manny's house... ya know...

found this in yahoo and i'm sharing it for two reasons:  manny's awesome interview (hehehe) and most importantly... that palatial house.  eh alam nyo naman ako, nangangarap ding magkaron ng mansion kaya i'm green with envy!  pwede pa kaya akong mag-boxing!?? hehehe

seriously, kahit hindi ako fan, i salute this guy for having achieved such humungous honor. and fortune of course. kelan nga ba laban nya?  hope he makes it 8.  

pito-pito

Sabi ako ng sabi na hindi ako fan ni Pacquiao but everytime naman na in the spotlight sya heto at sulat naman ako ng sulat tungkol sa kanya. Well let me just say he’s hard to ignore. Kapag lahat ng dyaryo at tv show, mula sa showbiz hanggang sa dapat eh mainstream news, mukha nya ang makikita mo, kahit hindi ka nya kampon you would find it difficult ignoring this not-so-good-looking yet so-very-talented boxer.

Ayan nga at pati Time Asia nilagay na sya sa cover. And that is even before his utterly convincing win over Cotto. Parang Time themselves predicted na walang sinabi ang Puerto Rican pug sa ating pambansang kamao. Otherwise they could have damaged their prestige kung a few weeks after the cover eh nilampaso sya ni Cotto sa ring.

So what’s my take on this 7th crown across 7 divisions na wala pang nakagawa kahit sino?

To call him The Greatest Boxer of All Time, as I read in some papers, sounds an overkill sa una pero justifiable naman in the end. Coz the greatest boxers we’ve known so far – Muhammad Ali – the most recognizable sa tulad kong hindi boxing fan, won only in his weight division (yon ang alam ko huh… boxing aficionados, pls confirm). Hindi katulad ni MP na 7 division ang kinopo. Kaya pwede na ngang ikabit ang ‘Greatest’ sa kanya for now. At siguro matatagalan pa bago may makagawa ng same record na ginawa nya.

Although napangiwi ako nong may makita akong streamer that says Pacquiao for President. I hope you’re not serious guys. Hindi naman porke pwede nang tawaging Greatest Boxer yong tao, pwede na syang magpatakbo ng isang bansa. Lalo na ang Pinas na sadlak na sadlak na sa kahirapan at corruption. Iba syempre ang pagtayo sa lona kesa sa pag-tayo sa podium na may sealion emblem.

Sana makinig na lang sya sa payo ni Atienza (na sabi nya kino-consider nyang tatay-tatayan) at wag na syang tumakbo in any political post. I-maximize na lang nya ang opportunities habang nasa prime pa sya ng kanyang career. Kung pwede kalabanin muna nya ang mayabang na si Mayweather. Ipakita nyang mas mayabang sya sa pangit na yon at nang matanggal ang bad weather sa katawan.

Coz sana, dahil paulit-ulit na lang nangyayari, pumasok na sa kukote nya ang epekto nya sa Pinas. Zero crime rate. Walang traffic lalo sa Edsa pag may laban sya. Even the rebels stopped their kidnapping activities. All these he can do kung ipagpapatuloy nya ang pagbo-boxing. But if he switched to politics, anong magiging national impact nya? Titigil ba ang mga Pinoy para panoorin syang mag-speech sa Congress?

Kung serbisyo publiko ang purpose nya, mas maraming paraan. Foundations is one. Mas maraming makikinabang. Tutal hindi naman nya kailangan ang government funding para makapag-tayo ng mga ganito. Hindi rin kailangan na sa sarili nyang bulsa manggaling. Pwede syang mag-solicit sa mga celebrities na fan nya. Hindi sa Pinas huh. Sa Hollywood. Anong ginagawa nila Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Mickey Rourke and now, even Paris Hilton. Pati nga si Bill Clinton di ba. Hingan nya ng donations.

Ipagpatuloy na lang nya yong showbiz career nya. Tutal marami pang natutuwa sa pagkanta-kanta nya dahil sikat pa sya. Kahit nga Al-Jazeera news yon ang pinakita. Obviously naaliw sila sa boksingerong di lang left hook ang kayang pakawalan. Pati sintunadong Sometimes when We Touch. On a global tv pa yon huh! Nag-iisa lang talaga sya!

Stick with GMA-7 para consistent sa 7 wins nya. Pero wag na wag syang lilipat ng Dos at baka magkatotoong dalawa ang bebot nya like what the rumors are saying. Dati si Ara Mina. Ngayon nadagdag pa raw ang Krista Ranillo. Lupet talaga ni Pacman. Pero sa totoo lang, malas yan Manny Boy.

Isipin mo lang na para ka ngayong fresh pupu na ang dami-daming bangaw na naa-attract. Bilyones na kasi ang dolyares mo. Bakit, nong unknown ka pa, kilala ka ba ng mga hindurupot na yan? Lalo ang mga girls na obviously ay naghahanap lang ng sponsors ng mga kaluhuan like expensive bags and signature shoes? Gusto lang makapag-suot ng mga designer clothes na sinusuot ni Jinkee. Pati ang mga naglalakihang diamonds ni Mommy Dionisia na sa dami ng alahas parang naluma si Anabelle Rama huh!

Look back to where you are 5, 10 years ago. Saka mo tingnan kung sino ang nasa paligid mo noon at naniwala sa iyo minus your billions of dollars. Then you would realize kung sino talaga ang mga taong may malaking importansya sa buhay mo. You should realize na sa Tv station lang dapat ang loyalty mo. Sa totoong buhay, wag sundin ang kaPuso... importante pa rin ang kaPamilya!

Ay, bakit ba ako nakikialam. The guy has so much money, power and fame kayang-kaya na nyang gawin ang lahat ng gusto nya. With his dizzying celebrity status, hindi ko sya masisi kung mag-umpisa na syang magkida-kida (Arabic slang po yan ng mga kalokohang activities). He has worked so hard, even risked his life all the time na may laban sya. He deserves to do whatever pleases him now. Yon nga lang, he should do that without hurting the people he loves most.

Besides, yang mga rumors tungkol sa extra-marital affairs na yan only add to his machismo. Dagdag pogi points dahil pinapatunayan nyang hindi lang sya pang-sports, pang-lover boy pa! Kaya ang mga Kuya, Manong, Tiyo, Tatay and even Lolo na samba sa kanya, lalong dumadami. At marami ring gusto syang gayahin. Except sa mga kabataan na mas gusto sumali sa StarStruck!

Whatever happens, Pacman’s legacy is here to stay. Bahagi na sya ng history ng Pinas as the first (and probably the only) boxer na nagkaroon ng ganiyang achievement. At sya rin lang ang boksingerong pinag-aksayahan kong i-blog. Dahil kahit pa anong sabihin, feeling proud din naman ako pag nananalo sya. Pinoy pa rin kasi ako kahit hindi ako boxing fan. Pero pag kumanta na sya, bahala na kayo!

the public whoopla

it's almost 11pm and i'm typing this while the michael jackson memorial concert is on it's finale where michael's family and all the performers in that concert were gathered on stage singing one of his most meaningful songs - heal the world.

.

tatlong channel ang nagpalabas - MBC4 who pre-empted their regular programs while both Euronews and BBC sent their news programs on the sidelines to give way to the 2 1/2 hours show na ginawa sa staples center in los angeles.

.

siguradong milyones ang tumutok sa show all over the world. marami ang napuyat tulad ko para panoorin ang last concert where michael is supposed to be 'present'. pero sa milyones na nanood ng show, i could be one of the very few na parang ewan ang reaksyon.

.

i might be too jaded. or too cynic. or cold-hearted. pero wala akong naramdaman while watching that show. kahit ba naman hindi ako fan ni michael eh, sa mga eksenang ganyan na may patay at may iyakan, i easily get moved. but here, hindi ako maka-emote. instead, there were several moments na nairita pa ako.

.

si brooke shields, nag-emote muna ng ilang minuto sa stage, parang pinipilit umiyak, shaking her head (model ba sya ng head and shoulders?), pakurap-kurap ang mata (hmmm... nawala sa sentro ang contact lens?) saka nagsalita. hindi tuloy natural ang dating mga mga pinag-sasabi. artista ka nga brooke. but not a very good one coz you failed to move me.

