YSaturday, August 13, 2005
taken from : http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/show/story/0,4136,92929-1123862340,00.html?
WHAT is it like to date Taiwanese hip-hop prince Wilber Pan?
Absolutely blissful, as 16-year-old Teo Li Wen found out.
She had won a picnic date with Wilber at Palawan Beach in Sentosa on National Day, in a contest organised by The New Paper and Universal Music.
We had asked fans to write in with ideas about how they'd like to spend their date with Wilber, and she was the only one out of the more than 20 entries who offered to cook for him.
'I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world,' gushed Li Wen, who became a Wilber fan only recently, after listening to his latest album, Expert.
'I was smitten from the moment he shook my hand. He's so handsome, so charming, so sweet and so friendly.'
She should know, for she had Wilber all to herself for 30 minutes.
Li Wen's date with Wilber was watched by more than 20 diehard fans (above). (Below right) She asked for a hug after giving him a letter and a paper rose, but was overwhelmed by sadness when their date ended.
Seated under a coconut tree, she served him a seafood meal that she prepared herself - albeit with lots of guidance and advice from her older brother, a Shatec student - and spoon-fed him chocolate mousse.
Then, they took a stroll along the beach, and he even gave her a big hug.
Mind you, their every move was monitored by two reporters, four watchful minders and over 20 diehard Wilber fans who were chasing him around in three Maxicabs.
Noticeably overwhelmed by the attention - and not forgetting Wilber's heart-throbbing proximity - Li Wen lost her tongue.
'There were so many people looking, I felt very awkward and tense,' she later confided.
'I forgot everything that I wanted to say to him.'
Luckily, Wilber, 25, was the perfect gentleman and he kept the conversation going.
In between many requests to pose for photos, they chatted briefly about food, school and the last movie they each watched.
He also seemed genuinely impressed with the delectable spread, the result of hours of hard work by the Teo siblings.
Wilber raved in Mandarin: 'The codfish is very delicious. It really melts in your mouth!'
As it turns out, it has been years since the American-born singer had a girl cook for him.
TOUCHED BY MEAL
'I'm really touched, and I'm very happy that someone would do that for me,' he confessed later during our interview.
'If I were much younger, my heart may even be moved by her. But she's nine years younger than me!'
Then, he quickly added: 'Actually, age is not a problem. It depends on fate, and if we have the chance to meet again.'
Well, fate did seem to be working its magic, for Li Wen and Wilber coincidentally turned up in matching outfits from top to toe.
He was wearing a pink polo T-shirt with blue jeans and silver-lined sneakers, while she had on a pink polka-dotted singlet, blue jeans and silver-lined sandals.
Wilber's description of his ideal girl also seemed to fit Li Wen. He likes girls who are 'attentive, thoughtful of others, independent and has her own mind'.
He used the same words 'attentive' and 'thoughtful' on Li Wen, adding that 'she's 16 but it feels like she's more mature than that'.
Wilber does not rule out dating his fans.
It has been over three years since he broke up with his last girlfriend to prepare for his showbiz debut, and since then, he said he has only been on casual movie and dinner dates.
'My lover would have to be my fan to some extent because she must like my job and my working hours, or else she'll grumble about me not spending enough time with her.'
Which is good news to Li Wen, who professes to be attracted to Wilber for his boyish good looks first, then his musical talent later.
'He's my ideal type of guy!' she quipped.
For the time being, however, Li Wen has to settle for fond memories of his embrace.
She mustered enough courage to ask him for a hug after handing him a letter and a paper rose, and they locked in embrace for no less than 20 seconds to allow for photos.
Li Wen later gushed: 'His hug was warm and I felt so blessed.'
No wonder then she was visibly shaken when their date had to end abruptly due to the growing number of stares from passers-by.
For a while, she was inconsolable.
But a smile returned to her face when The New Paper managed to persuade Wilber's manager to let him talk to her briefly over the phone.
She pledged her eternal support for him, and when he said that he enjoyed their date and he found her 'sweet and thoughtful', she was clearly over the moon.
'He's really very sweet!' she gushed.
So sweet you can't stand it
HOW apt that his latest album should be titled Expert, for Wilber Pan is a jack of many trades.
He already excels at rap and street dance, and is not shy to call himself 'rap MVP (most valuable player)' in his self-penned song, Who's MVP?
He is also known to be an excellent hoop-shooter - at least before he injured his left knee late last year.
Also famous is his hearty appetite - which has caused him much grief whenever he over-eats and ends up having to exercise more to shed the extra kilos.
'My appetite has scared away many girls!' the foodie joked.
DOTING BEAU
Even in love, Wilber is well-versed in being the perfect doting boyfriend.
'I'm the kind who is so sweet you can't stand it,' he declared with a laugh.
Though he dislikes shopping, he will go present-hunting for her, be it a purse, ring or necklace.
Even with his Singapore fan club, Wilber maintains such a chummy relationship with some key members that he has gone karaoke-singing with them in private gatherings.
'We're more like friends, and I'm very thankful for their support all these years.'
>>>>My cOmMeNtS<<<<
wahhhzz...the ger realli very lucky lohx..i oso wish to hab a date with him..lolx but i will be speechless one lohx..lolx well he is the perfect doting boyfriend sia...i oso wan tis kinda boyfriend...it will be so so so so sweet lohx...'I'm the kind who is so sweet you can't stand it,' he declared with a laugh. he even said this lohx...wah den his future girlfriend must be very xin fu de lohx...eeeeee i oso wan..lolx it's a fat hope thingy man... If you want to see photos of the ger huggin him , please go to the above website....
>>>> B4 / Distinction <<<<
haix my chinese results is so damn bad lohx...B4 only...what the hell...must retake liao lohx...again waste so much time...hab to concentrate on 7 subjects...dunno y i did so badly oso...den only 2 ppl from our class got A2 den no more liaox...sad case lohx...if retake hor i must try hard to get A lohx...haix wonder if i can do it...den after knowin the result i felt sad oso lahx...den want to cry but i WONT cry in front of ppl de ....so i hold back my tears...lalalaa den asked Wan Yee to accompany miie to K Box...after a few mins of beggin...she finally agree to my request..lolx at firx she said cannot becuz she scared her mum scold...her mum wuldnt allow...but she herself wanted to go K Box oso..so after mins of beggin , she decided to go with miie...lolz den Linda came along too...hahaa Thanks for their companion man...if not i'll be feelin very down...sang quite a lot in K Box oso...after i got home...went to sleep lerx..too tired...told my mum abt my results...she said i did badly too..haix den my dad tot i fail cuz i said i wanna retake...well u can see how my parents " look down on miie " . they wuld always said as long as u put in ur best effort can lerx...but deep in their heart..they will tink i'm not tat kinda study de liao. always tink tat i will did badly for my studies...wad so eva lahx...i will try my best to do well for my exams and let them see my good results de...i will try de....
renee ~ >.AiR. was here with you at