When I Was A Celebrity

For a whole six days, I was a celebrity.

Actually, it started four days before the six days and it has gone on for like two weeks after the six days. I did radio interviews, television interviews, then I was flown to South Africa to watch Rihanna perform live at the Soccer City, I was chauffeur driven around, I lived in a luxurious hotel in an absolutely bougie neigbourhood, flew back to Ghana with television crews filming my arrival and interviewing me at the airport. I should add that I watched Rihanna perform live VVIP style :D That means I had a different entrance into the stadium, I was in the VIP section with a limited number of people, I had access to as many cocktails as I wanted throughout the concert, and plenty of food (starters, main course, desserts), basically all I could eat. I've also done radio and television interviews since I got back. I have had strangers walk up to me saying, "I know you. You are Dentaa. You went to see Rihanna. OMG! I saw you on TV, saw your pictures online and heard you on radio". And then I have had friends call about the same thing. Whew! It ain't easy being a star, and just when I thought it was all over, well it ain't, cos reruns of the interviews are still showing on television, plus thanks to the pervasive nature of social media, my face is still famous :D Oh my! I really am a superstar (I never leave home without any makeup on now).

It really is interesting how somewhere in September I did a post on Ms Naa and then last week I was sitting in the studio being interviewed by her (she is real cool in person too) on Ryse and Shyne on YFM.

Heading to SA

Transitting through Namibia

At O. R. Tambo Airport, Johannesburg

Lunch on my day of arrival with one of the SA Reps.

At Soccer City

VIP was just awesome!

Yep, VIP was absolutely awesome

I had a bit of everything

And the cocktails just kept flowing :D

I had to do some sightseeing before leaving!
At Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City

Monte Casino is just off the chain!

As for this hotel, how I wouldn't mind living here permanently

How did all this happen? I took part in a text and win competition organised by #Y1079FM and ETV Ghana. No, I'm not double standard. Yes, I have been going off on these text and win competitions but I did take part in this one. Why? This one from the get go seemed reasonable and challenging, cos I got to answer questions (on music) and based on whether I got the answers right or wrong, I scored some points. Answering the questions wasn't a walk in the park either. Trust me, had it been a highest-texter-of-a-word-wins kind of competition, I would totally have not bothered. Had answering the questions been as easy as taking candy from a baby, I wouldn't have bothered either. Yes, I did have some issues with the competition but I stuck it out, saw it to the end and I won :D

All I got to say is, if I had to do this all again, I wouldn't change anything.

Just can't wait to be rich and famous though. The flashing lights, the cameras, the interviews, the paparazzi, the VIP treatment, I could so get used to it all.
Would have been just awesome if this star had got a picture with Riri, but this star couldn't manage it (believe me, I tried).

In all of this, I give thanks to God for making any of it possible.
Thank you #Y1079FM, ETV Ghana, Global Media Alliance and Starfish Mobile.

I was a celebrity (and in some ways still am, just Google my name).

Muchas Gracias @Y1079FM

I have decided to lay off my book writing and PhD thesis writing skills until I get back from South Africa.

Yep! This girl is headed to the Rihanna concert at the Soccer City in South Africa courtesy @Y1079FM. When I get back, I'll have a much lengthier piece, hopefully with a picture of me and Ri Ri (fingers crossed) to put up.

Thank you @Y1079FM. Thank you @soulmanonyfm. Thank you #DryveOfUrLyfe.

See ya!

Friday The 13th

It used to really annoy me when Ghanaians living in Ghana (probably having lived in Gh all their lives) would get all hot and bothered because it was Friday the 13th. Seriously, I remember when I was in primary school and junior secondary, some kids would be too scared to go to school. For me, it was kind of like an American getting all excited because it's 6th March. And then someone broke up with me on a Friday the 13th.
Oh boy! Yep, he went through the whole "break up" speech and added the "it's not you, it's me" speech. And when I finally managed to get a word in, all I said was "why didn't you do this yesterday or the day before or wait till tomorrow? You just had to pick today." Of course he didn't get it and then I add, "I hope you realise today's Friday the 13th". He gets all apologetic about choosing that day, we share a good laugh, and though we get back together three days later, the day has held a new meaning for me since, and I'm not so quick to berate any Ghanaian for getting worked up because it's Friday the 13th.