.

yong kapatid namang si jermaine, kinanta yong favorite song ni michael. smile (though your heart is aching...). but because he's emotional kuno, hindi maayos ang kanta lalo na pag tumataas ang nota. ang nakakatawa, pag mataas yong note saka sya iiyak kuno! hehehe... it's either he's really weathering the pain o baka naman umaasa syang may makapansin na marunong din syang kumanta at makakuha ng record deal. duh.

.

usher was the worst. kunyari nag-breakdown at the end of the song (gone too soon) don sa parteng tipong sobbing into tears din si michael sa original recording. but usher was soooo fake dahil nong umiyak na kuno, saka tinanggal ang sunglass. for what? eh di para ma-focus ng camera yong tears nya! sarap hambalusin ng laptop! ay wag, sayang pala tong laptop ko kahit mumurahin!

.

at yong shaheen na finalist ng britain's got talent who's supposedly joining jacko in his london concerts, sinayang ang magandang exposure nya. mataas nga ang boses pero wala akong naintindihan. baka sa taas ng boses nya na-tone deaf ako o nilamon yong boses nya ng malakas na banda.

.

at hindi ko rin makalimutan yong black congresswoman who ranted on an on about how great michael was, binuhay pa ang mga closets na matagal ng nakatago by saying something like 'in the rule of law, one is innocent until proven otherwise' obviously referring to the sexual abuse cases filed against michael. to the last minute ba naman babanggitin pa ba yon. parang killing the moment naman si manang.

.

at syempre, lahat ng magsalita will have only good words for the dead. puro superlatives. lahat na yata ng praises ibubunton don sa tao. tipong inipon ang mga magagandang adjectives nong buhay pa si jacko saka biglang nilabas sa mga baul, may interes pang kasama.

.

but all of these fiascos pale in comparison to the biggest hoax of the whole show. it's michael's supposed 'presence'. o di ba kanina ko pa kinu-quote-unquote yang presence na yan. bakit kamo? dinala kuno ang casket sa loob ng staples center but it was never opened, with wreaths of flowers neatly placed on top. so ano ang binigyan ng tribute, an empty coffin? nasa loob ba si michael o wala? aba ewan, baka ayaw sumama sa staples!

.

kaya pala hindi um-attend ang dalawang closest friends nya. diana ross was nowhere to be seen and so is elizabeth taylor who even said ayaw daw nyang maging part ng public whoopla. oo nga naman. obviously she knew what's gonna happen in the show. it was just that - a show.

.

kawawa naman ang mga nagpakamatay para makapasok sa staples and even those who went to see kahit yong bubong ng staples. well, magdasal na lang kayo and hope michael will find peace kahit pa ginagawa pa ring show ang last few minutes nya dito sa mundo.

.

the best of 'em all

it's official: roger federer is the greatest tennis player at the moment with 15 grandslam titles neatly tucked under his belt. this after he won his sixth wimbledon crown in an epic battle with andy roddick. the 4hour 16minutes play and 5-7, 7-6(8-6), 7-7(7-5), 3-6 and 16-14 score was dizzying. i bet both players were drained down to the last drop of their body fluids they'd need some serious redhydration after the game.

.

i caught the last few minutes of the action when they were battling out the tie breaker of the 5th set. and even if andy is also a favorite, i was really praying that roger win it. coz to andy, it'd be just another win. a lot of trophies are still waiting for him. but for roger, it's not just for the win, but most importantly for the books.

.

and when the unassuming swiss finally hit the matchpoint, i cheered with delight knowing that one of the most respectable and talented players got what he finally deserved.

.

sampras, my favorite and the greatest of recent past, was in the gallery to watch the momentous occassion. i'm sure he felt a bit disappointed when finally his record of 14 titles was overshadowed by roger's win. but knowing how genuinely nice pete is, i'm sure he's also happy to see roger achieve such huge honor.

.

congrats roger. cheers from me and the rest of dantespeaks gang.
.

(as if naligaw naman at nag-basa si roger ng blog ko! hahaha!.)

there goes the king

So most of the world is mourning from the sudden death of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Children and teenagers might not know who this king is but to most baby boomer gen like you and me, he’s the one who shaped the pop culture of the 70’s.

I – or we- grew up to the tune of his billie jean, dangerous, thriller and many other of his upbeat tunes. At one point in my geeky young life, I also tried once to imitate his moonwalk but soon realized i’m destined not for the spotlight but for other more mundane endeavors.

What’s more endearing to me though are his slower songs like ben when he was still a cute, black 10-year old boy and the later heal the world and man in the mirror when he’s already on his way to being a white, zombie-like creature.

And that’s where I’ve fallen off the MJ fan wagon. I just thought he was spiraling down after being on top for the longest time. I watched with amusement, sometimes with disgust as papers and television splash ugly headlines about the once-golden boy of the entertainment industry.

.
The baby-dangling stunt in Germany, the sleepovers with young boys, the court trials for sexual abuse, the news of financial debts and as a whole, the disintegrating grandeur of his entire iconic persona. I just don’t believe it’s worth following someone who’s obviously on the path of self-destruction. Besides, I didn't find his crotch-grabbing dance move amusing.
.

But whatever scandal, intrigue, malicious rumors and accusations hurled against him, we can’t deny the fact that he’s one musical genius who has graced the surface of the earth. His name will forever be etched at the halls of the greatest, probably alongside John Lennon and Elvis Presley. Afterall, he still owns the record of biggest selling album of all time. 65 million copies. And nobody comes even close.
.

And oh yes, everybody will forever be thankful to MJ for making moonwalk possible anywhere, you don’t have to go to the moon to do it.
.

Rest in peace you MJ.

anatomy of a scandal

To DS friends, pasensya na po but I have to go beyond General Patronage this time. Medyo sensitve po ang topic ko this time so Parental Guidance muna tayo....

After a couple of weeks na laging headline ng dyaryo at tv ang hayden video scandal, mukhang nasa saturation point na ang kontrobersya. Nawala na ang dati nyang init. Natatakpan na sya ng mga English-speaking swine flu victims ng La Salle. Ng pag-uwi ni Mancao. Ng paglalayas ni Ruffa. At kahit ng patuloy na pag-ulan sa Metro Manila.

Hindi ako agad nakisawsaw sa isyu. I mentioned this controversy once dito sa Dantespeaks but not in detail. I just sat back, amused myself with the drama being played out and, most importantly, inantay ko munang mabuo ang picture. And now that the dust seem to have settled at karamihan ng nakisawsaw ay tahimik na, ako naman ang eentra at makikisawsaw sa isyu. Solo ko na ang stage, hahaha!

Bakit nga ba nag-hit ng sobra itong kontrobersyang ito. Because it’s a sex scandal? Partly yes. I said partly lang dahil come on, hindi ito ang unang sex video na kumalat. Ang tagal na ng mga ganyan panahon pa ng Betamax. Sa internet, sandamakmak ang mga ganyan. But never have those scandals reached this magnitude. The way I see it, it has became such a big hit for two reasons:

First - It’s the characters. Celebrity lahat ng involved. But what sets the Hayden videos apart from the other celebrity video scandals is the fact na puro magagandang babae ang ka-partner nya. And by that I didn’t mean the likes of Ethel Booba or Criselda Volks. Mga babaeng sa panaginip lang ng milyong barakong pinoy makikita ang bedroom expertise. But thanks to Hayden, millions of hot blooded pinoys now know what these girls can do. Kaya si Haden, bidang-bida sa mga kalalakihan. Except for Bong Revilla siguro and Abner Afuang na galit daw sa ginawa nya. Asus, maniwala naman ako.
.

Second – it’s the number of videos involved. Kasi kung ang sex video scandal dati ay paisa-isa lang, si Hayden ay more than 40 daw ang collection. At kung hindi man totoong 40, aba, the 3 or 4 na lumabas sa internet are more than enough para koronahan natin sya. Hindi man sya ang first sa ganitong controversy, sya naman ang record holder sa paramihan. Quite a feat di ba?
.

