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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.
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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.
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How slick and thin the iPod music player doesn’t exactly match how thick the wall it builds between the user and the world. It is modern life’s way of saying “Don’t bother me” or “get off”.
In a New York subway ride, the effect is clearer than anywhere else, because in an NYC train, 8 million people will be at your face one time or another.
Most people doesn’t want too many humans at any given time, so people put fences, or walls to avoid the casual “train chat”, or train preachers; baskers , or loons who somehow sees the train as the best way to air their grievances and display their mental conditions.
In the not so old days, the preferred method of isolation is the paperback. But in the advent of minipods and whatnots, the paperback has joined the photographic film in the line to extinction, because reading occupies the mind, but leaves the ears open to intrusion.
Now, the iPod. With its maximum 80 Gigabytes of music and extra features, it is a virtual wall right in your pocket – The invisible fortification to a boring subway conversation, and protection from the over zealous and the nutheads.
Other commuters go as far as putting on dark glasses while on their pods ,which is as good as taking a pint of epidural while on cocaine.
Total numbness. Total indifference. Total isolation.
The old dictum that the safest place is the place where there are lots of people, is never true in the 21st century.
If you ride a packed train, and see that everyone has that white ear bud dangling down from their ears, you can be sure that you are as alone as the hubble telescope in the infinity of space, or an oasis in the center of the Sahara.
You can be mugged in the train, and scream your lungs out, yet still be ignored.
Such is modern life. We plug out of humanity and plug in to virtuality. We dismiss the human contact and crave for space. We avoid social duties and invite solitude.
New York City, with 8 Million people; it could really get lonely here sometimes.
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What’s with food being used as a metaphor for the insane?
Americans call the crazy people, “Nuts”. The Brits call them “Crackers; and Filipinos call ‘em as people with “Toyo” ( The Filipino term for Soy Sauce!)
Others refer to ‘em as people who had “Gone Bananas”
Why such odd metaphors? What’s with these foods that give any semblance to insanity?
Maybe if you combine some nuts, crackers and bananas in a bowl and add Soy sauce to it, like you do with milk and cereal, then you qualify as someone really crazy,or the modern, politically correct term, P.O.E.T, which means: “Person Of Exquisite Taste”.
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Toilets and birds
I noticed that bird droppings are more present in cars, than in any other place. Most especially, in luxury cars
In a three-week study, I counted the bird droppings sticking on a Honda Civic and a Mercedes Benz. The amount of bird matter on the Benz far outnumbered the amount on the Japanese Car 50 to 5
Which made me conclude that birds do choose their toilets.
This bird behavior is something I totally understand, given that,in any walking day in New York City, I would choose the Plaza Hotel bathroom over the throne inside that little kebab place next to it.
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.
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Snooky, husband call it quits
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MANILA --- Snooky Serna herself has confirmed reports that she and husband Ricardo Cepeda have called it quits.
The actress declared that they have not been living together since November last year.
According to Snooky, she and her two daughters lived with her parents-in-law for a time. She has since left her in-law’s abode without her two daughters.
But she keeps in touch with the girls who are very much aware of her decision to leave their father. In fact, according to Snooky, it was her eldest daughter, Sam, who gave her the go-signal to talk on TV about her parents’ separation.
Snooky and Ricardo have been together for nearly 16 years. And their marriage was not always smooth-sailing.
They would separate and reconcile. Snooky even admitted that she cannot count the number of times they have called it quits, only to reconcile afterwards.
This time, however, she doubted if they would kiss and make-up. But they will try to remain friends, if only for their children’s sake.
Snooky vehemently denied there’s a third party involved in their separation. She denied reports that Ricardo has a gay lover. She considered it even more ridiculous that she’s being linked to a lawyer.
What caused their separation? “Irreconcilable differences,” she answered. Teary-eyed, she continued: “But I tried hard to make this marriage work. But it seems that my efforts weren’t just enough.” (MNS)
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MANILA --- Anne Curtis was unable to join the ABS-CBN stars who flew to the US to hold shows, courtesy of The Filipino Channel (TFC).
She cannot afford to leave for 10 days, as taping for her teleserye, “Kampanerang Kuba,” where she plays the title role, will suffer. Besides, she also has her hosting job with Luis Manzano in “Qpids.”
“They will surely miss me,” said Anne, referring to Aj Dee and Chokoleit, her co-hosts in the “Wanna Buzz” portion of “The Buzz.” “Ako nga nami-miss ko na sila.”
Although a Viva Films contract star, Anne has a number of shows on ABS-CBN. Soon she will also do a movie, “The Way You Look at Me,” with Star Cinema, which reportedly signed up Christian Bautista to be her leading man. Next in line is a movie again for Star Cinema but this time with Maricel Soriano and Aga Muhlach.
