In what counts as one of the more random nights out in a while, I was about to leave the supperclub launch party (having had my fill of interpretive dance and meat on a stick) when a rumour got around that American director Spike Lee was making an appearance at 11pm. Granted, I couldn’t tell you what he’s done lately other than sit courtside at NY Knicks games, but hey – this guy directed Malcolm X. That should give you at least 5-7 years of clout.

Now, Spike (first-name basis, oh snap!) is in town for two days as a speaker at the Global Brand Forum conference for ‘marketing mavericks’; Jimmy Wales, the creator of Wikipedia, was also here, along with Al Golin (not to be confused with Al Gore, which is what I heard when someone yelled in my ear over the music at supperclub).

In true Time Out fashion, I knew someone who knew someone who was organising Spike’s ’social calendar’ for his one night in town, and she said we could hang out at the party. How do you say no? So at the stroke of 11, Spike shows up, decked out in NY Yankees gear and probably thick in the throes of jet lag, and sits back on the bed. The following is more or less an exact transcription of our exchange:

[Scene: I walk nervously up to his bed and wave, take my shoes off and essentially crawl on the mattress towards this award-winning director. Awkward moment No 1.]

LD: Um, hi, I don’t want to bother you, but I’m Laura and I’m from New York.

SL: Where in New York?

LD: I was living in Prospect Heights.

SL: Brooklyn! [Pause.]

LD: Uh, yup. So what are you doing in Singapore?

SL: Here for a conference. [Silence]

LD: Cool. What do you think of Singapore so far?

SL: I like what I’ve seen. [Silence.]

LD: Is this your first time here?

SL: Yup. [Even more silence.]

LD: Uhh, cool.

After about two minutes of Yankees talk (’they’re not doing so well right now’), I figured I had worn out my welcome. We shook hands, smiled, I said thanks and resisted the urge to yell ‘I loved Boyz n the Hood!’ over my shoulder (note: he didn’t make Boyz n the Hood), and I leave him to sink back into the pillows that are basically the size of his entire torso.

Sadly, I had fallen into the trap of assuming a celebrity wanted to talk to me as much as I wanted to talk to him. But I also got to say I shared a bed with Spike Lee…and that’s not a bad story.