Bintou Keita: Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?

The question

Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's weekly The Q&A repeatedly uses this standing prompt, with minor contractions and word-order variation.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General; head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

I have my statement, but I can't deliver [it] because there's something else I have to do before. And in that moment, what came to me was humming, so I did it.

Melissa Fleming, United Nations, 3 February 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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Olivia de Havilland Film actress; twice winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress

Champagne.

Recorded Vanity Fair, 7 February 2005 source ↗

Suzanne Vega American singer-songwriter

The most extravagant thing was a bottle of 1904 armagnac for $1,000. I spent $10,000 on a Martin guitar in the 90s. I also spent $100,000 on a Fairlight keyboard and I ended up giving it away. Oh well.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 September 2017 source ↗

Andrea Riseborough British actress

I have quite a collection of ironic band T shirts.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 November 2016 source ↗

Susan Calman Scottish comedian

A Tiffany watch for my wife. The security guard was following us, so I deliberately bought a really expensive watch to prove we had money. I don’t think I’ve seen her wear it.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 November 2018 source ↗