Aside from these two reasons, kumpleto rin ng rekados yong kwento kaya naging isang mala-circus na telenovela ang nangyari. At tutal tungkol din lang sa sex ang topic, let me paint the picture using body parts. Here goes:

.
YON. Hindi ko pwedeng banggitin dito kung ano YON coz I’m still trying not to breach the PG rating I promised at the start of this post. Pero YON ang part ng katawan ni Hayden na pinag-umpisahan ng lahat. The part which seem to rule the entire being of Hayden. And by that I didn’t mean his brains. Kasi kung pinagana nya ang utak nya na sigurado namang marunong dahil hindi sya papasang doctor kung hindi, sana walang pinag-pistahan ang bansang Pilipinas ngayon. Hindi utak ang ginamit nya to decide on the videotaping. Ang pinag-decide nya, YON. Yon na YON.
.

MATA. Aba syempre, tayong mga nakapanood sa video. Mula Aparri hanggang Jolo (pahiram Eat Bulaga) and from Akrotiri to Zimbabwe (syempre, kumalat sa internet di ba). Lahat tayo, dilat na dilat ang mga mata. We might not be aware of it pero part tayo ng kontrobersya. Kasi kung walang nanood, walang mag-uusap. Kung walang mag-uusap, walang kontrobersya. But hey, we know it’s not gonna happen. Si Mahal nga na naliligo using a ‘tabo’ hindi pinalagpas sa youtube noh!
.

BIBIG. Walang iba kungdi ang media. They turned one a youtube clip into one whole travesty worthy of centerspreads and airtime. A controversy na alam na alam nilang bebenta sa masa. And sell they did. Bumenta ang mga tabloid, pati ang mga broadsheet na pumatol sa isyu. Tumaas ang rating ng mga radio program at Tv shows. At binomba tayo ng minu-minutong reports. Up to the point na pare-pareho na tayong nagsawa at nasuka sa isyu.

.
Isama na rin natin dito ang mga Senador na nakakita ng opportunity to do some grandstanding. Para makapag-ingles sa session, para mag-prodyek na women’s right advocate sila. Aba malapit na ang election noh. At syempre, wag nating kalimutan ang iba pang nakisawsaw sa isyu. Ke mga individual like Lolit Solis at ang eksenadorang ina na si Irene. Pati mga cause-oriented groups like Gabriela, provincial governments like Palawan, moralista, Atenista, siklista, manikurista at kung sino-sino pa. Basta lahat ng may sinabi, ke may sense o wala tungkol sa isyu. Maibuka lang ang bibig. Kasama na rin ako!

.
PUSO. Syempre si Katrina yan. Dahil umibig sya kay Hayden kahit may ibang girlfriend na. Ginamit ang puso at hindi ang utak. Tumihaya at nagpa-ubaya kahit alam nyang hindi tama. At ngayon, puso pa rin nya ang tinatamaan. She’s the one feeling the pain that’s coming from all directions. From the indignation and humiliation to the underhanded attacks coming from almost everywhere. Sa mga self-righteous na mga manang. Pati yong mga taong akala mo’y nabili na ang kaluluwa nya kung makapag-comment. All because of one mistake. And with all these, bilib ako sa batang ito. For a girl of her age, matibay ang puso nya at kinaya nya lahat. And didn’t give in to the vicious text na kumalat na nag-suicide na raw sya. After the dust settled at natapos ang kontrobersyang ito, sana matutunan nya lahat ng lessons this nightmare is trying to teach her.

.
TENGA. I’d say it’s Maricar Reyes. Why? Coz she chose to just listen but never be heard. Mas malinaw ang video nya kumpara kay Katrina (according to those na nakapanood nong kay Kat, yong kay Maricar lang kasi ang napanood ko). At kung pwede sanang i-deny ni Katrina dahil malabo nga, ito namang si Maricar na undeniable na ang guilt ay hindi man lang pumiyok. She let Katrina do the talking, the crying and carrying on the fight. Kung manalo man si Katrina sa laban at maparusahan si Hayden, makikinabang din naman sya kahit indirectly. Didn’t this Maricar realize that by what Katrina is doing, she (Kat) can salvage some of her damaged reputation. Nakakakuha sya ng sympathy sa mga tao by playing the role of a victim very well. Hindi yong tulad ni Maricar na parang gumawa ng pelikula but doesn’t want to take credits for her superb performance. I know it’s a personal choice to be silent about the issue. But whatever reason she has, it would have been 10 times better kung sumigaw din sya ng foul. Keeping mum about the whole thing is just like saying ‘ok lang ang ginawa ni Hayden sa akin. I’m fine with it’. Tsk, tsk…. not too smart doktora Maricar.

.
KAMAY. The hands that rocked the Senate. Yan ang mga kamay na nag-upload ng video clip sa youtube. Mga kamay na nag-kopya sa cd at nag-pakalat ng video for whatever purpose. Ke yan man ay kamay ng mga humihingi daw ng 4 million pesos na hindi nakahawak ng ganon karaming pera. Ke yan man ay kamay daw ng bestfriend na inagawan ng girlfriend. Whatever and whoever it is, it’s the hands that played a major role in this circus.
.

UTAK. Si Vicky Belo. O, kala nyo hindi ko babanggitin si Mama Vicky dito ha. Hindi ko sya pwedeng kalimutan dahil sya ang utak na gumalaw behind the whole circus. Sya ang utak na nagsabi sa bestfriend na ‘here’s the key to his condo, kunin mo yong video from his laptop’. Kung ano man ang reason nya para kunin yon, at kung ano man ang ginawa nya sa mga video after mapunta sa kamay nya yon, she removed the pin of a highly explosive grenade. Afterall, kahit pa sabihing boytoy nya si Hayden, the videos were personal collection of the guy. And by personal I mean not conjugal. (At kahit naman conjugal eh hindi pa rin sya entitled di ba). The videos are for his personal consumption (aside from the usual pagyayabang nya raw sa mga friends nya while showing the videos) and no amount, kahit pa 300,000 pesos a month or a porsche can give Vicky the right to copy, delete or whatever she wants to do with those videos.
.

So, after the gruesome picture was painted, sino ang panalo dito?

.
Syempre ang mga boserong tulad natin. Voyeurs never had a field day like this, never hit a jackpot as big as this one. Katrina, Maricar and Mariana. Sino pa kaya ang madadagdag sa listahan.

.
Panalo din si Vicky if revenge is what’s on her mind. Ayan nga at nakapag-linya pa raw ang doktora ng ‘pag boyfriend na ng iba wag na kasing pumunta sa apartment ng guy’ or words to that effect. Di ba parang linya ng mga bida-kontrabida sa pelikula who comes back with a vengeance matapos na apihin sa previous eksena.

.
Of course, biggest winner dito si Hayden. Coz he got the fame he obviously was craving for na hindi kayang ibigay ng stint nya sa Celebrity Duets. O kahit yong pagiging boytoy nya sa isang cougar na tulad ni Vicky. Ayan nga at sa halip na magalit ang ibang babae sa kanya, sinisigawan pa raw sya ng ‘ayyy, ang guwapo!’. Baka gusto rin nilang ma-video kasama si Hayden!?

.
And the only loser? Si Katrina. Coz her life will never be the same from here on. She’ll forever be haunted by this nightmare. She’ll be stigmatized dahil sa maling judgment nya when she fell in love and trusted a wolf in a sheep’s clothing.

.
At ako? Well, may naisulat na mahaba-habang blog. Hahaha!

engaged? so?

Habang nananalasa ang Swine Flu at hindi pa rin humuhupa ang global recession, parang wala akong naririnig na balitang socially relevant para masundot ng aking minsan ay matatalim na komentaryo. Kaya focus muna tayo sa mga celebrities. Pero hindi ang kasal ni Juday at Ryan ang gusto kong sundutin. Walang spark yon. Kakasawa na rin ang mga litanya ni Bisaya sa mga kasong pinangangalandakan pa nya. Nakakaumay na. Mas magandang subject itong si Mar at Koring.

