All good things must come to an end, and let's face it: how long can you be almost famous? A grand total of 96 talented, ambitious types were featured during the column's two-year tenure, which, if anything, provided an insight into the things that make this town tick. A varied, cosmopolitan bunch to say the least: filmmakers, models, DJs, rappers, artists, TV personalities, pranksters, poets, writers, eco-warriors and human rights enforcers. Some were genuinely destined for the stars; others were simply getting away with doing whatever they pleased. Bigger egos were ruffled by the connotations of the 'almost' part of the moniker, while, for the majority, their reasons for doing what they were doing had little to do with a quest for fame. What happens next only time will tell. So, it seems fitting to end the column as it began: with football. Euro 2004 is in our midst, and a month of late nights is set to kick in when the tournament kicks off in Portugal on June 12. One man hoping to be there is Cable TV's football commentator Ma Kai-yan - otherwise known as Keyman. Two years ago, during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, he played both court jester and commentator as the channel unveiled a football strategy that it has kept ever since - the chaotic, often maddening experience that was then known as the Go! Go! Goal! studio parties. The new name for Euro 2004 and the English Premier League are yet to be confirmed. The usual pre-match, half-time and post-game analysis was substituted for a decidedly left-field formation consisting of face paint, whistles, cheers, jeers and tears. With the station's recent acquisition of rights to the English Premier League, Keyman is aware that many viewers lament Hong Kong's loss of ESPN and its more orthodox presentation of football, regarding Cable TV's coverage as trivialisation of the beautiful game. He's quick to bolster the show's defence. 'I think the majority of the audience here prefers the carnival style,' says the 34-year-old. 'Although I must say I like the ESPN style, too - the preview and review of each game. There's great coverage and they have very good guests. Unfortunately, the sort of guests you get on ESPN won't be able to speak Cantonese for our show, but we'll try to strike a balance between both. We don't want to disappoint those who have got used to ESPN. Wait and see.' Growing up in Tin Hau, Keyman studied sociology at the Shue Yan College and worked as a part-time sports reporter for the now-defunct Wah Kiu Yat Po newspaper. His initial goal was to become a radio DJ, but on graduating he was snapped up by Cable TV to assist with production. An opportunity to commentate on football matches came his way; he took the ball and has dribbled with it ever since. 'No one complained, so I continued,' he said. For an early glimpse of what next season will look like, the channel's Euro 2004 coverage should give a pretty good example, with the 'carnival style' set to continue whether you like it or not. 'Due to the time difference a lot of the kick-offs will be late at night, but we'll still have the party thing happening in our own studio,' Keyman explains. 'I'm hoping to be sent to Portugal to cover the games there, but I can't confirm that right now. I was in the Netherlands and Belgium four years ago doing the commentary for the previous tournament. I'd love to see Holland do well, but unfortunately that team always manage to beat themselves.' Indeed, the game represents a fitting metaphor to close the column. While Keyman maintains he has no desire to be famous, he can nevertheless rest assured: unlike Andy Warhol's idea of fame, the only thing that lasts for 15 minutes in football is half-time.
