Friday, May 16, 1997
How does Julio Iglesias get women to love him so much?
It's one of the great questions that has baffled the modern man.
He's not handsome - or so he says. "I'm skinny and I'm ugly" is one of his favorite quotes. Yet the ladies swoon and throw flowers at his concerts. People's mothers, especially, go crazy over him.
The Spanish balladeer - who is now a grandfather - has wooed many women, including Ursula Andress, Priscilla Presley and Diana Ross. One story alleged that he's had sex every day for the last 15 years. There's even a Julio Iglesias perfume on the market - so legions of fans can wrap themselves in a little bit of Julio all the time.
It's no surprise that one of Iglesias' most well-known songs is a 1984 duet with Willie Nelson called To All the Girls I've Loved Before. How does he do it?
On behalf of all the men who desperately need advice on winning the love of a woman, I was determined to find out. But during a recent phone interview (from Las Vegas) to advance his Wednesday concert in the Coliseum, Iglesias refused to divulge his secret.
Every time the topic was broached, he'd politely demur, saying something like, "You think I'm a professional womanizer? I'm a professional singer. I prefer to talk about music, sir." (He's always very polite.)
Of course he had no problem appearing on Dame Edna to answer a question about the size of his penis, but one must respect the wishes of this well-respected international star, especially - given the repeated clicking of phone extensions during our interview - with God-knows-who listening in.
Even so, some valuable advice was gleaned. Here it is:
Step 1: Be rich.
It's not as easy as it sounds. Iglesias earned almost $52 million US in 1993 and 1994 and was ranked the top Hispanic entertainer in the world by Hispanic Business magazine. He has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. Royalty rates start at about $1 a record, so do the math.
Step 2: Do the tango.
Iglesias' latest album is called Tango, a tribute to a 100-year-old dance considered so sensual and passionate it was practically banned in Argentina. Iglesias once suggested that he was born nine months after his parents danced the tango.
"I never asked my father and my mother, but I suppose that after dancing the tango, you're much more likely to make love. You try it. You have a girlfriend? Try the tango tonight, you'll see. You put on a record of tango - no, not mine, there are better tango singers than me (Step 2a: Be modest) - you dance, you go to the bed very quickly. Very easy, good results, good price."
Step 3: Love women.
Again, not as easy as it sounds, although it seems to come naturally to Julio.
"I love women since I was very young. I will die loving women. I respect them. I learn from them. And that's all."
Step 4: A little wine is nice.
Iglesias is a big wine connoisseur; he even has a "wine cellar" on his private jet (oh, by the way, Step 5: have a wine cellar on your private jet).
"Wine is important for everything in life. A good red wine is a simple thing, is the best thing. It's the only alcohol I'd recommend to people - but just a little. It's a great thing. It brings people together and the conversations get better."
There you have it - wine, women and song. Rarely has one entertainer combined these three essential ingredients of life so expertly.
Tickets are still available for Iglesias' Wednesday concert. Call Ticketmaster at 451-8000.
