What's the rush, Leon?

HK star zips through event with predictable answers & tight security
By Maureen Koh / Source : The New paper

'I don't believe in wasting too much time trying to decide on the type of car to buy,' he said.

It will take the cool man just 5 minutes to make his choice, going by what he told reporters and guests yesterday at the media preview of Cortina Watch Jewellery Time 2008 at Paragon Shopping Centre.

Both Leon and beauty queen-turned-actress Michelle Reis - once rumoured to be lovebirds - were in town yesterday for the event's opening party.

Leon, 41, admitted that he once spent 30 minutes considering the purchase of a limited-edition timepiece.

He said: 'I had previously stayed at this hotel and next to it, there was a shop selling watches.

'I saw this limited edition diamond watch - there was also a red ruby and a sapphire version - that I liked very much but even then, I spent about half an hour before finally getting it.'

Excellent timepieces, he added, can be good investments which do not depreciate in value.

He said he had worn the watch, which he bought 11 or 12 years ago, only 'a few times'.

But why is it that Leon would take just 5 minutes to buy a car, yet ponder for 30 minutes before paying for a watch?

Alas, this reporter never got to find out, as no questions were allowed from the media.

You see, the question-and-answer session, hosted by MediaCorp artiste Michelle Chong, was based on a list of about 10 questions, compiled from questions submitted in advance by various local and foreign media.

In the allotted 15 minutes, this essentially meant the shortlisted questions would naturally be confined to watches and time.

Even if it was a repeated question, as pointed out by the other Michelle.

Host Michelle Chong had asked: 'There are many high(end) jewellery watches shown in this exhibition. What's your opinion about jewellery watches? Do you like it and why?'

To which Michelle Reis, 38, said: 'Oh, Leon has already addressed that earlier.'

In response, Leon quipped: 'But we can always answer it from another angle.'

He then proceeded to wax more lyrical on the 'exquisite value of jewellery timepieces'.

Too bad if you had a follow-up question or another topic in mind.

Overzealous

After the Q&A, the two celebs walked down from the platform where they were seated and were whisked away by chaperones and security personnel.

Squeezed in a tight cordon, Leon and Michelle walked around the exhibition atrium, pausing at each showcase to admire the timepieces on display.

When reporters, including those from Lianhe Wanbao, Lianhe Zaobao and RazorTV, tried to approach the celebs to ask more questions, they were pushed away by bodyguards.

Finally, we managed to get in one question: 'If you were to receive a proposal, would you prefer a diamond ring or a diamond watch?'

Michelle gamely replied: 'I'd of course prefer the classic way - a diamond ring.'

But Leon just smiled and said: 'Thank you.'

With that, the reporters were shoved aside again, as the pair made their way to the mall entrance in a tight circle of black suits and shirts.

After a couple of minutes, there seemed to be a change in plan and the group trooped back into the shopping centre before Leon stopped midway.

He told the bodyguards: 'Can we have some space, like maybe all of you can spread out in a circle?'

As the others scrambled to do so, someone called out another instruction: 'Go back to the showroom.'

And off they went into the Cortina Watch shop, where they remained for about 10 minutes.

Three men at the entrance declared: 'Sorry, only invited guests are allowed inside.'

How silly of me to have thought that the e-mail invitation sent to this newspaper indicated that we were invited.

One of the men said as he closed the glass door: 'Sorry, the media is not allowed inside.'

At the end of the whole affair - which lasted 30 minutes - Leon and Michelle were whisked away in a black Lexus.

Mr Albert Pang, a representative from the public relations company, apologised: 'We were given limited time - it was an agreement with the artistes' management.'

He offered to help forward additional questions to Leon and Michelle.

Mr Pang called about an hour later with another apology: 'We've tried our best but the artistes' manager has declined to entertain further questions.'

Leon 'quite pretty' in cross-gender role

PLEASE submit your questions for both celebrities to facilitate the interview process, said the media invitation.

So we expected the list of questions to be screened. After all, both Leon Lai and Michelle Reis have separately been fending off speculation that they are either married or are preparing to marry.

In March, Leon and his girlfriend of three years, model Gaile Lai, denied reports that they had married in the Maldives.

And fresh reports surfaced earlier this month that Michelle may finally wed Hong Kong tycoon Hui Jun Hung. But seriously, this is old news.

Instead, some of Leon's fans were hoping to hear him speak about his role in acclaimed Chinese director Chen Kaige's Mei Lanfang.

In the film, slated for release later this year, Leon plays the titular late master of Chinese opera, who was famous for his cross-gender performances.

The actor had to work especially hard as critics felt that he might not pull off the demanding role.

There were also comparisons made between Leon's character and those of other actors such as John Lone in M Butterfly and Leslie Cheung in Farewell, My Concubine.

Many felt that Leon did not look pretty enough but the media in China have since relented following the release of the film's promotional poster.

Leon, they decided, was 'quite pretty after all'.

Last Tuesday, the promotional music video, You Understand My Love, premiered globally. Leon directed and produced the music video, a duet with co-star Zhang Ziyi.