VANCOUVER -- A B.C. man whose mother grew up on the same street as a music legend reached out, asking for a personalized message.
Jeff Jacobson says his mother once lived near Smokey Robinson in Detroit, and reached out to 80-year-old singer-songwriter with a Hanukkah wish.
He said in a message posted on Twitter that he'd used the website Cameo, which arranges for celebrities to send personalized videos to fans, for a price. It appears the Motown singer's price is US$350 for a message.
Jacobson posted a 43-second clip of the video on Twitter, writing that it "takes a strange twist."
Robinson can be heard saying hi to Jacobsen's mother and says, "Surprise, surprise. This is Smokey Robinson. I know you didn't expect to hear from me."
He tells her it's nice talking to her again, and that he knows she's living in Vancouver now.
Then, the "strange twist:" he tells her children wanted him to wish her a happy Hanukkah, which he pronounces "Cha-NOO-ka," based on the alternate spelling "Chanukah."
"I have no idea what Chanukah is, but happy Chanukah because they said so," he says, laughing to the camera as he mispronounces the Jewish holiday a second and third time.
On Twitter, Jacobson wrote that Robinson can "pronounce it anyway he damn well pleases," calling the singer a legend whose music he's listened to his whole life.
Video of the first encounter was posted Sunday, and it appears Robinson realized his mistake and attempted a do-over.
Jacobson posted a second video Tuesday morning, showing what he describes as a phone call between his mother and Robinson while she was at work.
The video shows his mother telling Robinson she loves him "dearly" and that he made her day.