Nabalitaan ko lang pero hindi ko napanood yong Tv guesting nila sa Wowowee. One, dahil wala akong TFC at wala akong balak magpa-kabit. Two, hindi ako nanonood ng mga programang hosted by someone as antipatiko as Willie. So hindi ko nakita yong eksenang maiyak-iyak pa raw si Mar Roxas when they announced their engagement.

But when I read Mar’s column yesterday sa Abante, nag-reak talaga ako. I sent it to my friends with my usual ascerbic comment. And it turned out na ganon din ang sentimyento ng mga kaibigan ko. At kung paniniwalaan natin ang mga tabloid, they seem to reflect the same reaction. Marami ang nagtaka, tumaas ang kilay, nag-maasim din tulad ko.

Nakakapagtaka naman kasi na kung bakit sa isang afternoon show pa kailangang i-announce yon. To think na Roxas ay mga legitimate ultra-rich. Dapat sa lifestyle/society pages ng mga broadsheet at glossy magazines in-announce yon. Or, sa part ni Korina, sa programa nya. But on a show like Wowowee? Hmmm….

Sino ba ang gusto nilang ma-reach when they did their announcement? Ang buong Pilipinas? (yon eh kung totoong mataas ang viewership ng programang pinili nila). Bakit, national issue ba yon? Eh ano kung ikakasal na sila, would that be a concern para sa mga magsasaka sa probinsya? O yong mga pedicab driver sa binondo, mga mason sa construction site sa pasig, mga tindera sa palengke ng Bulaong, teachers sa mga elementary school ng Kidapawan, taxi drivers, bus drivers, konduktor, doctor at kung ano-ano pa? Bakit? Friends ba nila ang mga taong ito? Iimbitahan man lang ba nila sa reception ng kasal nila?

At akong namamaluktot sa office para kumita ng kaunting kabuhayan, ano namang pakialam ko sa engagement nila? Tataas ba ang sweldo ko kung papakasal na sila? Bibigyan ba ako ng bonus ng amo ko? So what the...

Tamaan ng Swine Flu itong dalawang ito kung hindi aamin na may ulterior motive sa ginawa nila. Si lalake kung hindi aamin na dahil sa political plans nya. Si babae for being a willing accomplice.

So, kelan ang kasal? Before the election? Bakit, will that ensure his win kung ano man ang position na tatakbuhan nya? As if the fiancee will provide the much-needed ‘bakya’ or ‘masa’ vote dahil kilala sya sa broadcast industry?

Asus! Yan ang hirap sa mga politiko natin. Hindi mapang-hawakan ang sariling credibility and performance records para iboto ng tao. At kailangan pang kumuha ng partner na sikat. Bakit si Chiz, sya mismo ang humahatak sa tao, background lang ang misis nya kahit maganda at may talent din.

At susunod sila sa ginawa nina Recto/Vi at Pangilinan/Shawie? Ewan. Si Vilma at Shawie proven ang hatak sa masa. Pero si Koring? Mukhang malabo. Kahit anong gawin nyang magpaka-bakya, iba ang dating nya. Yong tipong intelihente at super self-confident na career woman. Something na hindi maabot at maka-relate ang karamihan ng ordinaryong maybahay, estudyante o factory workers. At least si Vi at Shawie na-deglamorize sa mga mahihirap roles nila kaya mabango sa masa.

Kung totoo mang heartfelt ang pag-iyak ni Mar, sana nga para mag-tagal ang marriage nila. Pero kung ang dalawang ito ay parehong may mga hidden agenda, then their partnership is already doomed sa umpisa pa lang. Sooner or later, they might pay the price for keeping appearances.

At ako? Well, ano bang paki ko sa kasal nila. Basta mawala na ang swine flu at matapos na ang global recession, kahit hindi na sila ikasal okey lang.

mga kababayan ko

When FPJ died, I only said “there goes a legend”. Nong si Rudy Fernandez naman, sabi ko, “sayang mabait naman sya” (at least as I know him as a celeb). But yesterday, when I heard Francis M passed away, nalungkot ako. And I was on the verge of shedding a tear or two lalo nong nag-iyakan yong mga hosts ng Eat Bulaga.

Sabi ko nga sa pinsan/best friend ko, of all the celebs na namatay, parang kay Francis M ako nalungkot. Kasi dahil siguro sa magka-age kami. At sabay kaming lumaki – sya nakikita ko on tv and films, progressing on his career, while I’m going through my own evolution.

Hindi ako fan ng taong ito. I don’t like rap music in particular (although naaliw din ako kay Eminem dati) but what he did for the Pinoy music industry, man, you gotta respect this guy.

Sabi nga ni Andrew E, had Francis M not opened the door for rappers in the Philippines, hindi nya ma-imagine kung saan siya pupulutin as well as the many struggling rappers. True di ba. Francis started it all and the rest of them just comfortably followed.

At kahit hindi ko gusto ang rap, I like his music kasi may kabuluhan. Patriotic. Hindi tulad ng ibang puro basura ang pinag-sasasabi. Karamihan maangas. Bastos. Even encouraging hatred, rebellion and disrespect among the youth.

But more importantly, gusto ko ang total image na dinala nya sa publiko. A responsible and loving husband/father. A truly artistic individual. And aside from the singular case of stupidity (remember the marijuana case?) which is nothing compared sa mga pinag-gagagawa ng iba, hindi sya nasangkot sa mga rumble or away kahit pa hip-hop ang ginagalawan nyang mundo.

I don’t know this guy personally. I haven’t even met him in person, even once. Pero kahit ganon, I do believe that he’s a genuinely nice person.

Normally, I don’t care about celebrities. Katwiran ko, may pera naman kayo at sikat. May cancer ka? So? Ganon talaga ang buhay eh. At least kayo hindi naghihirap sa ibang bagay tulad naming mga mahihirap. Kami, dusa na sa araw-araw na buhay. Kaya pag dinagdagan ng cancer, wala nang kalaban-laban.

But for Francis M, I just can’t help but feel sad. Sayang? Oo. Bata pa siya at marami pa siyang pwedeng gawin in his life. But most importantly, nawalan ng isang mabuting role model ang mga kabataan.

Goodbye Kiko. Go with the peace of God.

darn oscars

well i got 2 out of five!!! it's worse than my score last year! darn oscars...

they gave the best actress trophy to kate winslet instead of meryl
best actor to sean penn instead of my guess mickey rourke (though i'm happy with this one)
best supporting actor to heath as i predicted
best supporting actress to penelope instead of viola
and best picture to slumdog which i said was not my choice, but again sentiments ruled the voting members as i predicted.

ah well... darn oscars

last minute predictions

with barely 4 hours to go before the oscar awards are announced, i thought of testing my powers again. last year i got 3 out of 5 correct guesses(http://dantespeaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/results.html). this year, let me see if my score improves.

.

and because i've seen just a couple of the oscar-nominated films, most of these predictions are again based on sentiments and what i feel the voting members of the academy thinks of the films and performances this year.

.

here we go...

.

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

.

my guess : Slumdog Millionaire despite my fearless statements in my review that i didn't like the cinematic embellishments that killed a rather pure and wonderful story. but looking at the bunch, i don't think the other four nominees offer anything better. Benjamin Button's story line is far from epic while Frost/Nixon maybe a more serious material but I'm not sure if it can pull off any fight against the sentiment Slumdog has already created among the movie buffs.

.

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins (for The Visitor)

Frank Langella (for Frost/Nixon)

Sean Penn (for Milk)

Brad Pitt (for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Mickey Rourke (for The Wrestler)

.

my guess : Mickey Rourke. although i don't like this guy. he may have landed a very good role and acted well on it but i still don't like his attitude. he's arrogant, fresh and seem to be stuck in his days of drinking and going down the drain. heck, he doesn't even care to look fresh or clean when receiving awards onstage! i do hope Sean Penn gets the trophy. but knowing the oscars, they love comeback kids like Mickey. suckers.

.

