Dalai Lama chills out by watching Dad’s Army, Mr Bean and episodes of David Attenborough shows, new bio reveals
THE Dalai Lama chills out by watching Dad’s Army episodes and Mr Bean, a new biography reveals.
The spiritual leader, 84, also loves nature shows and is a fan of Sir David Attenborough.
Author and pal Alexander Norman says he sent the Dalai Lama a box set of BBC Dad’s Army episodes — featuring the adventures of Captain Mainwaring’s Home Guard in World War Two — to keep him amused while in exile.
Mr Norman said: “I also included a Mr Bean film starring Rowan Atkinson, as I thought this would appeal.”
He first met the Dalai Lama — who fled China’s control of Tibet in 1959 — at his home in Dharamsala, India, and has known him over 30 years.
He added: “Rupert Murdoch once called the Dalai Lama a canny old monk in Gucci loafers.
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"He was wrong. The Dalai Lama wears Hush Puppies as a rule, and flip-flops at home.”
Mr Norman says it is true the Buddhist is a keen gardener and amateur horologist — a studier of clocks — and is often seen wearing an unadorned gold Rolex.
But he does not have a luxury watch collection as has been claimed, added Mr Norman, whose book The Dalai Lama: An Extraordinary Life, is out now.
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