Advertising veteran Keith Jayasekera transpose himself as a storyteller

Saturday, 28 February 2026 00:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The inaugural, one of a kind ‘paired book launch’ a fortnight ago at Barefoot Gallery Café, Colombo 3 saw many advertising stalwarts of the present and legendary bygone era coming together in support of ‘one of their own kind’ repositioning himself in his retirement years as a storyteller.

The launch event was all the more exciting. Instead of one book, it was two books for the asking. Gigolo and Chameleon Silva came to officially being construed as a brand new gourmet ‘food for thought’ offering on a book shelf of a bookshop near you to be bought and devoured with enthusiastic glee.

Both novels are fiction driven and written a decade and a half ago and according to the author, they were never meant to be published. It was purpose driven transitional mind exercise to keep it relevant, current and age-defying while imbibing in the familiar creative platform which he had excelled for three and a half decades before calling it a day.

The proceeding began with an animated AV presentation introducing the 2 books followed by an AI initiated song encompassing the sunset to moonrise evening event in a mood changing sing-song lyrical/rhythmic extravaganza.

Keith Jayasekara

Evergreen veteran broadcaster and compere for the ‘paired book launch’ Arun Dias Bandaranaike then took over introducing the author as the ‘iceberg phenomenon’ – a man with many hidden talents now consciously bringing them to daylight to pleasantly surprise and thrill his erstwhile colleagues and friends.

To him personally, it was to leave his dhobi mark behind. Period!

True to advertising jargon, TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) simply means to celebrate survival of yet another stressful working week meeting impossible deadlines for men and women engaged in the ‘second oldest profession’, and as such, gentlemen were served scotch with homemade cutlets and chips while the gentlewomen wine with grapes and cheese on the house to make the event a truly advertising fiesta.

Friendly chit-chats that followed would akin to be brimming with humour laced with good taste.

The ambiance and the creative simplistic charm of the venue, the Barefoot Gallery Café and their amicable, friendly staff also added and aided the inaugural ‘paired book launch’ the success is truly deserved.

Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera

KayJay(Keith-Jayasekera)autographing paired books bought by colleagues and friends