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway (for Rachel Getting Married)

Angelina Jolie (for Changeling)

Melissa Leo (for Frozen River)

Meryl Streep (for Doubt)

Kate Winslet (for The Reader)

.

my bet: Meryl Streep. i said bet instead of guess because i've watched how this superwoman breathed life into the role (like what she always does). pundits say Kate is gonna win but i hope they are wrong. if the statuette doesn't go to Meryl this year, they are doing the lady a great injustice. Anne and Angelina should just be thankful they got nominated. and Melissa? don't ask me, this is the first time i've heard of her!

.

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin (for Milk)

Robert Downey Jr (for Tropic Thunder)

Philip Seymour-Hoffman (for Doubt)

Heath Ledger (for The Dark Knight)

Michael Shannon (for Revolutionary Road)

.

my guess : Heath Ledger. again, oscar-voting members have this tendency to be sentimental. for that, they will give Heath a posthumous honor. but at the risk of sounding irreverent to Heath's memory, i really feel Philip should win the award. sentiments should have nothing to do with it. it's an acting award afterall. ah well...

.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams (for Doubt)

Penelope Cruz (for Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Viola Davis (for Doubt)

Taraji Henson (for Benjamin Button)

Marisa Tomei (for The Wrestler)

.

my bet: Viola Davis. i would really love to see this lady being awarded for a work that is so heartfelt, intense and genuine. although rumors have it that Penelope has the edge. if she wins, then lobbying really plays a great deal of role in these awards.

.

there you go. by early morning tomorrow, i will see how my guessing game turned out.

pacman fever again

in a few days manny pacquiao is at it again, slugging it out with the bigger and much heftier oscar de la hoya. something that made me raise my eyebrows as high as the eiffel tower the first time i heard of it. just thought to myself well, maybe manny's fame has gone into his head already. squaring it off with a taller opponent? with longer reach? he must have gone nuts.

not that i care. i never liked boxing so i never liked manny. though i always say i respect him for what he has done in his life. his story was one of cinderella and all that stuff.

anyways, let me see if you can predict the result of their match. be a madam auring just for once. cast your vote on that thing somewhere in the right panel of this blog. you only have until dec 5th. whoever gets the correct result will win something from me..... awww com'n, you know i'm just kiddin hehehe!

but really, me know what you think of that match. vote now!

anabel's diamonds, pacman redux

And so huminto na naman ang mundo ng mga Pinoy kahapon (or kanina, depending on which side of the globe you're in). Lahat siguro ng mga mata, ke singkit, duling, banlag, naka-salamin o naka-contact lenses ke plain o kulay orange, naka-tutok na naman sa Mandalay Arena sa Vegas. Coz Manny is at it again. Up on the ring (bakit nga ba ring ang tawag dito eh square naman sya? Hmmm?) and doing his thing again.

Funny how this diminutive, rather ordinary looking guy has become such a gigantic figure in the sporting scene. Such a giant that in a stretch of his rather short arms to deliver a blow to his opponent, eh hindi lang yong panga ng kalaban nya ang tinatamaan. It also delivers a blow that wipes out boundaries and tear down divisions – at least for a moment.

O di ba at nag-declare pa ng ceasefire ang Philippine Government against it’s fight with the leftist group. Both the military and the insurgents wouldn’t dare miss his fight. Break muna sa barilan at pugutan ng ulo. Let’s enjoy Pacman muna. Have a break, have a Pacman (sounds familiar ba!).

Kahit mga holdaper, mandurukot, bank robbers and all the other petty offenders, nag-day off. They’d rather watch their idol on tv kesa rumaket sa lansangan ng Metro Manila. Ayan at for the second time eh nag-declare ang mga kapulisan na zero daw ang record books nila for street crimes in the metropolis. Hindi ko lang alam kung talagang walang nandukot o nangholdap. O nakatutok lahat ng pulis sa tv kaya hindi nakita ang mga nangyayari sa kalye.

Even Gloria who should be thinking of ways how to get herself out of the quagmire she’s currently in, ayun at talagang pinanood daw yong 12 rounds. Sa akin, palibhasa wala akong hilig sa boxing, that would be a total waste of 2 or 3 hours of my life. Afterall, ang importante lang sa akin eh malaman kung nanalo sya o natalo.

But of course a bigger number of the 86++ million Pinoys will disagree with me. Baka nga batukan pa ako dahil hindi ako nakiki-simpatya, cooperate and lend support to the Pambansang kamao. Parang KJ ako to the max coz I don’t share the frenzy of support the Pacman is being accorded.

Ayan nga at ang mga mapeperang pulitiko, negosyante at lalo ang mga artista, they all flew in droves to Vegas. To lend support daw to Manny. Pero sa totoo lang, gusto lang makita ang mga mukha nila on world-wide tv. Aba, HBO nga naman yon noh, something that they will never be able to do, kahit artista pa sila. So mas mabuti nang sumabit sa laban ni Pacman and get some exposure. Kahit split seconds lang.

What’s funny though, is what I read in Pilipino Star Ngayon na yon palang mga artistang nagpupunta sa laban ni Pacman, si Pacman ang nagbabayad ng mga plane tickets nila. Hindi lang nabanggit kung pati hotel kasama. But I was so appalled dahil all the while, akala ko mayayaman itong mga ito at patriotic yong reason nila for being there. To support Manny. Yon pala, libre ang tiket nila. Siguro hindi lahat huh. Pero Anabel Rama? Why would you buy a plane ticket for Anabel Rama eh mas malalaki pa nga ang diamonds nyan kesa sa mga flood lights ng Vegas strip!

But more than that, ang tanong ko, bakit parang inilalagay ng mga Pinoy sa balikat ni Pacman ang pag-asa ng Pilipinas? Parang nawawala sa tamang perspective ang mga bagay-bagay? Like politics. And priorities of the nation. Bakit nakahinto lahat dahil kay Manny? Are we saying that as of now, dahil sa kawalan natin ng pag-asa sa mga pulitiko, and some, even sa catholic church, si Manny na lang ang natitirang ray of hope natin to achieve something glorious and ecstatic?

Ganon na ba ka-desperate ang sitwasyon ng mga Pinoy?

Siguro nga. Dahil wala na tayong makitang matinong politicians that we can truly admire and respect. Siguro nga dahil kahit mga bishops ngayon ay tinatawag nang ugok ng isa pa namang supposedly high-ranking public servant. Siguro nga dahil kahit ang dapat na tinatawag nating Ina ng masang Pilipino ay nababalot ng kaliwa’t kanang akusasyon ng pangungurakot, katiwalian at pagnanakaw sa kaban ng yaman ng namamatay na sa gutom at hirap na si Juan dela Cruz.

I've always declared na hindi ako kabilang sa statistics ng Pacman fans. Pero hindi man ako fan ni Manny, I always thank him for his win. Particularly this one. Hindi dahil nagbigay sya ng karangalan sa Pilipinas. Winning a boxing match happens not only in a blue moon. Maraming nananalo nyan. In any corner of the world. In any title na pinag-lalabanan. A boxing championship belt is no longer a rare find.

Pero ang epekto ng panalo ni Manny sa masang Pilipino, that’s what I’m thankful for. Dahil binigyan nya ng rason ang mga Pinoy to celebrate and forget whatever gigantic problem the country is facing. Kahit 3 or 4 hours lang, it was such a relief sa bugbog-sarado nang utak, katawan at buhay ng mga Pinoy.

At least, sa 3 or 4 hours na yon, nakalimutan nila ang init ng araw na kailangang tiisin para anihin ang palay sa kalinangan. Sa maiksing oras na yon, marami ang nakalimutan ang baho ng basurang kailangan nilang halukayin para makakita ng pagkaka-kitaan. At sa maiksing oras na yon, marami ang nabingi sa pag-kalam ng sikmura nilang hindi na nasasayaran ng pagkain ng tatlong araw. Ang importante, lumalaban si Pacquiao. At bonus pa na nanalo sya.

Such a joyous occasion all Pinoys should be proud of. Eh paano kung natalo?

going up, going down

After Jasmine Trias, it looks like the Philippines will, once again, show the world how talented Filipinos are. That’s via Ramiele Malubay, 20 years old from Miami, Florida who, with her black hair, chinky eyes and very cute height is undeniably carrying Pinoy blood all over her.