All that was a couple of years ago, when life seemed so much simpler. It really is surprising though that back then, when I was much younger and supposed to be pretty immature, I didn't throw a tantrum because of the breakup. Well, right now, if a certain someone tried that, I'd be too busy mashing up his face (I hope you and the police don't read this) to remind him he shouldn't have picked a Friday the 13th to break up with me (and I so wouldn't be sharing anything with him, a good or not so good laugh).

So, on this day, I remember you. Not just because it's Friday the 13th, but because today would have been your 30th birthday, and Sunday, September 8 was eight years since you left this world.

RIP.

Ms Naa

Oh No! don't jump the gun. Of course I'm not about to go off on her (like I usually do when someone or something ends up as title of my blog post). I love the woman (trust me, I couldn't be more straight even if you stretched me) as a radio presenter.

Naa Adzorkor Addo aka Ms Naa of YFM aka Hillary (whatever happened to her?) is the bomb (by my estimation at least).
I got enough problems in my life and enough of them to look forward to at work, so I really can't imagine what would happen to me if I should add Ghana's problems (more than likely political) to all that on my drive to work. Now, that's exactly what would happen if I should listen to some other radio station's morning programme, where there'd be a newspaper review and a discussion of the newspaper headlines. I do see some of these headlines during my morning drive, (I tinted my windows but seems I forgot I'd still be able to see outside) and the last thing I want to hear is a discussion on them. I however don't mind listening to how some dude shot himself in the groin because he forgot to put the safety catch on before putting the gun in his pocket (bizarre news).
I really am positive Ms Naa would interrupt or halt the broadcast of "Ryse and Shyne" to let listeners know a UFO landed at the airport (why do I think a UFO would land at the airport and not on someone's farm or worse yet on top of my house?) should that happen. So yes, I doubt I'd miss it if something disastrous happened in Gh just because I choose to listen to "Ryse and Shyne" (ummmm... I'm kinda sticking my neck out here, hope I'm not wrong o wonderful producers of "Ryse and Shyne").
Someone might ask, why not listen to a CD or put in an mp3 player and avoid all the political talk? I'll get to that in a bit (why I love Ms Naa's noise), but let me attempt a possible answer by saying that, in that case, who'd tell me about the UFO? Besides, with DJ Vision on the 1s and 2s, I get me some noise and real good music too (totally craving some "Loud and Live" right about now).

I remember I gave a friend a ride to work one morning and she totally didn't get why I was listening to Ms Naa. According to her, Ms Naa really makes way too much noise. Yes, I agree. Thing is, even though I've gone through the motions in the morning of getting out of bed, taking a shower, getting dressed and actually controlling a motor vehicle, at that time, I really am still somewhere between la-la land and reality (how I'm able to actually start a car in that state is beyond me). So yes, I need that noise. And yes, Ms Naa makes a whole lot of it (I thought I had an irritating laugh till I heard hers).
Now, Ms Naa, YOU CAN'T SING! Yes, you're a judge on Vodafone Icons, but trust me, being a judge on a singing show don't mean you got to know how to sing (I'm pretty sure Simon Cowell couldn't hold a note even with a gun pointed to his head). I love your noise, but not that noise. But then again, if I had my own radio show, I'd probably do all the things I want to do but can't do because I suck at them, like sing (but seriously, stick to the radio presenting, minus the singing).

There's this interesting thing though. Ms Naa has a sound for when Wolverine's thingys come out of his knuckles (she has a sound for a whole lot of things, sounds only she could come up with). She says that's the sound they make (do they even make a sound?). Well, I found myself making that very same sound when "The Wolverine" started showing in theatres. I know I got a couple of "shush" stares, but did I care? Nope (it helped that the place was dark too). I was having way too much fun, which is what I believe Ms Naa has everyday at work (except for the getting to work by 6am  part though). Ms Naa sounds so real, so natural, so like she's not faking it, so much so that I would love to have her job (except that during my reign, "Ryse and Shyne" would be "Bored at Work" or "Hating on Your Boss" and would be broadcast at noon, maybe 12:30pm). But really, I've never liked it when Ms Naa had to be away and someone else stood in for her. Ms. Naa, I hope you realise that means you having baby number two in the studio (absolutely no leave for you ever, under no circumstance, unless you got some crazed person standing in. not that I think you a crazed person. no way would I think or say or write that. promise).

