Mui-interview of those days
Anita Mui: [I wish to have a family too!]
Mingpao Weekly 1692 April 14, 2001
In the eyes of many people, Anita Mui is a strong person. Not long after she started her career, she was entitled as "Big Sister", she retains that title till now.
But a strong person needs protection too. About half a year ago, a male fan kept on sending her love letters. The content of those letters are very obvious [... love to such a degree, out of control.]; [... will never forget you] and etc. Finally this fan even mentioned if he can't see her, he will commit suicide.
After all it concerns life. Also she is a female, of a weaker sex. After she received those letter, she didn't make them public. How does she feel, becomes focus of attention for some time.
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After this piece of news spread out for 3 days, Ah Mui was being invited by her good friend, Eddie Lau, to be the guest for the opening ceremony of the hair salon of Mou Yuk Ping, wife of the richest guy of Shanghai, Chow Ching Yee. (Chow is now in prison in China, and Mou is being sued in Hong Kong by ICAC). She was being accompanied by her assistants, students Calvin Choy and Samuel, every gesture of hers still was still so stylish. But when she talked, her voice was softer than usual.
Reason for being frightened
That night, under the invitation of Mrs Chow, she went with them to Grand Hyatt for celebration dinner. She was asked if she wanted a little bit of red wine, she said: [No!] Eddie Lau, sitting next to her, teased her by saying: [Waiter should not ask if she wants a little bit, just a little bit, of course not enough for her lar!] Ah Mui normally can drink quite a lot. Is this (refusal to drink) the after effect of the fan's love letters?
[During these years, I have received letters of this kind for countless times. Once, a fan said if he could not see me, he would plunge from high building. At that time I really felt I could not do anything. But I didn't like to be threatened for that. I'm not frightened by those letters. I'm frightened only because those letters can be placed outside the door of my home. This is most frightening!]
Recalling the frightening incident, Ah Mui still kept her usual calmness. [For all those years, what kind of storm I haven't experienced?] Big Sister is still Big Sister! But frowned when heard of being called Big Sister.
[Is the role of Big Sister a strenuous one?] the reporters asked. [Correct! I have to support every year's New Singers Contest, the 2nd one, the 3rd one, the 10th one, the 11th one.... ai! How old I am, people will know how to calculate. (laughing), anyway, have to be an example, really very tired.]
That day, Ah Mui didn't drink, not because she was frightened, but she had stomach problem. She asked for a cup of hot tea. No matter how strong a woman is, still a woman. When gets tired, wants to go home. Suddenly thinking about her recent song [Bed].
[I want to say I don't have a heart for business. But this is only half of Anita Mui. The other half of me, actually I want to have a family, a traditional one. When I first started in showbiz, I planned to get married at 28, to have children at 30, but whatever planned by human will by superseded by plan of Heaven....... I know I'm a moody person. During all these years, when I work, and every time when I feel tired, I wish I have someone, a pair of ears, to let me release my feelings. but I don't have. To look for mother? to look for friends? Friend is an independent entity, they have their own life. So I can only swallow my own things that bother me.]
Boyfriend under pressure
Ah Mui talked about Mui Ma herself, she showed such affection and with directness.
That night when she mentioned that she was tired of working, the original soft voice became even weaker. She could not help breaking her own taboo, started to talk about her mother. Maybe it sounded so natural, people sitting beside her listening all felt the warmth.
Ah Mui felt about this, she lowered her head and her lips were quivering.
[.... I don't talk about her in the public, it is because I don't like always to talk about my family affair. Of course, I won't agree to everything she does. But, I won't like to criticize, because I'm not qualified. After all, she is my mother, such relation will never change.]
Work makes her feel tired, family makes her worry. Since these targets are very obvious, she can still work hard towards these goals. Only her romance, that is still void, makes people feel confused.
[I suffer from working, so I want to look for someone to release my tension. I admire those who have an arm to lean against. Therefore, when I have a boyfriend, I will tell him all my feelings. If he can understand, it's the best. If not, he will feel: "This woman so troublesome!" I know, my past boyfriends are not inconsiderate, maybe , I really have too much sufferings, they can't stand it.
[I gradually realize the problem. A few of those past boyfriends told me: "To be Anita Mui's boyfriend, the pressure is very big." Correct! Even after they have separated from me for some years, people still like to call them "The ex boyfriend of Ah Mui", the status stays with them for the rest of their life.]
