And here I am talking to him again Monday, an off day, just because it's fun, and that's why I got into this business.
Paul makes it seem so easy, which makes it even more ridiculous when others make it so hard to just talk sports.He is as confident of his own abilities as any athlete I have met and yet he seems to spend much of his time dwelling on what he does wrong.
For example, in basketball circles it's pretty well known he jabbers a lot on the court, someone likening him to a yapping dog.
Instead of getting all defensive and even testy when relaying that to him, he says it's not only true, but admits he gets on the nerves of those around him.
"And sometimes it can be overwhelming," he says with a grin suggesting he's not exaggerating.
He's a rarity as pro athletes go, and maybe one day yet he goes sour on everyone. Just please don't tell me, as I'm now rooting for him to make it big here in the entertainment capital.
"I own my own tux," he says, and that's a nice start.
A few weeks ago he found himself at the same Golden Globes party as actor Leonardo DiCaprio, movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and long-time Page 2 flame Salma Hayek.
He found a way to meet DiCaprio, of course, his quest to find someone in L.A. shorter than him now complete.
He also talked to Weinstein, and I wonder if he told Harvey he had been in a movie.
It might have been a little awkward, considering Harvey made the film, "Hurricane Season," and probably didn't know Paul was in it — 79 actors credited online with being a part of the cast, but no mention of Paul.
He played himself but apparently not well enough to be noticed.
It wasn't surprising then to learn he got nowhere with Salma, and he probably has no shot without getting an assist from Page 2.
"I was like, 'Wow, that's Salma Hayek,'" Paul says. "But she didn't talk to me; she could not have cared less who I was."
I'm not surprised; it takes a lot to rock her world.
Salma and I go way back — even before my critically acclaimed appearance in the box office hit, "The Game Plan." I would guess a call will be coming from Harvey any time now, although I was expecting it earlier while he was making his silent movie.
As actors do — every time Salma and I get together we kiss.
