Feel The Heat

So part of my job allows me to meet celebrities. No big deal, right? I used to rub elbows with a lot of showbiz stars back when I worked for a major network. But now it’s different cuz I meet sports celebrities. Whom do I know? Well, only the really big ones like Pacquiao and, uhm… yeah.

So a few days ago when I was told that Erik Spoelstra was in town, my blank stare made my boss exclaim in exasperation, “He’s the head coach of the Miami Heat!”

“So why is he in town?” I asked. (Notice how fearlessly I skirt so close to losing my job?)

“He’s giving sports clinics for the NBA!” she explained.

My blank stare stayed. “Oh,” was all I said.

“Did you even know that he’s the first Fil-American to ever become head coach of an NBA team?!” her voice inching closer to the “I’ll-slug-you-then-fire-you” level.

That snapped the stare off my face. “Oh!” I said. Malamang cute ito. Hello, I’m so sticky-rice kaya!

Last night we hosted a dinner for him and the rest of his crew. When their group came into the resto, I immediately noticed him because he was the only one who looked like he had Filipino blood. The rest were a Caucasian, three African-Americans (one more mulatto than the rest), a Chinese-American, and an Asian-American chick.

Yup, Erik was the only one I found cute. And he’s cuter in person.

I got to shake his hands twice. That for me was the highlight.

The whole time they talked about LeBron, lay-ups and the like. The whole time I spoke straight English and did straight talk. I was so butch, my nose was bloody crimson by the end of the night.