affectionately: fondly; with love and admiration
no laughing matter: serious; not a joke
consciousness: the state of being awake and knowing what’s happening around you
notorious: famous (usually for something negative)
mishap: accident; unfortunate event (usually small)
instinct: natural ability to act or think in an appropriate way
tight-lipped: quiet; secretive
Mr. Bean Saves The Day
Did you know that Rowan Atkinson, affectionately known as ‘Mr. Bean’, once saved his family from a plane crash? This was no laughing matter. In 2001, Atkinson was travelling over Kenya with his wife and two kids when the pilot of his private plane lost consciousness. The comedian, who is notorious for getting into mishaps on his show, instinctively took the controls while his wife tried to wake up the pilot by yelling and splashing water on him. Eventually, the pilotregained consciousness and was able to land the plane safely. The comedian rarely does interviews, and continues to remain tight-lipped about the heroic act that saved his family’s life.