|
For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
|
|
|
|
This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
|
|
To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 issues ago I wrote about the story of my long drive with the Tan family and how I ended up with the mysterious briefcase filled with bad music. Here’s the last installment of the story, which also finishes up the list of my worst songs ever.
How Am I Suppose to Live Without You by Michael Bolton - It may be Michael Bolton’s, hair, his wrestler looks, or Michael’s performance in this one that turned me off from this song.. The way he sang was like someone was pulling his hemorrhoids with a pair of tweezers. He was more of like grunting than singing, like he was being run over by a very slow Payloader. The “badness” of this song is a result a bad song, sung by a bad crooner in a bad way. It’s that bad.
Shake Body Dancer – If you see a person singing this one while performing the song’s patented dance move, you will hate the art of music and dance forever. That lethal combination is an insult to human culture. Whew! God bless those who has not seen nor heard this sorrowful song and dance routine. I had nightmares with this song. A giant Maricel Soriano singing and dancing Shake Body Dancer until the end of time. Man, was I crying every time I woke up from such nightmares.
Knife by Rockwell – This one’s so bad I won’t even give it the benefit of an explanation.
The Entire Career of Air Supply - What good thing could come out from a duo composed of a Richard Simmons, and a Larry Bird look-alike? Nada. From ‘”Lost in Love” to “Goodbye”, their career, for me, is defined by ultra-bad corny songs, which Pinoys love, The Richard Simmons look-alike sings with a very high pitched voice; high enough to make cockroaches twitch and go nuts.
The very sight of 9 of the worst songs in my life has paralyzed me to point where Mr. Tan had to shake and revive me from the shock of my discovery and the burden of my predicament.
“I will not choose from any from the disc”, I said.
“What?” the Tan family said in an army-like synchronicity “Looks like he’s not ready yet to decide on such grave importance” Mr. Tan explained.
Well, 20 hours of this musical crap is more than I could bear, so I decided to return the case without picking anything. “Can we just use the radio?” I asked bravely. “No!” Mr. Tan replied. This time with thunderous conviction, “I will choose”, he said.
The Power of Love by Laura Branigan - With all due respects to the late Ms. Branigan, everytime I hear this mammoth of a bad song, I get constipated. If song # 3 could make me smell imaginary scents of DOMs, this song is all about the scent of DOW - Dirty Old Women. The song also causes me to get ill with migraine, running nose, morning glory, fever, back aches, bad breath and sore eyes.
As Mr. Tan inserted the shiny Air Supply disc into the player, I began to experience rapid flashbacks accompanied by imagined music from the film “Jaws.” I swear, it was the closest thing to dying.
Ted Reyes is a journalist, composer, musician and record producer based in NY. For comments about this column or submissions for music or film review etc. you can email him at tedreyes@mac.com or visit his website at http://www.tedreyes.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Angelica Panganiban, who is turning 19 this year, admitted that newcomer AJ Dee is courting her. Pero ‘di ko pa alam kong gusto ko na nga siyang maging boyfriend. Basta sabi ko sa kanya, tingnan natin,’ she related.
Angelica and AJ Dee play childhood sweethearts in “Vietnam Rose,” ABS-CBN’s newest teleserye. They are Vietnamese in the series and most of their scenes together were shot in Vietnam.
“But I have a hunch,” Angelica continued, “that I will not end up with AJ Dee in the teleserye but with Jason (Abalos, another newcomer and who, like her, is a talent of Star Magic). Parang ang gusto ng Star Magic ay kami ni Jason ang maging magka-love team, which I don’t mind naman. Mabait din kasi si Jason, bukod sa guapo din naman.”
Angelica and Jason are currently doing a trilogy with Anne Curtis and Luis Manzano and John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo.
Angelica has only had one boyfriend , Carlo Aquino, another Star Magic talent. The two of them were sweethearts for four years.
“Naging maganda ang relasyon namin in all those four years,” Angelica related. “Pati nga mga parents namin thought we would end up together.
“But I’ve realized now na sa isang relasyon, may posibleng mangyari na ‘di inaasahan. Sabi ng Mommy ko, kung mag-asawa na nga ay naghihiwalay, bakit hindi ang mag-boyfriend pa lamang?
“But I will not delve on the past and I won’t discuss why Carlo and I broke up. That has been discussed in past interviews and we have both since moved on.”