Anne is the type to compromise her lovelife for her career. This is the reason she does not keep secret the identity of the person she loves. Currently, she confessed that non-showbiz Paolo Araneta, who is 10 years older, is her boyfriend.
“Kahit noon pang boyfriend ko sina Oyo Boy Sotto at Richard Gutierrez, hindi ko inilihim ang kaugnayan ko sa kanila. I think I owe it to my following to be honest with them. Ito siguro ang dahilan kung bakit mahal nila ako,” she frankly declared. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Frenchie Dy, grand champion of the second ‘Star in a Million’ search, happily revealed she’s in love. And it’s the real thing, she said.
She got to know the guy when she performed in Riyadh in the Middle East. They have been in touch since. “He is very patient with me,” related Frenchie. “Inaalagaan niya ako sa tawag sa cellphone.”
“So, you now have to lose weight to look sexy?” we teased her.
“Naku, di po kailangan,” Frenchie quickly replied. “Type niya daw ang babaeng matataba. The first thing that attracted him was my size.”
Frenchie Dy is just her screen name. The singer’s real name is Gyphartori Dimacali. Her family calls her “Mahal.”
“It was my friend, Catre Gonzaga, who christened me Frenchie Dy. Frenchie dahil I am daw the size of a typical French woman. Dy because of the size of my bra (40 D),” she laughingly related.
Ate Mahal is how singing sensation Sarah Geronimo calls her until now. Frenchie was the first one who trained Sarah to become a singer. They used to be neighbors in Santa Cruz, Manila.
Frenchie, together with two other “Star in a Million” winners, Erik Santos and Jerome Sala, will perform together abroad. They will hold a show on Oct. 7 in San Diego and Oct. 8 in Los Angeles.
Performing with them in this concert billed as “Stars in a Million (The Reunion 2005)” are Christian Bautista, Sheryn Regis, Marissa Sanchez and Divo. Producer is Alfonso “Tito Al” Chu, who owns a caregiver establishment,
Stanford Homes, in Anaheim, California. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Newcomer Pauleen Luna has admitted that Diether Ocampo really courted her. But this didn’t happen when he was already married to Kristine Hermosa, but almost two years ago when she played Ai Ai de las Alas’ younger sister in the movie, ‘Volta,’ where Diether was Ai’s leading man.
“Pero never naging kami kasi I did not entertain him dahil sobrang bata ko pa noon,” she adds. “I was only 14 years old at that time. And that was even before he and Kristine were paired in ‘Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas’ kung saan naging sila.”
And someone said that Diether was already 28 then, which means his age was double that of Pauleen.
Pauleen also made it clear that Kristine never confronted her personally.
“Nasulat kasing sinugod niya ako dahil sa sobrang selos, which is not true at all. What Star Magic did nang kumalat na ang ganitong mga balita, pinagharap kami at pinag-usap in a formal meeting. And during that meeting, I clarified with Kristine that Diether never wooed me at all noong sila na. Natuwa naman ako dahil Kristine understood me.”
Her suggestion to Diet and Kristine is for them to fight for their love. “Sinasabi naman nilang mahal pa rin nila ang isa’t isa, di go for it, ituloy nila ang pagmamahalan nila since they’re already legally married to each other.” (MNS)
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MANILA --- Vhong Navarro encourages everybody to dream, just like what he did when he was younger.
He revealed he used to lie down on the roof of their house in Pasay City years ago. “Lalo’t gabi at may buwan, nakakatuwaan kong kausapin ang buwan at sabihin sa kanya ang mga pangarap ko sa buhay. Lalo na ang makita ang sarili ko sa television.”
He realized his wish when he joined Chito Roño’s dance group, Streetboys.
“Lakasan ng loob ang ginawa ko,” he recalled. “’Di ako talaga dancer kaya to impress Direk Chito, I made improvisations of some steps I know. Nagpa-tumbling tumbling din ako. And it worked,” Vhong related.
It was Direk Chito who encouraged him to try comedy. Vhong said the director might have noticed that he had the ability to make his fellow Streetboys laugh during their dance rehearsal breaks.
His first crack at comedy acting was in a Robin Padilla movie where he played the action star’s sidekick. He also did sitcoms on ABS-CBN, including “Home Along Da Riles,” where he had the chance to work with his idol,
Dolphy. From the top comedian, Vhong learned some comedy techniques, which he finds handy now that he is doing films.
It was Regal Entertainment who gave him his first title role movie, “Gagamboy.” This was followed by “Mr. Suave,” produced by Star Cinema. Vhong is currently the lead actor of the movie “D’Anothers,” produced by Star Cinema and directed by Joyce Bernal.
His role in “D’ Anothers” is a first. He plays a ghost. “And what do you know? I’ve realized you can learn a lot from ghosts. Ghosts which might include your past,” he said. (MNS)
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