It's not just his looks that make up for who he is. He's a person like every one else where he'll have days where he's not the Hot God she made him sound to be.

[kewpie-chan]

Ooooo! Was so mad when I read that reporter's article that if she's reading this, lemme give her my two-cents worth.....

Note to reporter of article:
Can you (and your fellow reporter friends) BE any more shallow? So he has an off day not looking fly, so what? We all do, even "superstars". You claim you want to get to know the real Takeshi-san, get to the heart of matter as it were, and yet, when offered a glimpse of the human beneath all the mega star packaging, you harp on how your lil' heart didn't do a two-step dance. Oh, I see, so the article was about YOU and not HIM...my bad! What was I thinking? (heavy sarcasm there folks)

Not that I expect a Barbara Walters type of interview but how can you, as a reporter, miss a follow-up question when you wrote about how he reacted to his picture? Why not voice out loud the thought bubble in your head? Was it not kosher to do so or were you still turned off by him not looking all dolled up?

Finally, let me say this: "beauty fades and dumb is forever" We like Takeshi-san for the obvious beauty within as well as his intelligence. His being handsome is considered a bonus

How sad for you and your cohorts you could not see beyond the facade.

[tania]

I think Chang May Choon deliberately finds fault in Takeshi when there is none! She has to pick on something trivial or probably non-existent! Can't she appreciate him just as he is? Is he not perfect enough already? Very well said Lily and Kewpie-chan! Can't agree with you more!

[lily]

I know tania, she's just trying to find faults on TK, that whole article was pretty much picking on him. All I can say is I disagree completely with her. I always talk highly of Takeshi and even if I was writing an article about him, I wouldn't say I expected much more. I like him just the way he is and I would probably like him much more after meeting him.

[AnnaK]

Exactly!

A few days ago I saw "Chungking Express" and "Fallen Angels" again and once again I was so proud of him (I know - that's stupid) - he's an amazing actor and that's the most important thing.

[kewpie-chan]

Ironic isn't it how in her article she mentions about how Takeshi-san is renowned for being elusive and hard in giving interviews to reporters. Well geez, can ya blame him after reading that article? Sheesh....

[meimei]

I am new here so it is the first time reading that for me, all I can say is...

WTF?