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Cher recalls Kaavan's rescue and singing the elephant's favourite song to him

Cher recalls Kaavan's rescue and singing the elephant's favourite song to him

Appearing on the Just for Variety podcast, she revealed she's back to touring in February.
25 Jun, 2021

Cher is a music icon and has been in the industry for decades but Pakistan knows for her something else — her animal rights activism. She played a major role in transporting Kaavan — dubbed the world's loneliest elephant — from Islamabad to his new home in Cambodia.

Speaking about her involvement in Kaavan's rescue, she said she learnt about the elephant's plight from her fans, who's ruckus commanded her attention. “Very rarely do I help people on Twitter because I can’t help them all,’” she told Variety in a podcast. "[But] it was them, and they wanted it so badly,” she said.

“I kept saying, ‘I’m just an entertainer. What did they expect me to do?’”

She reached out to Mark Cowne, rockstar Bob Geldof’s former manager, who helps transport elephants to Africa. They joined forces and formed the rescue group Free the Wild.

In the documentary on Kaavan's rescue, Cher & the Loneliest Elephant, the Grammy winning singer is seen singing 'My Way' to Kaavan after Dr Amir Khalil, the vet who lead Kaavan's move, and told her it was his favourite song.

“It was terrible because Dr Amir is terrible [at singing] and I hadn’t been singing since Covid,” Cher recalled, laughing, “He gets me off key, and I thought, ‘Cher, you’re either doing this for this animal or doing it to be cool.’ So I guess the cool didn’t win.”

She also spoke about being busy with the development of her biopic under Universal Pictures and her memoir.

“I know the people so I’m sure they’ll…listen to things I have to say. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to get the final cut,” she said.

Cher is looking favourably upon a newcomer to play her in the biopic, though the casting hasn't begun yet. “We were talking about it yesterday, and we’re just trying to think of [actors],” she revealed. “I said, ‘I don’t think we know her yet'.”

She revealed she is expected to return to music by February with a tour though she didn't really miss touring. Spending time at home and away from the spotlights is really up her alley. “I can be lazy. I’m a Taurus,” she said. “I can kind of lay like Ferdinand and sit under the tree.”

Earlier this month, Cher teased a collaboration with 'My Type' rapper Saweetie. "Girls are going to lose it," she said.

Reluctant to reveal much, she just said “She’s a sweet girl.” “I don’t know how she is with everybody else, but she and I had the best time together. And the thing that we did is going to be big.”

Comments

M. Saeed Jun 25, 2021 02:37pm
Kaavan gave her a big prop at this stage of her age. Multitude of benefits.
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Abbasshah Jun 25, 2021 02:52pm
Kavaan,the elephant lifted her status further too.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jun 25, 2021 05:44pm
An attempt in futility to gain cheap publicity and somehow become world's # singer and famous artist by using an elephant is pathetic. There are thousands of elephants besieged in various parts of the world including many U.S. Zoos, circuses, botanical gardens and even privately by rich people about whom nobody cares.
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Aamir Jun 25, 2021 07:15pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad She does not need any publicity, she is pop icon who has sold over a 100 million records & is worth over $300 million. It is pathetic and shameful that a country of 200 million people is unable to take care of 1 elephant.
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Rami Jun 25, 2021 09:48pm
It is good she helped one elephant , human needs to give humanity to animals, humans are very cruel !
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cindy piech miller Jun 25, 2021 11:47pm
Thank you. Anything anyone can do to help wildlife in these horrible situations are love in my life.
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Feroze Khan Jun 26, 2021 02:03am
It is a matter of "SHAME" to read comments of M.Saeed, Abbasshah and Dr. Salaria who think that Cher is doing all this for propping her dying career. She is a person who is on every royalty's list of invited guest list from USA to the other side of the world. It is basically impossible for Pakistanis to recognize an act of kindness by anyone. One easy way to loose people who would offer their hand in friendship to us, and we are very good at it.
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Funny man Jun 26, 2021 03:52am
How about thousand of poor children and women in need of help? I suppose they won't make such a good impact on TV for publicity purpose .
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Shahzad Jun 26, 2021 08:20am
hundreds of children died in Ther becoz of malnutrition, yet she is more concerned with the lonliness of an elephant Gr8 humanity
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Sams Jun 26, 2021 08:55am
@Feroze Khan check the two messages after you. Then think.
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Chrís Dăn Jun 26, 2021 12:31pm
@Shahzad her life-her preferences. You can not however demean an animal. She did a wonderful work.
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Chrís Dăn Jun 26, 2021 12:32pm
@Funny man her life and her preferences for charity work. You can not impose ur will on lady. And you can not demean a helpless animal.
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KAZIM Jun 26, 2021 01:05pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad cher is a global icon. The elephant needed help. She helped him. She is wonderful.
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KAZIM Jun 26, 2021 01:07pm
@Shahzad true. Famine in Thar is indeed a major issue. Please tell us everything you have done to help the people in Thar
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Dr. Saima Aziz Jun 26, 2021 11:22pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Absolutely right. For all Elephants and wild animal in Western world, no hue and cry. Double standards.
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