Singer uses front page of The Times as photo ID to get passport
PA
US singer John Grant stunned American embassy officials in London when he used a newspaper's front page as a photo ID to obtain a new passport.
The award-winning singer-songwriter was due to fly London to Verona for a show when he realised at the airport that he'd forgotten his passport.
He made an emergency dash to the embassy for a replacement, but the only form of ID he had was that day's edition of The Times, which ha featured him on the front page.
The singer - who has had well-publicised battles with stage fight and addiction to drugs, drink and sex - had won the Best Live Act at the Mojo Awards the night before.
He told news.com.au: 'I said to the security guards, "I haven't got any ID, but here I am on the front page of The Times today".
'They read it, and I saw the look on their faces change from delight to horror as they realised that they had a drug-addicted pervert standing in front of them.
'Then one of them said, "It's good enough for me. I doubt you've gone to all the trouble of printing a copy just to fool us".'
The Queen of Denmark singer was issued a passport in less than two hours and caught a flight to Ferrara, Italy, 'just in time to walk on stage'.