She made it to the top 20 of American Idol season 7 after the first elimination round where 2 guys and 2 girls were eliminated from the 24 qualifiers.

Judging from the AI site, she’s quite popular. Discussions on various forums are always focused on Ramiele. Or maybe this is Pinoy bayanihan in full force again. Something Simon Cowell poked at during Jasmin’s time when he said ‘the whole of Hawaii must have voted twice to keep you here’. … or something like that. Coz he thought Jasmin didn’t deserve to be in the top 3 spot of AI season 3.

What Simon didn’t know is that talented or not, Jasmin deserves that spot because of the ‘kuyog’ voting system all Pinoy-blooded Americans must have used to keep her in the competition. In fact, if AI will only allow internet voting, Jasmin will win by a thousand miles from Fantasia.

Pinoys support each other fiercely especially if it touches upon Pinoy pride and identity. Especially on international stage. Something that the organizers of Miss Universe beauty pageant has realized after one of their minor awards (was it Miss Photogenic?), which was done via internet voting, was won by the Philippines two years in a row. They immediately scrapped the voting system the following year.

Actually, that shouldn’t be a surprise anymore. We are the inventor of People Power. An original phenomenon no other country has ever done before. Until we showed them how powerful it can be.

This leads me to the current situation in the Philippines where mass protest actions are going on again. Al-Jazeera news channel just showed footages of the rallies that went on today. It estimated the protesters to be at 75,000 strong. Gloria must be having sleepless nights. She’s seen this before. And she knows it’s ominous for someone who’s at the receiving end of the booing.

And so I’ve started from AI and ended up with the Philippine political climate. What’s the connection, you might ask.

Well, Pinoy power can put two ladies in the exact opposite of fortunes. Ramiele to the top spot of AI in the entertainment scene and Gloria to the bottom of the pits in the political arena. Let’s just see what happens. In the meantime, go go go Pinoy People Power!

the results

well i didn't do badly with my 3 out of 5 correct guesses! and the Oscar goes to...

Best Picture - No Country for Old Men
though i said it was a toss between There will be Blood and No Country for Old Men, i gave the former the edge so i consider that as a miss. darn!

Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis.
said so.

Best Actress - Marion Cottillard.
said so two.

Best Supporting Actor - Javier Bardem.
said so three.

Best Supporting Actress - Tilda Swinton.
ah well, i guess Ruby Dee has to wait another lifetime to win.

just a thought. both Daniel and Tilda are british, Marion is french and Javier is spanish. i think this is the first time that the four major acting awards went to non-American born actors. interesting.

there you go folks. it was fun and i sure will do this again next year.

star guessing

It’s just a few days to go before Oscars and I know my friend ‘a movie fan’ is watching out for my posting regarding the event. He/she must be waiting for whatever I’d be babbling about, specially if I will dare make any bets on the nominees.

At first I thought of not saying anything, just wait for the winners to be announced and jump into it with my commentaries. Coz except for Elizabeth the Golden Age which I reviewed in my previous posting, I haven’t had the chance to see any of the films headlining the nominations this year.

But Oprah just featured a few of the nominees in her episode shown by MBC4 tonight. Then I said, ah, what the heck, let me play some guessing game here and see how it turns out. If you want, you can play along with me. Let’s see who better approximates Madam Auring! Hahahaha!

Best Picture Nominees

Atonement – A period movie set in the 1930’s about two sisters and their housekeeper's son. Starring Kiera Knightly and James McAvoy. Directed by Joe Wright

Juno – The season’s surprise hit film, both in the box office and in Oscar nominations. It’s a film about teenage pregnancy starring Ellen Page. Directed by Jason Reitman.

Michael Clayton – Starring George Clooney, directed by Tony Gilroy. A film about the drama behind law firms, lawyers and lawsuits.

No Country for Old Men – Directed by the Coen brothers Ethan and Joel, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem. A story about drugs, money and dead bodies in the barren West Texas range.

There Will be Blood - A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Daniel Day Lewis.

My Bet: It’s a toss between No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood. Though looking at Oscars history, only three western films have won Best Pic (Cimarron in 1930, Dances With Wolves in 1990 and Unforgiven in 1992, while drama has dominated most of the Best Pic winners. Which gives There Will Be Blood an edge.

Best Actor Nominees

George Clooney for Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will be Blood

Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Tommy Lee Jones for In The Valley of Elah

Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises

My Bet: Daniel Day-Lewis. He already won the Golden Globe and to most Oscars observers, the Globe has always been a preview to the Oscars. I would be surprised if George Clooney takes home the Oscar. Based on the clips shown for these nominees, George is the least impressive among the five. Maybe his role is not as challenging as that of the others.

Best Actress Nominees

Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth The Golden Age

Julie Christie for Away from Her

Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose

Laura Linney for The Savages

Ellen Page for Juno

My Bet : Marion Cotillard. I know I’ve said I’d vote for Cate if I were a voting member of the AMPAS. But for reasons I stated on the same posting, I’d guess she’ll never be given the trophy this year. Besides, Marion’s role seems to be more challenging and her performance more impressive.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Casey Affleck for The Assassination of Jesse James

Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men

Philip Seymour Hoffman for Charlie Wilson’s War

Hal Holbrook for Into the Wild

Tom Wilkinson for Michael Clayton

My Bet : Javier Bardem. His character is said to be the most frightening villain in recent years and touted to be as chilling as Sir Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter. He has also bagged the Globe for the same category.

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Cate Blanchett for I’m Not There

Ruby Dee for American Gangster

Saoirse Ronan for Atonement

Amy Ryan for Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton

My Bet: Ruby Dee. Come on guys, the lady’s 83 and still packing a 2-minute exposure with emotions more forceful than a full-length role (that was the trailer shown in Oprah). I’d say give her the little guy so she can have a smile on her way out.

There you go. Just predictions. Though I’m not good in guessing. I’ll just wait till the 24th and see how I fared.

of gods, goddesses and DUI

These days whenever I’m watching tv, especially entertainment programs, one face makes me grab my clicker and change channel as fast as I can - Britney!

I don’t know what’s gotten into the media world but I think they’ve just outdone themselves in redefining the word sensationalism. From tv programs to newspapers and even the internet, the face of this not-so-pretty yet ridiculously popular pop singer who’s on the verge of turning looney monopolizes every printed space, broadcast transmissions and web pages. Even my long-time respected BBC seems to be bitten by this brouhaha, flashing reports every now and then about this wayward singer on their regular news program. Mon Dieu!

I’m just about to puke from this entire Britney overdose. I’m already at the point where I don’t care anymore if she does crazy things to herself. Duh and duh if her hospital trips are as frequent as her courtroom appearances. And, what do I care if she’s gone suicidal! The heck! Honestly I wouldn't give a hoot coz that would mean thousands or millions of teenagers saved from one bad role model.

In fact, it’s not Britney alone. I’d say this to all celebrities who have long abandoned the concept of setting a good example to their fans. Celebrities who have no idea about their responsibility to the youth who idolizes them and mimics everything they do, good or bad. As the marines say, shape up or ship out!

Don’t blame it on bipolar disorder, manic depression and all those psychological blurb the western world has invented to sugarcoat something that is so plain and simple. Ego inflated to the brim by fame and fortune is simply called arrogance. Arrogance that makes you think you can do anything and everything, anytime, any place, anywhere. Arrogance that makes you think you own the world. And gives you the feeling that you are “more famous than Jesus”. And that all the other pitiful mortals should kneel before you and kiss your painted yet stinking feet.

Also, don’t blame it on the media who is only acting as their collective name dictates. They are mediums no different from space satellites that pick-up feeds from one part of the earth and beams it to the other. There may be hazy and distorted transmissions like the sensationalism they are doing now, but still they are just transmitting a signal that is there. No signal, no transmission.

Though I would put the blame partly on the fans. Because they are allowing themselves to be pelted by these craps from the celebrities. Coz if they just refuse to be given trash, then maybe these celebs would think twice before making one.

