Paul Gascoigne met Hollywood star George Clooney through a mutual friend and challenged him to a game of pool. Gazza has previously spoken about meeting Dustin Hoffman, Robbie Williams, Princess Diana and Mike Tyson.
Gazza could soon be playing pool with George Clooney at his favorite club, the Dunstone Excelsior. The Geordie star told how he spoke to the Hollywood star thanks to a mutual friend.
Thirty years ago, Clooney was given the job as a bodyguard who protected the England legend while he was playing for Lazio in Italy. And the 64-year-old actor, who owns property on the shores of Lake Como, ended up speaking to Gaza by phone. The England legend has previously spoken about meeting Dustin Hoffman, Robbie Williams, Princess Diana… and Mike Tyson.
In an interview to promote his memoir Eight, Mr Gazza, 58, told the Mirror: “George Clooney wants to come to Dunston Excelsior to play pool, but I still have to play against him.”
The former bodyguard, who was in Italy, explained that he spent some time working with Clooney. “When I was in London, Johnny called me and said, ‘There’s someone I’d like to talk to.’ I said, ‘Who?’ and he said, ‘George Clooney.'” “He said: ‘I hear you’re good at pool. I’m going to go to your hometown and challenge you.'” Gazza, from Dunston, Gateshead, visited Libya in 2000 while playing for Middlesbrough and once played pool with the son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
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The match against Tripoli was held to commemorate the inauguration of the new venue, the Great Manmade River Stadium. At the height of his fame, Gazza also became good friends with DJ Chris Evans and broadcaster Danny Baker. One of his most entertaining encounters was with former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in Gateshead.
Tyson, then 41, had made a personal appearance on Tyneside in 2008 and turned up at the Gascoigne home to meet him. “I heard a man outside shouting, “Gaza, are you in?” Gazza said. with an American accent. I opened my bedroom window and Mike Tyson was standing in the street. “I thought, ‘Damn, it’s Mike Tyson,’ so I went to see him. We ended up going out for my birthday, which was convenient because I didn’t get in trouble with Mike Tyson.”
The former world heavyweight champion had his own problems at the end of his boxing career and wanted to offer help to Gaza. Ms Gaza also spoke about how her loved ones avoid alcohol at Christmas because of her alcoholism.
Gazza will make the 700-mile round trip from his flat in Poole, Dorset, to Gateshead to visit his mother Carol, 82, sisters Anna, 59, Lindsay, 52, and brother Karl, 56. Mr Gazza exchanged gifts before returning to Dorset.
he said: “My family doesn’t drink around me so I just have to fire and let them do their thing. I love meeting them and we go to one house. I’ll probably get a taxi, it costs about £900 to get home.”
“But I’ll open the presents when I get back to Dorset. I usually get slippers, a dressing gown, wine gums and a brut from my mother.”
He added: “I was promoting their aftershave so it’s a bit of a family joke. My sister Anna might give me some wine gums.” he gives cash gifts to his family
*Paul Gascoigne, Eight, The Real Gazza is on sale now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434
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