MR. NICE GUY SHUNS THE UK PRESS (WELL, EXCEPT ONE!)
As welcome
as a schoolchild with two left feet hoping to be chosen for a football
match Simon Webbe arrived at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square for the
UK Premiere of Mission Impossible III. The press coordinator asked the
assembled reporters if they wished to speak to the ex-Blue member. The
response was a astounding 'No', followed by the Film Focus representative
asking who the hell he was.
Film premieres are the chance for C-list celebrities trying to publicize
their next offering to the fickle world of entertainment, hence why Son
Of Dork's James Bourne turned up- again! Another celebrity hogging the
limelight was Graham Norton on the day it was reported that the star was
returning to Channel 4. He also issued a statement last week that he was
being fed up being portrayed as 'camp'. Norton was wearing a bright white
top with matching trousers with a girlie elegant design around the crotch
area which wouldn't had seemed out of place on a Brokeback Mountain! Davina
McColl wasn't present though - if she had been it would have given the
star the golden opportunity to promote her second series, oh hang on,
forget we said that!
So, the press were fairly happy - after the celebrities came the cast,
director JJ Abrams, Simon Pegg and Michelle Monaghan. Of course, there
was one person missing, a certain Mr. Cruise who was having his own Mission
Impossible outside trying to meet every fan possible. This time last night
he was in Rome for the World Premiere and told the press that he wouldn't
be making an appearance in the UK as he wanted to spend time with his
fiancee, Katie Holmes and his new baby, Sun.
Maybe this was a publicity stunt or maybe Holmes actually did encourage
him to carry on his tour. Whatever the case he didn't disappoint the fans
spending a record time of four hours signing autographs, talking on mobiles
and making an 80 year old lady very happy on her birthday. Whilst the
fans were delighted the press became agitated He gave the paparazzi the
cold shoulder and the journalists in the foyer which included us were
becoming impatient.
The normal procedure at a premiere is that the stars walk up the red carpet,
speak to the press and are escorted on stage to introduce the film. Cruise
wasn't having this. Maybe it was because he was fed up talking about movies,
maybe it was because he wanted to keep his family life private or could
be that the last time he approached the UK press a Channel 4 reporter
squirted water on him. Whatever the reason - he wasn't having it! An hour
after the scheduled start time the auditorium doors were closed and the
press pen was widened. While the press were hoping that their man would
turn up we noticed a gathering behind us. In front of a huge billboard
with the film logo the cast were being assembled for a group photo. We
put two and two together and realized that Cruise would have to join and
complete this photoshoot so we slyly made our way to the front. Leaving
our position of being sandwiched between a girl from The Mirror and the
guy from Film Focus we had a primary position to attempt to catch Cruise's
eye. Ideally we wanted the star to contribute to our book.
Our thoughts were correct. Cruise was escorted in by a heap of security
and lined up for the photo with reporters shouting his name religiously,
or should that be Scientogistly! (Cruise recently had slack for being
joining the religious cult!). After the snaps which were enough to make
an epicitic spaz out and die Cruise walked over to us! He ignored every
single reporter and had a quick word! He gave an autograph, but kindly
refused to add a sentence to our book as 'he didn't have time'. Instead
of responding 'Well you spent four f*cking hours signing outside why can't
you sacrifice just five more bleeding minutes to write one frigging sentence
who stunted dwarf!' We accepted his rejection and shook his hand.
After introducing the movie, which incidentally is fantastic and the best
of the MI films Cruise made his way outside to sign more signatures.
Tom Cruise met ABLE2UK - what a legend!
Mission
Impossible III is on general release May 5th
Simon Webbe new single can be found in bargain bins across the UK very
soon.