All that said though, I am having this feeling that Ms Naa's daughter, when she's older, will not be liking the nickname her Mama has given her on the show. Black Ivy. Yep. Because of Beyonce and Jay Z's daughter's name. I'm wondering what baby number two's nickname will be. South East? (for anyone who didn't get that, after Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's baby).

Don't get it twisted! I wasn't paid to write this, neither was I paid to do the piece on GetFamiliar. I like to write good stuff about things I like and not so good stuff about things I don't like. What can I say, my blog's pink salt *wink* at all "Ryse and Shyne" listeners.

Twisted Things Replaced!!! (Or So I Thought)

I won't even bother with the real name of the show, so I'll stick to "Twisted Things" (after all it is my blog).

Viasat 1, seriously?
Whoever's in charge over there needs to wake up! Last week, I kept seeing ads on the station advertising "Da Kink in My Hair" (the replacement for "Twisted Things" - or so I thought) to be shown at 5:30pm on Fridays and an ad for "Twisted Things" to be shown on Saturdays at 4:30pm.

Naturally, I decided to check it out, but Friday I got caught up watching the Ghana Black Stars beat the Zambian team (honestly can't remember the name of the team), so I wasn't able to check Viasat1 at 5:30pm. Saturday, 4pm, I was glued to Viasat 1, and Glo X Factor aired. Then at 4:30pm when "Twisted Things" was to show, "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" showed instead. Of course I was glad that "Twisted Things" didn't show but seriously, I could think of more profitable things I could do with my time than watch anything to do with the Kardashian's (I really am not a fun of just anything just because it's coming out of the US of A). Against my better judgement, I sat through watching the dramas in the lives of Kourtney and Khloe (like I don't have enough drama in my life).

All I can say is thank God I endured 30 minutes with the Kardashian ladies because at 5pm, Viasat 1 showed "Twisted Things". Of course I'd just wasted 30 minutes watching some show about the lives of some sisters (at least it had a story line), and I wasn't about to waste another 30 minutes watching some show which didn't appear to have a story line. Just before I turned the television off, some voice comes on and announces that 5 different characters were to be played by different artistes. It appeared this was the first showing of "Twisted Things" since their break (I guess the end of one season). Now if 5 different people leave the same show (or are fired) at the same time, what does it say about the show? Come to think of it, had it been "Grey's Anatomy" or some other meaningful show, they would have found a way to exit those characters out of the drama and probably introduced new ones. Then again, I doubt 5 people would leave a serious drama series at the same time. Maybe the break was so they could find new people to play those characters.

Anyways, I wasn't interested in sitting back to see if the new actors and actresses made any difference (a good one hopefully) to the show or watch just to critique. I decided my time would be better spent with Jack Bauer. So "24" it was for me.

Viasat 1, you seriously need some restructuring. This isn't the first time you've continuously advertised a show for a certain time, which turned out to be wrong. While you're at it, please consider taking off "Twisted Tips" and "Hostel" (another very useless show I don't even want to get into). Unless really, that is the kind of station you want to be. In that case, you've lost me and quite a number of serious minded people who want to be entertained with something that actually makes sense.

Men Run Women Cry

Roverman Productions in Partnership with Joy FM and National Theatre Presents: "Men Run Women Cry"

A play written and directed by Uncle Ebo Whyte.

Venue: National Theatre
Date: 7th and 8th September, 2013
Time: 1st show 4pm, 2nd show 8pm
Rate: GH¢50.00

Why do some women lose themselves once they get married, and move from attractive and desirable, to somewhat of a plain Jane?

Why do some women take undue advantage of men who will move heaven and earth to make them happy, knowing very well how difficult it is to land a good man these days?

Why do some men take women for granted just because they picked them up from nothing? In situations like this, what should the women do?

How many of our actions really are our own? What shows some of our actions are not controlled by outside forces?

For interesting and thought provoking perspectives to these and other issues, don't miss "Men Run Women Cry". The play started showing last weekend and will be on this weekend as well.

