We all know how much Richard Gere has done for Buddhism and, my word, the Buddhists thank him every day for it. But sadly the big Kahuna seems less grateful, the ungrateful little ragamuffin.
In the American edition of GQ Gere relates a recent encounter with his bezzie mate, the Dalai Lama, a man who doesn't seem to appreciate that the red carpet is the swiftest path to divinity.
First, Gere says, the head honcho criticised him for being an actor: "[He said] 'Richard, do you really believe these emotions you say [in movies] you feel are real? Do you actually believe that these emotions, all emotions, are not created? Are not illusions?'"
Actually, Lost in Showbiz thinks this wasn't criticism but a desperate plea on behalf of the world to assure us, promise us, that Gere's astonishing enactment of vertigo in Pretty Woman (brief recap for those of short memories: eyes widen, bouquet of flowers clenched in teeth) was real as it proved his love for Vivien the prostitute, thus inspiring a whole generation of little girls in terms of which career path to follow.
And if this wasn't enough, "Richard" then whipped out his book of photos to show the DL only for the latter to whinge, "These photos are of poor quality. Why is there no sharp focus? There is no clarity!" Gere bleated, "But your Holiness, it's Goyaesque!" But Dalai, the uncultured fool, didn't get it and yapped back, "No! It's out of focus!" Man, when a religious leader doesn't GET Richard Gere's Goyaesque photography style it's hard to know what to believe anymore, isn't it?