The fate for building a new family hasn't come yet, fate for having new students is a wave after a wave.
Grasshoppers and Patrick Tam of early days; Denise Ho and Samuel Pang of recent years. Such relation once started, perhaps it will go on forever.
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Understanding sufferings of new people
Then Ah Mui talked about Patrick Tam.
[I'm apologetic towards Patrick Tam. At that time, I didn't have time and not in a mood to take good care of him..... I remember I was one of the adjudicators for the New Singers Contest for which he was a contestant. When I saw him for the first sight, and saw his performance, I already felt he was very good, should be the champion. Then he really won. At that time, my world tour concerts just started, I suggested to him to be my guest performer. Ah Tam doesn't talk too much when he doesn't know you too well. During that trip, as we had been together for so long, he trusted me, hoping that I could help him. I promised him. Eh! Who knows at that time, I felt more tired, and only thought about retiring. Now, I see he has achieved success, I feel happy for him.]
Besides Ah Tam, she also talked about Cheung Wai Kin, Andy Hui....., C-brothers have been successful in their career, she, being C- sister, feels happy for them (Andy Hui is Mui's students. Both Cheung Wai Kin & Andy Hui came to be known after they competed in New Signers Contest, maybe that is why the writer called them Mui's C-brothers)
[I have been new person too, so understand their difficulties. I only wish to help them within my capability. One day, when they grow up, won't be blown off by gusty wind. If they say they want to leave, I wouldn't mind.] (the writer) Have talked to Samuel, he said C-fu is very serious about their work. She is very strict about the film and the script. Does Ah Mui actually act both as C-fu (teacher) and manager? [You can say like this. But during the years of Grasshoppers, the situation is not like this. I was just like a friend giving them advices.]
There is no alternative for her relation with her family, and still no answer where will her love sentiments belong to. However, she is still full enthusiasm for her career, and the future of younger artistes : [,,,, This Ah C (Denise Ho), don't buy clothes after she earned money, she went to buy guitar and car, not a girl! Samuel so tall, but is my little student, is tall student...] C-fu laughed from bottom of her heart.