“At ang nakakatuwa,” she stated further, “Carlo and I have remained good friends.”
Angelica, like AJ and Jason, is playing support to Maricel Soriano, on whose character “Vietnam Rose” story revolves. This is actually not their first project together. As a child star, Angelica played Maricel’s daughter in a movie.
“Pero, ngayon ko lamang si Tita Maricel makakasama na ‘di na ko child star,” Angelica said. “Kaya excited ako. Besides we play half-sisters in the series and we were told by Direk Joel (Lamangan) na magkakaroon kami ng confrontation na dalawa. That would be a big challenge considering how formidable a performer Tita Maricel is.” (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Camille Prats is elated to get positive feedback from her offbeat portrayal of Joyce, the character she plays in GMA-7’s afternoon soap, “Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako.”
“At first, I was so nervous on how the public will accept me as this is a total departure from the sweet roles I used to do before,” she says. “This time, mataray ako, very materialistic and go only for men with money. First time ko rin to be shown smoking on screen.
But Direk Gina Alajar explained to me that since I’m making a move from one station to another, we have to show something different naman para people will also stop thinking of me as the child star in ‘Sarah, Munting Prinsesa’. I’m now 20, kaya tama na rin ang teenybopper roles and play more mature ones.
Since Direk Gina is one of the best actresses in our country, I just trusted her completely and it’s now paying off. Even my colleagues at ABS-CBN say they like me so much in the show. Binago kasi pati ang hairdo ko.
They couldn’t believe an innocent-looking girl like me can transform into a scheming, vengeful vamp who can mess up people’s lives. Fighter kasi talaga si Joyce dito, but later on, it will be explained why she became that way. She was orphaned as a child and became the victim of a conspiracy that made her one tough girl who people can’t just step on dahil lalaban siya.”
Camille also reveals that she has moved on from her breakup with Francis Ricafort and now has a new inspiration in her life. “I won’t reveal his name as he’s not in showbiz naman, but I’ve known him since I was 10 and he was 16. Family friend siya but he didn’t notice me then at all kahit crush ko na siya.
Recently, we saw each other again and he said, aba, dalaga ka na pala. Ayun, after that, we’ve been going out constantly na. One thing nice about him is he understands my work and he wants me to grow even better as an actress.”
Now that she has a show with GMA-7, she’s being asked to also join the cast of their hit Sunday youth show, “SOP Gigsters.” “But I told my manager, Arnold Vegafria, ayokong magmadali. I can accept other shows later kapag maganda na talaga ang takbo ng ‘Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako.’ There’s also an offer to do a movie, ‘Batang Bangketa,’ pero I have to fix my schedule first as I’m also busy with my classes at Thames Business School.” (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Cherry Lou used to project a sweet and wholesome image as one of the teenybopper duo, The Cherries, along with her sister Cherry Gal who is now married. She comes from an affluent family from Ozamis City where they own two schools, but showbiz is in her heart so she now sports a more daring and sexy image as a dance diva in her first solo album, “Cherry Lou, One Dose,” released by Star Records.
At the launching, Cherry Lou performed on staged in a revealing outfit that shows off her shapely figure and then got Walden Belen of Bulletin on stage as she sings “Kung Nasabi Mo Lang.” Walden blushed when Cherry kissed him.
She later danced with Dondon Sermino of Abante. She’s at her most daring in performing the album’s carrier single, “Manila Girl,” a spirited remake of the song first popularized by Put3ska. She and her dancers made it appear like they’re having an orgy, which is also what’s being projected in its music video directed by Connie Macatuno and censored by the MTRCB for the lips-to-lips kissing scene between Cherry and Michelle Bayle.
“Sa totoo lang, I didn’t see anything malaswa sa ginawa namin,” she says. “Our moves were choreographed tastefully and if foreign artists like Madonna and Christina Aguilera can do it, why are we not allowed to do so? The whole tone of the MTV is a big party and everyone’s just having a good time.”
So what made her decide to go sexy as a solo performer? “It’s a career move,” she says. “I feel that I’m now mature enough to project a bolder image. Isa pa, matagal wala nang gumagawa ng dance hits. Ayoko naman to do novelty songs as I want to be different. Mas gusto ko to be like Vina Morales, who’s my idol as she both sings and dances well.” (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Is Michelle Madrigal a liar? Or, is she the type of young actress who wants to put one over her interviewers?
