Maria Cordero proves she is a fast thinker in the face of danger. Photo: Maria Cordero/Instagram
The recent wave of kidnapping cases in Thailand has left many shaken, including Hong Kong’s singer and actress, Maria Cordero.
The 70-year-old, known fondly as "Fat Mama", said that the alarming news has made her too scared to visit the country. She has even asked her family members not to go there, reported HK news portal HK01.
Cordero said this while attending a beauty ambassador signing ceremony in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong recently.
When the media asked if she had faced danger in her travels, Cordero talked about an incident in Indonesia that took place more than 10 years ago.
It happened when she was performing at a nightclub with actor-singer Simon Yam.
As part of his act, Yam would present a flower to a woman in the audience. But that one time, the harmless gesture irked the man sitting beside the woman who received the flower that the man pulled out a gun and aimed it at Yam.
The armed man demanded that Yam drink an entire bottle of brandy. That’s when Cordero stepped in to save the day.
“I immediately jumped in and told him I’d drink it instead,” she shared. “I’ve never lost when it comes to drinking!”
After taking a sip, Cordero managed to calm the situation. However, her action had put her in direct danger as the man then insisted on drinking with her.
Not wanting to make him angry, Cordero agreed but added: “Let me finish performing first, and then we’ll drink together – no leaving until we’re drunk!”
Maria Cordero once stepped in to save Simon Yam, when a member of an audience pulled out a gun at him. Photos: Maria Cordero/Instagram, Simon Yam/Instagram
After finishing her song, Cordero and Yam didn’t stick around to honour her promise.
“We left right after the performance. Simon even asked me if we should go and explain ourselves to the man. I told him, ‘Are you crazy? That guy was already drunk. Let’s just leave'.”
Looking back, Cordero acknowledged this was one of the most dangerous experiences she’s had in her career.
The street smart lady also shared how she makes sure she's not scammed of her payment when performing overseas.
“In the past, it happened a lot. When I performed in remote areas of mainland China a long time ago, promoters would ask me to perform first and promise payment afterward. But I always insisted on getting paid in full before stepping on stage.”
She continued: “There was also a time in Indonesia where I was paid half of my fee upfront. When I arrived, I insisted on receiving the balance before performing. Finally, I was paid the full amount right before the show started.”
