Question For Non-US Dopers (And Maybe Some US Dopers)

Cafe Society
1

Do any celebrities from your home country have a second home/condo in the USA?

I am not talking about some British actor who moved lock, stock and barrel to the US and is appearing regularly in films and TV here. I am more interested in hearing about a local celebrity from your country, but someone that few in the US even knows or has heard of, who comes to the US for months at a time to get away from it all and not be recognized.

I figure that many US celebrities have second homes in foreign countries, and just thought it would be interesting to hear which foreign celebrities have an apartment in NYC, or a condo by the beach in California or Florida or Hawaii or wherever. My guess is they might mention this in interviews at home, or it is common knowledge for the locals. So, assuming you know of one or two or more:

  1. Name of celebrity?
  2. Which country?
  3. Why are they famous? (Singer/dancer/actor/politician/writer/royalty, etc.)
  4. Where is their second home in the US?
2

Long time UK singer Cliff Richard, household name here but relatively unknown in the US afaik, has a flat in New York.
He also has villas in Portugal and Barbados.

3

Of the top of my head I can only remember Thomas Gottschalk, called Tommy. First a DJ in Bavarian radio in the 70s, then made some movies for teen with Mike Krüger in the 80s, then hosted various stuff on TV, the last the bet show “Wetten dass”. Lives mostly in California somewhere, but comes over to Germany for the shows.
One of the reason he once gave for staying in CA and even raising his kids there was the lack of celebrity for him and that even with the problems in the US, it was better not to be mobbed by fans or stalked by journalists.

4

I read an interview yesterday with Swedish singer/songwriter Owe Thörnqvist who lives in Florida during winter for health reasons.

5

  1. Name of celebrity?
    Jonathan Ross

  2. Which country?
    U.K.

  3. Why are they famous?
    Chat show host/presenter. Film critic.

  4. Where is their second home in the US?
    He has an apartment in NYC I believe.

6

Robbie Williams (he’s not that well-known in the States, right?)
UK
Singer. Past his peak but still a household name in the UK.
LA - spent time there while trying to make it in America. That never really happened, but he continues to live there much of the time.

7

  1. Yonatan Geffen

  2. Israel

  3. Poet, songwriter, novelist, journalist, pundit, performer, translator, satirist, playwright, TV personality, peace activist. A national icon and a national pain in the neck.

  4. Seems to split his time between Tel Aviv and New York.