Tickets are available at Shell Shops at Airport, Achimota, Sakaman and Tema Community 11, Baatsona Total, Frankies Osu and Accra Mall, Joy FM and Jane Ann Supermarket.
Interested patrons with tickets from the last play can have them recharged by visiting www.rovermanproductions.com
Discounts apply to all tickets recharged online.

What can I say about this play? Well...
Can't touch this!

Cheers though to all the women who make men run, and the men who make women cry!

If You Drink...

We all know that phrase; "if you drink don't drive and when you drive don't drive" (I'll get to why this phrase in a bit).

At the start of this week, I noticed that there was this long yellow cloth-like material covering the front of Papaye Restaurant on the Oxford Street. Initially, I noticed that the chairs in the waiting area (where people wait for their take out orders) had been moved around. Later, I noticed that the chairs were back to their regular positions and everything seemed to be in order except for the yellow cloth-like material, which remained. At first I thought there was some cleaning going on in the restaurant, but when the cloth-like material remained beyond a day, I figured there must be some construction work going on.

Yesterday after work, I went into Papaye Restaurant to get some take out, and what I saw made me kinda want to run out (especially after the incident at Melcom). The cloth-like material is actually covering an empty space, which used to be occupied by glass windows, and most of the remaining glass in the front (including the glass doors) are cracked. I honestly felt there was a structural problem with the building and it could fall on all of us inside at any time. No one inside seemed as intrigued by the cracked glass as I was. I was in the restaurant with a friend and we sat there trying to figure out what happened. We went from mini earth quake, which had only affected Papaye, to structural issues with the building. Business was going on as usual and no one seemed one bit scared. That got me really curious (probably one of the reasons I didn't run out).

When my order was ready, my friend and I walked out still assessing the extent of the damage, and I kept wondering why the building hadn't been shut down by the appropriate authorities, and why Papaye was still operating when their building was obviously faulty. As we were leaving, my friend suggested we talk to one of the security guards outside to find out what exactly happened. You won't believe it!

Turns out a drunken driver drove into the restaurant one night causing all that damage (he actually drove right inside. what was he on?). Fortunately, it was after the working hours of the restaurant, so there were no customers inside when the accident happened.

The yellow fabric covers a space that was once occupied by glass

Just after the parking lot, there is this raised platform in front of the restaurant that had been damaged too (I hadn't looked when I was walking in). I shudder to think the havoc he would have caused had it been during business hours, and had there been customers sitting in there because right after the glass there are seats.

Aside seeing first hand what alcohol can cause, I also learnt not to speculate, and just ask questions when in doubt. In my opinion though, I think Papaye should definitely sue the guy for damages (that's if he's not already paying to repair the building) and shut down for at least a week to fix whatever damage was caused (looking at the building from inside is scary).

I took the picture above this morning (I always pass in front of the restaurant on my way to work). I decided this morning to get the picture and I had no idea it would be as difficult as it turned out. I really want a picture of the inside too but I have a feeling that would be pushing it. Some part of the cracked glass inside has sellotape on it. I want a picture of that (seriously Papaye, what were you thinking? tape is going to hold the crack if it's going to fall apart?).

I got in front of the restaurant this morning and there was a security guy there. I didn't want it to look too obvious that I was taking a picture so I drove while trying to snap away. Unfortunately, there is no traffic on the Oxford Street in the mornings. My first attempt produced a picture of somewhere I'm not too sure of (probably the shops next to Papaye). So, I went down the road beside the restaurant, took a right and came out at the junction next to Arlecchino Italian Ice Cream, and then back onto the Oxford Street.

My second attempt produced a picture of the billboard of Papaye, so I went down the road beside the restaurant and took a left this time around. I ended up coming out at the junction opposite the Ecobank (that means I drove illegally on a one way street. fortunately, there were no police officers in sight). I got onto the Oxford Street again and approached Papaye from the opposite side of the road, and thankfully, there was a bus in front of me that was in no hurry. I drove slowly, got my picture, made a U-turn at the ADB Bank parking lot, passed in front of Papaye again, and then headed on to work.

Mind you, at my first attempt, it was 10 minutes to 8am. When I was done, it was exactly 8am. I could just see the look on my boss's face when I said "I'm late to work because I needed a picture for this blog post and I had to drive around in circles to get it" (would have been priceless if you ask me). Thank heavens it didn't come to that. I got to work 10 minutes after 8am.