Fortunately, the Philippine entertainment scene is a lot more sane than Hollywood. Pinoy celebrities value their fans. Coz fans means cash. On the other hand, fans know exactly what they want. And they get it. That’s why celebrities in the mold of Britney, Paris, Lindsay and others should thank heavens they were born in Hollywood, not in the Philippine entertainment scene. Coz if they were, they would see how ruthless Filipino fans can be.

They do not tolerate idols who commit mortal sins. Because to them, idols are demi-gods who live a charmed, privileged and magical existence. They do not hold court to a courtroom judge. They do not get drunk and pee on their pants. They do not party with booze and meths and die of OD. They do not get arrested for DUI. They do not submit themselves to the humiliation of being strapped into a gurney while television crews and paparazzi have their feast.

In short, Filipino celebrities have to fit a certain profile dictated by the Filipino fans themselves. If they dont, then it’s time for them to lose their shine and fade quickly into oblivion. Back to being one of the mortals.

That is why Filipino celebs avoid committing mistakes that would damage their popularity. Even mistakes minor and trivial compared to the crazy things their Hollywood counterparts are doing. If they do, they keep it totally hush-hushed, deny everything and swear to their mothers’ graves if caught in public. The exact opposite of how Hollywood celebs glow with pride when caught doinig something stupid.

Just look at how Piolo Pascual is fighting for his image. And look at Angel Locsin, Dennis Trillo, Kris Aquino, Ethel Booba, Jennylyn Mercado and countless other names who committed crimes against their demi-god status. They are now on their way (if not yet there) to being stripped of their immortal privileges. Soon their flickering stars will lose its shine and will be hurled into the deep, unforgiving black hole otherwise known as ordinary existence.

And that, to me, should be the rule of the game. In this world of commercialism, the fans are the consumers and celebrities the products. Therefore, it is the consumers who dictate what kind of products they would patronize. And if the products do not meet their taste, then they don’t buy it.

Ergo, a celebrity who has no client is a dead inventory on the shelf. He/she will degenerate from a high priced commodity to a discounted price offering, then to a buy-one-take-one promo and finally taken out of the shelf to be thrown into the trash bins. That’s Pinoy consumers, er, fans are to you.

And Hollywood fans should learn from the Pinoys. Dictate what they want from their celebs. And get it. Not the other way around. Unless it’s crap you really want from your idols. Ah well!

a sporting note

It looks like the start of 2008 is not good for most of my favorite names in sports.

Justin Henin, to me the best in women’s tennis circuit these days and seeded 1st at the Australian Open, got stumped by 5th seed Maria Sharapova on their quarterfinals match. I was hoping she’d win the first grand slam of the year but there she was, defeated quite early on.

I knew her draw was tough – she will face Serena Williams next if she got past Maria. And when Serena was beaten by Jelena Jankovic, a Henin-Jankovic match would have been a different story coz Justin had the better stats between the two.

But hey, to most oglers in tennis, the championship match was the best – Sharapova vs Ivanovic – two of the youngest (both in their 20’s) and sexiest players in the women’s tour. Sharapova has long replaced Ana Kournikova’s posters in men’s locker rooms while Serbian Ana Ivanovic was touted by journalists as the Catherine-Zeta Jones of tennis.

But still, it’s about tennis, not a beauty pageant. And I would have enjoyed it more if Henin is playing. Her forehand and backhand volleys are a lot sexier than Ana’s short skirt and Maria’s annoying grunting.

The biggest disappointment was from the Men’s division where my top two faves got trounced. My number one, the divine Roger Federer who was also the top seed, was outplayed by 3rd seed Novak Djokovic on their semi-final round. It would have been a glorious win for Roger if he captured this year’s Aussie trophy because this will put him at one win closer to tying the grandslam record of Pete Sampras who has 14 trophies to his name.

My second best after Roger, Rafael Nadal (2nd seed) was humbled by an unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also on the semis. That’s a double blow to my pride! And oh yes, it hurts!

To top it all, my favorite in men’s figure skating, France’s Brian Joubert, faltered in his free skate program and finished 3rd in the final standing of the European Championships in Zagreb. Tomas Verner (Czech Rep) got the gold and Switzerland’s Stephan Lambiel got the second place.

I hope he does better at the World Championships. I’d love to see him again kill unconventional routines like his Matrix and James Bond programs – more powerful and more masculine than that of the just-recently retired Plushenko’s ballerina-like skating.

I hope my favorite track stars fare better when the athletics season start. I’d have to watch closely how Russian Yelena Isinbayeva and Jamaican Asafa Powell will do on the track later. Hope they’re luckier.

starstruck ka ba?

ano kaya ang gagawin mo kung minsan, isang ordinaryo at tahimik na araw, ay makakita ka ng celebrity? would you go screaming and jumping like most fans do? magpapa-pirma ka ba ng autograph sa suot mong t-shirt? magpo-posing ka ba at magpapa-kodak kasama sila?

mahilig ako sa movies and i'm a certified couch potato so you would expect me to go gaga when i meet a celebrity in person. fortunately, hindi naman ako ganon.

nakita ko na si pops at si martin together in a concert noong mid-80's na kasikatan nila. and i didn't go nuts. siguro dahil hindi ako fan (never was) at kaya lang ako nandon sa concert eh dahil sponsored ng kumpanyang pinagta-trabahuhan ko yong concert. thus the complementary pass. o baka naman hindi lang talaga ako fanatic ng local talents. it might be a different scenario if it was a foreign artist (talk about colonial mentality huh!).

pero hindi pa rin. fan ako ni kenny g at kumpleto ako halos ng albums niya noon. then i saw him up close, just two feet away from where i was sitting when he had a concert back in the 90's at the folk arts. but i didn't jump out of my seat. i was thrilled. pero hindi yong tipong nagwawala in excitement.

and then a few more celebs crossed my unappreciating path.

i was working in coke (project) na ang office ay nasa feliza building (legaspi village) where the advertising giant saatchi & saatchi was also located. isang araw, pagpasok ko ng eleveator, there's this familiar face which i immediately recognized as marc nelson. siguro papunta sa saatchi. naka-barong tagalog ako (pormal huh) so i acted just like i'm worth the attire. i just smiled and said a very civil 'hi'. (in fairness, marc was nice to say 'hi' back). yon lang.

minsan, my friends and i were hanging out at virgin cafe (glorietta) nang may pumasok na matatangkad na lalaki - mga pba players pala, mostly unknown to me coz i'm not a basketball fan. ang nakilala ko lang si vince hizon from his tv ad. they were just a table away from us but i didn't bother to join the crowd (supposedly A crowd, the snob type of creatures) who suddenly turned just as 'bakya' as anybody else getting their snapshots taken with the players. aha! mas sosyal pa pala ako sa inyo! hahahaha!

minsan naman i was having lunch sa dome (greenbelt) when i saw this lovely lady in a pink suit. si carmi martin pala. i gave her a good look. maganda talaga sya in person, lalo siguro kung visible ang buong mukha nya at hindi natatakpan ng oversized dark glasses. ah well, my sandwich is getting cold so i just chewed along.

isang araw naman, i was quietly working on my desk sa ramcar head office (again on aproject) when out of the blue, this guy asks kung saan daw ang office nong marketing director. i looked up, tinuro ko yong office na tinatanong while at the back of my mind, iniisip ko kung sinong artista yon. si marvin agustin pala. and so, nagkagulo ang mga bebot na staff, pati yong mga manang eh nagpa-picture. buti na lang wala si jolina!

so wala lang, may makita man akong celebrities, don't care. ok, i watch you on tv or films pero yon lang. nagbayad na ako to watch you so tama na yon. di nyo naman ako babayaran or gagawing artista kung mahihimatay ako in your presence. afterall, you're big on screen pero in person, pareho lang pala tayong may tastas na sinulid ang suot na shirt!

although one time medyo natawa ako from my own stupidity.

nasa 12th flr ng antel (salcedo village) ang office namin. i was with my american boss and we took the elevator from the ground floor. pagpasok namin, may mga tao na obviously coming from the basement. one of them was a tall, dark guy na familiar sa akin. hindi ko ma-recall ang pangalan but i was thinking to myself 'sigurado akong artista to'. then the doors opened and i stepped out. tinawag ako ng boss ko 'dante, it's not our floor yet'... ay mali! ang lumabas yong artista. balik ako sa elevator. tsaka ko lang na-realize si richard gomez pala yon. damn you richard, nagmukha akong tanga sa kakaisip kung sino ka!

was i starstruck that time? hindi pa rin. nainis lang ako sa sarili ko dahil hindi ko agad ma-recall ang pangalan nya. and it happens to me all the time pag may isang bagay akong hindi agad ma-alala. naiinis ako and let my mind work overtime to retrieve that piece of information. not necessarily because he was an artista. yon lang!

pac-yaw

note: i wrote this after pacquiao had his fight in manila with... i don't even remember who, and ages before he dipped his toe into politics which, as we all know, was one big reality check for the guy. never sent this one out coz i thought i would offend some of my friends who are pacquiao fans. but i guess i just have to post it here and wait for their reactions!!!

