Sir Elton's new flower child
By Sylvia Toh Paik Choo
The New Paper
Monday, Nov 21, 2011
Zachary Furnish-John had his first play date in Singapore yesterday.
The 11-month-old son of English singing superstar Sir Elton John and his partner Mr David Furnish stopped in his tracks when a little girl in the crowd bawled.
The showbiz couple and their adoptive tiny tot are in town for John's sold-out concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium tomorrow.
Marina Bay Sands (MBS), together with National Parks, took the opportunity of the Rocket Man's visit to name an orchid after him.
At the ceremony held in the MBS convention centre at the 20th World Orchid Convention, 64-year-old John was graced with a hybrid - deep breath now - Doritaenopsis I-Hsin Black Jack X Doritaenopsis Ever Spring Diamond, heretofore called Doritaenopsis Sir Elton John.
It was all he could do to refrain from executing a crocodile rock at the singular honour.
A sizeable crowd had gathered in the vast cavernous exhibition halls, now a glorious orchid paradise show.
A side door opened and a fleet of cars were spotted. "He's here, he's here!" went the cries.
And onto the red carpet walked the two daddies - Mr Furnish holding their heir - followed by gasps and squeals of delight.
Bemused
Zachary's a lovely storybook child, dressed in a one-piece pale blue seersucker, looking bemused at the fuss over his father up on the podium.
John was in his offstage tracksuit - black with a diamante patch, real diamond earrings to match and glasses.
He was presented with a pot of his bloom, a beautiful white flower with flecks of purple and a gold lip, and gave a short graceful speech.
He said: "I've had a lupin and a rose named after me, but never before an orchid. I join an elegant list of people (like his friend, the late Princess Diana).
"It's such an honour. I am an avid lover of gardens, and we always have orchids in (our homes) in France and England.
"We are going to take this home and hothouse it and grow it."
Together with the flower was a birth certificate for the hybrid, making it John's second "baby" then.
I'd been talking with 49-year-old Canadian film-maker Furnish, who was cradling the boy.
This is going to be a special Christmas, isn't it?
"Oh yes," Mr Furnish said. "It's his first birthday, on Christmas day."
So there'll be no shortchanging the lad then - that's two presents Christmas morning. "Yes, we are going to be home in England for it.
"See, daddy..." and the little boy blew a kiss towards his father.
As the trio took their leave - it was all of 15 minutes but all very gracious - a small girl cried out loud.
John stooped to ask, oh, what's wrong, are we all right, and patted her on the head.
Mr Furnish and Zachary tried to cheer her up, but she would have none of the celebrity company.
"It's her shoe. It's fallen off, and she can't get it on," noticed John.
View the Sir Elton John orchid, plus a thousand others, including the ones on the four winners of a T-shirt design contest A Little Piece Of Paradise at the show until tomorrow.
As for John and Mr Furnish, they've clearly found their paradise in Zachary.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
By Sylvia Toh Paik Choo
The New Paper
Monday, Nov 21, 2011
Zachary Furnish-John had his first play date in Singapore yesterday.
The 11-month-old son of English singing superstar Sir Elton John and his partner Mr David Furnish stopped in his tracks when a little girl in the crowd bawled.
The showbiz couple and their adoptive tiny tot are in town for John's sold-out concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium tomorrow.
Marina Bay Sands (MBS), together with National Parks, took the opportunity of the Rocket Man's visit to name an orchid after him.
At the ceremony held in the MBS convention centre at the 20th World Orchid Convention, 64-year-old John was graced with a hybrid - deep breath now - Doritaenopsis I-Hsin Black Jack X Doritaenopsis Ever Spring Diamond, heretofore called Doritaenopsis Sir Elton John.
It was all he could do to refrain from executing a crocodile rock at the singular honour.
A sizeable crowd had gathered in the vast cavernous exhibition halls, now a glorious orchid paradise show.
A side door opened and a fleet of cars were spotted. "He's here, he's here!" went the cries.
And onto the red carpet walked the two daddies - Mr Furnish holding their heir - followed by gasps and squeals of delight.
Bemused
Zachary's a lovely storybook child, dressed in a one-piece pale blue seersucker, looking bemused at the fuss over his father up on the podium.
John was in his offstage tracksuit - black with a diamante patch, real diamond earrings to match and glasses.
He was presented with a pot of his bloom, a beautiful white flower with flecks of purple and a gold lip, and gave a short graceful speech.
He said: "I've had a lupin and a rose named after me, but never before an orchid. I join an elegant list of people (like his friend, the late Princess Diana).
"It's such an honour. I am an avid lover of gardens, and we always have orchids in (our homes) in France and England.
"We are going to take this home and hothouse it and grow it."
Together with the flower was a birth certificate for the hybrid, making it John's second "baby" then.
I'd been talking with 49-year-old Canadian film-maker Furnish, who was cradling the boy.
This is going to be a special Christmas, isn't it?
"Oh yes," Mr Furnish said. "It's his first birthday, on Christmas day."
So there'll be no shortchanging the lad then - that's two presents Christmas morning. "Yes, we are going to be home in England for it.
"See, daddy..." and the little boy blew a kiss towards his father.
As the trio took their leave - it was all of 15 minutes but all very gracious - a small girl cried out loud.
John stooped to ask, oh, what's wrong, are we all right, and patted her on the head.
Mr Furnish and Zachary tried to cheer her up, but she would have none of the celebrity company.
"It's her shoe. It's fallen off, and she can't get it on," noticed John.
View the Sir Elton John orchid, plus a thousand others, including the ones on the four winners of a T-shirt design contest A Little Piece Of Paradise at the show until tomorrow.
As for John and Mr Furnish, they've clearly found their paradise in Zachary.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
