PLAYING THE FAME GAME
"We're game for anything!" chanted Brit popsters Ultra when they winged into town last month. Stella Thng took the foursome at their word and bombarded them with a set of craftily formulated questions about the frivolous fame game! Plus, we find out their score in the game of love!
Hey guys! What have you been doing since you arrived in Singapore?
You toured Malaysia right before Singapore. How was the response from Malaysian fans?
Tell us, how nimble are you in the game of love?
Have you ever been a love cheat?
Football, tennis, hockey. Which is your main game?
What's your favourite party game?
Are you a sore loser? Would you cheat to win at games?
What's the most obscene sum of money you've lost in a game?
What's the name of the game in showbiz?
You suffer from a fear of heights but your mates want you to go bungee jumping with them. Are you game for it?
You've harboured a crush on your mate's girlfriend for ages and they've just broken up. Is she fair game?
Michael : We recorded stuff for MTV, Channel V, Tonight With Gurmit, lotsa interviews�..
Nick: And we kept eating and eating and eating!
James: We had a Malay meal the other day. We tried deep-fried baby squid ---it looked like insects! And we had chicken satay, spicy prawns and rice!
Michael: (Suspiciously) I know, it's a scheme to make us fat so our fans won't recognise us!
James: They're great! They're a little shy compared to Singaporean fans. I think it's because they don't know us very well yet. In fact, the reaction we've received in every country is different. It's more paparazzi style in Singapore---everywhere we go, there are fans trailing us in cabs!
Jon: Taiwan was pretty mad. We've got some Taiwanese fans who flew to Singapore specially to see us! Thailand was bizarre! When we got out of the airport, there were TV crews waiting for us!
Michael: We've gotten some really great gifts. I collected a huge bag stuffed with bottles of aftershave!
Nick: We have wild fans. I once received a pair of skimpy pants. When I put them on, my voice went up two octaves! And during a gig in England, this girl ran to the front of the stage when I was strumming my guitar and flashed her erm, bits at me. My guitar positively shrieked!
Nick: (Smugly) Yeah, I'm good with girls�well, I can be! I think deep down, I'm a really romantic bloke. I'll send flowers to girls, although so far I've only sent them to my mum!
James: I don't know really, I don't try too hard! I've had one serious relationship three years ago and I was hurt pretty badly. I guess she was too young to know what she wanted and I was over-possessive, too. Well, I've learnt a hard lesson there!
Jon: I'm okay at flirting, but when it comes to real love, I'm totally different! (Thoughtfully) Then again, I think I'm scared of love. I'm too busy now to think about settling down anyway!
Michael: I'm not very nimble at all! Girls tell me I'm a real mate, but I've never had any luck in the love game. (Sadly) I was badly hurt by my last two girlfriends. I tend to give everything I've got, but I don't get anything back.
Nick: Well, I have cheated on my girlfriend but if I find my one true love, I'll definitely be faithful!
James: I can be faithful but I guess I haven't met the right girl!
Jon: (Looks ashamed) I was a two-timer once. I felt so guilty, I confessed to one of them and she slapped me�a few times! So, I kept my mouth shut the next time I cheated on her! (Triumphantly) I got away with it!
Michael: I've never cheated on a girl, not since I was 16 and dating seriously, anyway. I'd be lucky if girls don't cheat on me!
Nick: I'm good at football! I played goal-keeper for 10 years! I used to compete in inter-district games and my favourite player is Ronaldo.
James: Erm, I can't play any of them! I'm more into modern pentathlon. Ya know, running, shooting, fencing, swimming and riding! I was in the championships!
Jon: Tennis! I used to be a coach in a tennis academy.
Michael: Hmm, I'm alright in football, but I used to play rugby in England. I even competed in inter-state games!
Nick: Definitely Spin the Bottle! We played that for a magazine in England, but all we had to do was answer questions (Looks horrified) I didn't kiss any of the blokes!
James: Ooh, my favourite party game is drinking and eating and chatting up girls! (TVHits-Eh?!)
Jon: (Excitedly) Mine's Spin the Bottle, too, except mine features real kissing action. About a year ago, I played it at a party with this girl I really fancied. Guess what, I got to kiss her!
Michael: Like Nick, I like to play Spin the Bottle where you get to ask your pals totally embarassing questions. Once, I was asked if I fancied anyone in the group----and my crush was sitting right there!
Nick: Yes, I'm a sore loser. In school, my teachers would write stuff like, 'Nick has to learn he can't always win' in my report card. I'm not as competitive now but I can't stand losing at things that are really important to me, like my music, family and friends.
James: I'm very competitive but I'll never cheat to win. (Ignores Jon who's protesting loudly, "You cheated the last time we played squash!") Once, during a modern pentathlon, the judges miscalculated my score. (Self-righteously) I informed the organiser about the mistake even though that meant I'd lose the competition!
Jon: I'm only a sore loser when it comes to sports. I play to win but I'd never cheat. James and I play squash quite often but he usually loses so when he does win, he really rubs it in!
Michael: No, I'm not a sore loser at games, but I like to win in life. I won't cheat, though!
Nick: I once lost �200 at golf and I couldn't afford to pay it. So I played again the next day but I lost another �200! Luckily, I managed to win back every cent after that!
James: I don't gamble much, I've probably lost about �20 all my life! I know a bloke who gambled his entire student grant at the casino---all �8000 of it!
Jon: I once lost �200 in a game of tennis! I bet that I would win, but I lost!
Michael: I've never been into gambling so I've never lost a cent! But I won �20 at the National Lottery once!
Nick: To be successful!
James: Be yourself. Never take this fame thing too seriously and start thinking you're a powerful superstar!
Jon: Perseverance, lots of self-belief and patience.
Michael: Always remember you're never bigger than your audience. They're the ones who make you a star! And be nice to everybody!
Nick: (Groans) Oh, I'm very easily pressured into doing stupid things. I just know I'd do it if they pushed me hard enough!
Jon: No, I'm not easily pressured into doing things. Like, lots of people offer drugs at parties. I'm really strong when it comes to refusing things like drugs.
James: I'll be scared but I'd do it. Well, I wouldn't want to be known as a killjoy among my mates!
Michael: No way! I'm the worst in the band when it comes to such heart-thumping activities. I wouldn't even ride on the rollercoaster!
Nick: Erm, I've dated my mate's girl right after they broke up, but only because he wasn't serious about her anyway! When I told him about it weeks later, he laughed!
James: I wouldn't date her for at least a while. I know if I'm in that position, I wouldn't want my mate to do that to me!
Jon: I did it twice! One guy got really cheesed off with me, but the other guy never even found out! Hee hee!
Michael: No, I'd never do that. It happened to me once. A girlfriend and I had broken up and I told a mate to take care of her for me. In one week, they were dating! They're married and have a house and a kid now, but I'm still mad with them!