Some of you already know that I can't keep my mouth shut when I've got something. At the moment, it's about Pacquiao ---

I don't know, I just feel inundated lately with the Pacquiao brouhaha where his fans just couldn’t seem to get enough of him while on-lookers and by-standers like me wanted to get to the top of the tallest building in Ayala and shout ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!

Obviously Pacquiao fever in the Philippines is hotter and more prevalent this time compared to his previous fights in the US. Because this time around, more of his adoring fans got to see the action live rather than watch a sometimes hazy satellite transmission on a boob tube. That Araneta ticket is of course a knock out compared to a plane ticket to the US – something most of his fans simply couldn’t afford. It’s only the filthy rich and politicos who can join him in Vegas and get a hotel suite even bigger than what he gets.

And so bringing the fight home and making it accessible to thousands of his fans, plus winning it decisively, has fuelled the Pacquiao mania into a wilder, crazier frenzy. Everybody talks about him. His face is everywhere – Tv programs, magazines, broadsheets, billboards. You name it – his face is stamped on it. The five-peso bill? He’s on it. Well, at least an the jokes being tossed around via e-mails. And at least, for the meantime. But who knows, maybe not for long. Judging by his popularity, he could easily be sanctified by the bootlicking politicos and make that five-peso bill officially his. Though I would suspect Emilio Aguinaldo would be turning violently in his graves!

So, yes, I am not a big fan. No, not even a fan. As I said I’m just an on-looker. Happy and content seeing other Pinoys go gaga over the not-so-cute boxer from the South. Go, kabayans, enjoy the moment! Celebrate! Let’s forget about the continually plummeting economy of our beloved country. Let’s forget the political bickering that these politicos orchestrate themselves for their own personal motives. Just forget everything and soak up the moment. It’s one glorious moment we all have to bask upon, it comes just once in a while – that is, if he’s not losing or drawing the fight.

But don’t get me wrong. I don’t disdain the man. And in no way am I being contemptuous here. On the contrary, I only have nothing but respect for him. I may not be a fan, I don’t like boxing at all. But I salute him for what he has achieved. I wish there’s more of him to surface in such times that our country needs a shot of hope, honor and glory – no matter how fancy and sensational the source maybe.

It takes a lot to get to where he is standing right now. We all know his humble beginnings in an obscure town in GenSan. And of course we know how hard he trains. But do we really understand how hard it is? Can we honestly say that yes, Manny, I do understand the sacrifices you have to bear just to get to where you are now. And we do feel for you.

Nah, most of the people around him just love him for he is glowing with fame and fortune at the moment. Nobody gives a damn what he has gone through just to get that arm raised by the referee at the end of the fight.

He must have shed barrels and barrels of blood, sweat and tears – actually, not figuratively – not only in his fights but also during practice sessions. Instead of spending time with his family, he must have spent more hours training, skipping ropes, sit-ups, punching not just bags or sparring partners but even the air around him. He must have suffered and endured all the pain, bruises, broken bones and cuts anywhere within the boundaries of his typically small pinoy face and his typically small frame.

He must have blown his top many times when he can’t go anywhere he wants because he has a schedule to follow, a program to fulfill. He must have ranted in despair when he can’t have a portion of his favorite food because it will make him one gram heavier during weigh-in.

And what about wanting to get crazy just like the others, boozing and partying all night? It must be utterly frustrating to go to bed just to follow a ruthless schedule while others tiptoe out of the hotel room to go down to the bar and enjoy the adrenaline-pumping music, the dizzying lights, the heady smoke of cigarettes and the intoxicating liquor being poured by a scantily-clad waitress.

And what about the sex? Maybe his punches are more lethal because it is laced with anger and frustration for not having released his sexual urges the night before. I bet he does as most athletes do. Well, poor Pacquiao, the things he has to give up just to realize his dream.

But realize his dream he did! Here he is, arguably the most recognizable face in the Philippine islands and to the millions of Filipinos scattered all over the globe. Winning his fight, collecting millions of prize money, gathering more fans and sycophants alike. And of course, earning respect from people like me who sees through the man wearing a pair of boxing gloves and ad-studded pair of short pants.

The man realized he has a God-given talent. He harnessed it. He dreamed. And used that talent to reach glorious heights. What could be more respectable than that.

How many of us realized we have talents but never dared to develop it and use it to get to where we actually wanted to be? Admittedly, I am one of those. That’s why I respect Manny a lot. It takes courage, guts, raw determination and a whole lot of conviction to make your dreams come true. Sadly, we are lacking most of it. But not the boxer.

He dared to dream. Despite being physically average – with his typical Pinoy height and looks. He dreamed. Despite his lack of education – he can’t even come up with a simple, gramatically correct english sentence. He dreamed. Despite his being what the Manilenyos call “Bisaya” - he still speaks with a heavy accent and proud of it. He dreamed.

Now he’s reaping the rewards of dreaming and working hard. VIP’s, celebrities, businessmen and top politicos troop to see him and be near him. They listen to whatever he says, no matter how funny the heavily accented Tagalog is, or how absurd the english sentence he is trying to concoct.

He’s got the moolah - a big house, fancy cars, and millions-worth of properties. A beautiful wife who, if he was not a star pugilist, would be frowned upon by most people and asked “what the hell were you thinking marrying that guy?”

And don’t forget that controversial “other woman”. Who could knock a girl and give her a son, beamingly deny his guilt, get discovered by the entire nation and get away with all of it? Only the Pacman can do that. And I bet ya, more and more women are finding him attractive each day because he has proven just as lethal inside the ring as well as in bed. I’m sure that scandal did not even hurt his popularity one bit. In fact, it must have contributed more to his machismo, making him a real stud and proving his virility. Something women swoon about and men get jealously envious of.

But seriously, I just wish the youth of today takes inspiration from him. Not on the “studly” image but on his sport. Just like when Efren “Bata” Reyes won international competitions a few years ago. Millions of our young men (and women, for that matter) focused on billiards rather than gang wars, teenage pregnancies or drugs.

This time, I hope they will do the same and try to emulate Manny. Get into boxing where we, short and stout Pinoys can definitely excel. Not in basketball! That game is for the towering Westerners! When will we ever realize that, for goodness’ sake!

On second thought, it may not happen. Billiards might have gained tremendous popularity among the youth because it is a non-contact sport and can be easily turned into a gamble – something that appeals strongly to the young boys to skip their classes and use their lunch money as bets. But boxing? Maybe not.

It will deform their nose, cut their lips or forehead and leave scars on their faces. Their faces that they value most in their young life. Because they’d rather join male beauty contests or talent search and become a commercial model, tv actor or movie star. That’s a lot easier, more fashionable, hip and cool than being a boxer. Vanity seem to be more attractive than masculinity nowadays. I don’t know. The world must be turning queer by the day.

As for you Manny, I just hope you learn life’s lessons quickly enough like your lightning punches. If you don’t, it would be sad to see you 10 or 20 years from now turn into another Navarette.

But for now, go ahead and enjoy the shimmering laurels of fame and fortune. Live up to your name, afterall you’ve got it all. You know - fame, fortune and everything - PAKYAW, isn’t it?!