《明報周刊》 第1692期 2001年4月14日
破戒談媽媽 對不起阿譚
梅艷芳：「我也想擁有一個家」
在很多人眼中，梅艷芳是一個強人，入行不久，就掛上「大姐大」的名銜，直到如今。
不過，強人也有需要保護的時候。一位男歌迷打從半年前開始，不斷以情書攻勢向她表愛意，情書的內容甚為露骨，「......愛得無法自拔」、「......永不能忘記你」之類的字眼層出不窮。最近，這位歌迷竟藉書信表示，若然見不到她就會自殺。
說到底，性命攸關，而且自己只是弱質女流，收信後，阿梅並未向外界作回應，她的心情怎樣，一度令人關注。
消息傳出後的第三天，阿梅應老友劉培基之邀，為上海首富周正毅太太毛玉萍的髮型屋任剪綵嘉賓，由助手、徒弟蔡一智及Samuel陪伴左右的阿梅，一舉手一投足縱然仍舊甚有台型，說起話來，聲音卻是比平日柔弱了。
受驚另有原因
晚上，她應周太之邀，到君悅酒店吃飯慶祝，侍應問她要不要一點紅酒，她說：「不要了！」坐在旁邊的Eddie(劉培基之洋名)就取笑她：「侍應不應問她要不要一點，只一點點，她當然不夠啦！」阿梅平日酒量不淺，莫非歌迷情信留下了後遺症？
「這些年來，諸如此類的信件，我不知收過多少封，有一次，一位歌迷還說見不到我，就去跳樓，當時，我的感覺是無能為力，我也不能為此而受威脅。我沒有因為收信而受驚，我受驚，是因為那些信件竟然可以直接放在我家的大門口，這是最恐怖的地方！」
回憶受驚的一幕，阿梅卻保持一貫的淡定。「這麼多年來，有什麼大風浪我未見過？」大姐大即是大姐大！聽到這三個字，阿梅的眉頭就聚起來。
「大姐大的角色很吃力吧！」記者問。「對！每年的新秀歌唱比賽，我都要來支持，第二屆、第三屆、第十屆、第十一屆......唉！我幾多歲，都可以給別人計算出來。(失笑)總要做榜樣，實在很累人。」
這天，阿梅不喝酒不是因為受驚過度，她患了腸胃炎，只要了一杯熱茶。女人多強都只不過是一個女人，累了都想回家，突然想起她早前的一首歌《床》。
「我不會說，我沒有事業心，但這只是梅艷芳的一半，另一半的我，其實也想擁有一個家，也很傳統。剛入行，我訂下了廿八歲結婚、三十歲生孩子的計劃，可是人算不如天算......。我自問是一個很情緒化的人，這些年來，我在外頭工作，每次幹得很辛苦，就希望有一個人、有一對耳朵，讓我把內心的情緒宣洩出來，但我沒有。難道去找媽媽？難道去找朋友？朋友都是一個獨立的個體，他們都有他們的生活嘛！惟有『骨』一聲把心事吞進肚子裏。」
男友壓力很大
阿梅竟然主動提起梅媽！還要提得那麼的親切直接。
這個晚上當她說到跑江湖跑得很累，本來已經溫柔的聲音因而出落得更軟弱的一剎那，她情不自禁地破了不再在公開場合談起母親的戒。也許是說的實在自然，坐在旁邊的聽眾，竟然會感受到一陣子的暖意。
把這份感覺告訴阿梅，她垂下頭，嘴角牽動起來。
「......我不在公開場合提起她，是不想把家事掛在嘴邊。當然，我不是對她所做的每一件事都認同，然而，我不會去批評，因為我沒有這種資格。說到底，她都是我媽媽，這種關係永遠不變。」
工作再令她疲累、家人再叫她牽掛，因為對象明確，她還有她努力的目標，只是說到從未落實的虛無戀愛史，就總叫人迷茫。
「工作令我很辛苦，所以我要找個宣洩對象，我很羨慕那些旁邊有個臂彎依靠的人，所以，當我一旦交了男朋友，就會把自己的感受都告訴他。他能夠明白就最好，不然的話，就會覺得：『你這女人真煩氣！』我知道，我過往交的男朋友不是不體諒我，也許，是我的苦實在很多，他們難以盛載。
「是我很久之後才慢慢發現的，好幾位前度男朋友分別跟我說：『做梅艷芳的男朋友，壓力很大。』對！他們跟我即使分手多年，人家還是喜歡以『阿梅前度男友』作稱呼，身份就這樣一輩子了。」
建立家庭的緣份未到，建立師徒關係的緣份卻是一浪接一浪。
早年的草蜢、譚耀文；近年的何韻詩與Samuel彭敬慈，情份一旦開始了，就彷彿可以走到天荒地老。
明白新人之苦
說到這裏，阿梅提起譚耀文。
「我對阿譚，是很sorry的！因為當年，我沒有時間和精神去好好照顧他......。記得他參加新秀那年，我是評判之一，第一眼看到他，聽到他的表演，我就覺得這個人很好，他應該是冠軍。後來，他真的得了獎，那時，我的世界巡迴表演剛好開始，我就建議找阿譚做我的表演嘉賓。阿譚這個人，不相熟的話，他不多說話，因為這個旅程，我們相處多了，他很信任我，希望我可以幫他，我也答應了。唉！誰知那個時候，我愈來愈覺得疲累，心裏只想著退休的事。現在，我看到他幹出了成績，也很替他高興。」
除了阿譚，她還提起張衛健、許志安......，師弟今天能夠各有成績，是大師姐最高興的事。
「我也做過新人，明白做新人之苦。我只想在能力範圍以內栽培他們，到有一天，他們成長了，不會被大風吹掉，他們說要走，我也不會介意。」跟Samuel談過，師傳對他們的工作很緊張，比方拍戲，劇本比他們看得還認真。阿梅其實是集師傳與經理人的兩棲角色？「你可以這樣說，但在草蜢的年代，我們還未有這種情況，我只是以朋友方式去提供一點意見。」
可幸在親情上無可奈何，情歸何處還是個問號的梅艷芳，對自己的事業、後輩的前途還有滿腔熱誠，「......這個阿詩(何韻詩)，賺到錢不買衣服卻去買結他及車子，不是女子！Samuel這麼高大，不是我的小徒，是高徒......」師傅笑得開懷。
文：桂喜