What do The Who, Carlos Santana, Kelsey Grammer, Emily Blunt, Khloe Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker and Lady Gaga all have in common? They visited the UAE within the span of the last year, making for one of the country’s busiest and most star-studded ones yet. As 2014 comes to a close, we take a look back at our 14 favourite celebrity quotes from when they were in town.
Who: Carlos Santana
What: Headliner at 2014 Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival
When: February
Speaking to tabloid! one-on-one, he said: “Sound, resonant vibration, makes humans feel the centre of their heart. And when you feel the centre of your heart, you remember your own forgotten song. Your forgotten song is that, you too — like Desmond Tutu, or the Dalai Lama, or the Pope, and especially women, women who’ve won the Nobel Peace Prize — you, too, can make a difference in life.”
Who: Paul Van Dyk
What: DJing at Zero Gravity, Skydive Dubai
When: February
Chatting with us over email, he shared: “The DJ was the nameless person who sat in the corner; all anybody in that place was focused on or thinking about was the music … When that music went onto the radio, club goers and the media started to become much more interested in the face behind the track. I think that some have exploited/marketed that to quite a degree, sometimes to excess, as was always going to happen, but it is what it is.”
Who: Giancarlo Esposito
What: Panellist at Middle East Comic Con
When: April
Replying to tabloid!’s question at a press conference about the lack of women on the panel, the Breaking Bad actor said: “No one has answered your question! Why the hell aren’t there more women on this stage? ‘Cause they didn’t get them. So next time, ask them. Say, look: bring some more women on the stage. There aren’t, we’re all men up here, we’re top heavy. I’m going to apologise that they don’t have more females up here, and I will commit to talking to the organisers and make sure that there are more females here next year.”
Who: Mohammad Assaf
What: Recording a song for Fifa with Rodney Jerkins
When: June
Confiding in tabloid! about his life after fame, the Arab Idol winner said: “I have no mother, no father, no brother, no sister close to me. I live alone. Even in Dubai, I live alone. My friends tell me — come on, man, live your life, be happy. But I don’t know how to live alone.”
Who: David Blaine
What: Debut of his show, Real or Illusion, in Abu Dhabi
When: August
Talking to tabloid! over the phone about whether he would let his daughter follow his risky path, the endurance artist said: “No. Zero. No chance. I couldn’t deal with it. I almost have a heart attack when she slips on a swing in a park … She already does [have a daredevil streak], actually. I took her to Euro Disney, one time. And she was three years old, so too young, but she was insisting on going on their fastest roller coaster. They let her go, even though she’s six inches (15.2cm) too short, and when it was done, the first thing she said is, ‘Again!’”
Who: Lady Gaga
What: Performing for the first time in the UAE at Meydan
When: September
At an airport press conference upon her arrival, the controversial pop star said: “They mentioned to me that there were some restrictions [in the UAE], and I know there are some artists that are very strict about their policies of adhering to their art and not compromising, but I actually think it’s important to respect other cultures and not force them to adhere to the beliefs of your own country, and in fact, I think it’s a better way to connect with the people and to connect a message.”
Who: Khloe Kardashian
What: Appearance at Cle Dubai restaurant opening
When: October
Speaking to tabloid! in an exclusive interview in her hotel room, the Keeping up with the Kardashian star said: “I am wearing six pairs of Spanx right now. No, I am just joking … I just sleep in Spanks. They are the best. I am so jet-lagged and I don’t even know if I am speaking in complete sentences … I am working on my diet now. I am not good with eating. I like junk food and I love eating crap.”
Who: Michael R. Roskam
What: Supporting his directorial effort, The Drop, at Abu Dhabi Film Festival
When: October
Speaking of James Gandolfini’s last performance before his death in The Drop, the Belgian director said: “He was a fantastic guy, great fun to work with — very humble and very fresh. He wouldn’t step in, rely on his experience, and you know, just open a trick box … If you didn’t know him, you would think it was his first part. He was anxious, he was nervous — like every good artist. That’s how you learn.”
Who: Roger Daltrey of The Who
What: Headlining the Yas After Race Concert Series in du Arena
When: November
Speaking to tabloid! backstage, the front man discussed pop star Justin Bieber’s troubled nature: “Shame. I mean, what a shame. The boy needs help. Justin, give me a call. Otherwise, you’re going to end up like Keith Moon, and it’ll be goodnight Vienna — and I’ve lost too many friends. You don’t need to go. You’ve got a lot to offer.”
Who: Kelsey Grammer
What: Supporting his film, Breaking the Bank, at Dubai International Film Festival
When: December
Speaking to us on the sidelines of Diff, the Cheers and Frasier actor said: “I wasn’t sure that Frasier was going to go that distance, but he took me to some lovely places. What was fun about playing him was that he could do anything, honestly. You could write anything for him to play, and it was fun to watch him just sort of dive into it. I know I speak of him as being something outside of myself, which he is — we don’t really relate on a lot of levels.”
Who: Eva Longoria
What: Chairperson of the Global Gift Gala in Dubai
When: December
Discussing prejudice at a press conference, the Desperate Housewives actress said: “Right now, we’re going through it in the United States as Latinos, because of the lack of immigration reform. There’s always biases that people have and I think you have to put your best foot forward, whether you’re Islamic, whether you’re Arabic, whether you’re Mexican, whether you’re European, whether you’re French. Whatever it is, we all have a human connection.”
Who: Paul Bettany
What: Supporting his directorial debut, Shelter, at Diff
When: December
Discussing his wife playing a role in his film during a post-screening Q&A, he said: “She’s an incredibly critical and brutal human being with me. She reads stuff that I do and has a lot of things to say. But I gave her the script and she read it, and I came home and she was crying. She said she wanted to do it. That was great for me for a number of reasons. One, she’s an extraordinary actress, and two, she’s eminently financeable.”
Who: Sarah Jessica Parker
What: Supporting the launch of her shoe line SJP Collection in Dubai
When: December
Speaking to tabloid! one-on-one, the Sex and the City actress said: “What I am mostly surprised by is the connection people have made with the show. When we went off the air and when we finished the last movie, I just didn’t imagine there would be continuity to the affection. What I didn’t realise was that with syndication, reruns and social media, the digital life of things have changed people’s relationship with entertainment.”
Who: Emily Blunt
What: Jury head of the IWC Filmmaker Award at Diff
When: December
Speaking to tabloid! on the red carpet, the Golden Globe-nominated actress said: “The first job I ever did was a play in the West End, and Judi Dench was in the play with me. I was 18, and really green — had not done anything. I was so nervous and I remember the first day of rehearsals, she came up to me, and she was just so kind. I think she knew that I was so fearful, and she just said, ‘If anyone messes with you, you just come straight to me and I’ll deal with them.’”