When a group of movie writers asked her if Joseph Bitangcol, her “Vietnam Rose” co-star, tried to make a pass at her, she giggled and answered no.
She sang a different tune, when another group (yes, in the same presscon), asked her a similar question. She revealed that she had a flitting romance with Joseph. She’s just glad that Sandara Park, the newcomer from Korea who is currently being linked to Joseph, appeared not to have minded at all.
Michelle and Joseph are both talents of Star Magic, the talent management arm of ABS-CBN. Sandara is also under Star Magic.
Star Magic is building Michelle and Joseph as a love team. Thus, “Vietnam Rose” is not their first team-up. They are also a pair in “SCQ Reload.”
While Joseph admitted that, at 21, he has experienced having 19 girlfriends (Sandra is his 20th, he revealed), Michelle said she has had only two (minus Joseph?), singer Lloyd Zaragoza, the younger brother of Jessa Zaragoza, and JC de Vera, who is with GMA 7.
Michelle’s mom is former bold star Karla Kahlua.
Michelle related that she was five years old when her parents separated. As she was very young then, she has no idea why her parents parted ways and she did not bother to ask her mother why either.
For five years, she and elder sister Era Madrigal (who is with GMA-7), lived with their father. When their mom returned home after working abroad (Michelle does not know in what country specifically), she and Era went back to live with her.
Their mom sent them to a good school, the Montessori in Greenhills. However, Michelle had to stop her schooling. She plans to continue (she will be in second year high school) under ABS-CBN’s distance education program, which is approved by the Department of Education.
Sometime back, Michelle had a big quarrel with her mom. She left home. She now lives in a rented condo unit with Era, who is 20.
“I’ve reconciled with my mom,” she revealed. “But she advised me and my sister to stay put at our unit. We can take care of ourselves daw. Besides, kumikita na nga rin kami.”
In “Vietnam Rose,” Michelle is the daughter of Maricel Soriano and John Estrada. Also included in the cast are Jay Manalo, Ricky Davao, Jason Abalos, AJ Dee, Gina Alajar and Ilonah Jean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- IT WAS like old times when the cast of ‘Bagets,’ led by Aga Muhlach, of course, had a reunion. They were joined by the cast of ‘Bagets 2.’
The stars came together for the interviews of the members of the cast of both movies. These interviews will be inserted in the videos of “Bagets” and “Bagets 2,” which Viva Films will be releasing.
Aside from Aga, “Bagets” also starred William Martinez, Herbert Francisco, Raymund Lauchengco and JC Bonnin.
“Bagets 2” had Francis Magalona, Ramon Christopher and Cheska Ińigo in the cast. All three were present for the interview.
William, who was then the most popular among the group, had then newcomer Yayo Aguila for his leading lady. Hardly had the shooting of the movie ended when they discovered they were in love. They now have four children, the eldest of whom, Patricia, is now 19 years old.
Herbert, now the vice mayor of Quezon City, was paired with Eula Valdez. They were linked to each other. Herbert has remained unmarried, even if has several children now. Meanwhile, Eula is happily married and has two kids.
Raymund has been married for one-and-a half years. He said he and his wife are taking it easy before they start having children.
While in London for an event of The Filipino Channel, Aga bumped into JC, who is now a pastor of a congregation there. He now has seven children, he told Aga.
Who was Aga’s leading lady in “Bagets”?
“No one in particular,” he answered. “In love kasi ako sa isang babaing supposedly much older kesa akin sa pelikula. This was played by Baby Delgado.”
Baby now resides in the US.
“Bagets 2” featured movie stars’ kids Francis and Monching. Cheska Ińigo’s mom is a former beauty winner.
Francis’ parents are movie icons, the late Tita Duran and Pancho Magalona. Monching is singer Pilita Corrales’ son by Eddie Gutierrez.
Francis is now known more as a rapper than an actor. He also appears on TV, mostly for GMA-7. Married to the former Pia Arroyo, he has a daughter who is following in his footsteps. We are referring, of course, to Maxene Magalona, now a GMA-7 talent herself.
Maxene can be seen in the weekly GMA sitcom “Daddy Di Do Du,” which is topbilled by Vic Sotto.
Monching has four children by wife Lotlot de Leon. They are now separated. (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
