Curious, Richie took the opportunity to ask Fat Gor how someone as famous as him can take the bus without getting mobbed by fans, and this is what Fat Gor told him: “As long as you act natural, others will be natural as well. Of course, people will be surprised when they see you and call you, so just naturally greet them in return.”

Richie then recalled once having to take the bus after hiking in Hongkong ‘cos it wasn’t convenient for a driver to pick him up from his location. At first, the 54-year-old wasn’t exactly sure what to do or how much it cost, until his hiking buddies told him that he would need an Octopus card (for those who don’t know, it’s basically like our EZ-Link card).

“My experience taking the bus reminded me of the time I was filming a Johnnie To movie,” Richie continued. “I was playing a regular guy and the director wanted me to go shopping alone and observe the crowds on the streets. I thought to myself, how can I do that with so many people in Hongkong? But nobody is looking at you at all. They are probably too tired from work, or are too busy looking at their phones.”

“I later felt very comfortable walking around in Tsim Sha Tsui. Nobody paid any attention to me ‘cos I was behaving very casually like everyone else.” Sounds a lot like Singapore, doesn’t it?

Besides learning from Fat Gor’s attitude towards taking public transport, Richie also took away some valuable lessons from how the older star treats his fans. “Some celebrities put on airs when they speak, but Fat Gor always says ‘hi’ and engages in conversation, which makes people very happy.”

This inspired Richie to do the same whenever he is recognised in public. “Sometimes I see artistes going in and out of the airport looking like they’re in a bad mood ‘cos they’re tired or didn’t get enough sleep. This will inevitably create a sense of distance. I try my best to do what Fat Gor said: when someone greets you, just greet them back. When they are happy, you will be happy too. It’s a good cycle. When you have a sour face, people might think, ‘Aiyoh, why does it look like I owe him money?’”

Of course, Richie didn’t forget to include a mention of Fat Gor’s famous selfie-taking habit. “He said that people will only approach you if they like you. If a group of people wants to take a picture with you, just take it, then ask them to share the photo amongst themselves. Taking pictures one by one can get messy, so there must be a way of doing this.”

Photos: PBE Media, Richie Jen/Weibo