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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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THE economist Steven Levitt, in his bestselling book “Freakonomics”, wrote that human beings have a 10 % chance of dying every single day. He wrote that backed with solid statistical proof and long equations. Pretty freaky isn’t it? But it must be real. In fact, I believe it is. So, whether it is through disease or being crushed by a wayward space shuttle while you are watering your plants, the harrowing fact remains: We could go anytime.
But for those who are less pessimistic, and more of the “half-full” type of person, they could look at it in a totally different way - We all have a 90% chance of cheating death every single day. Sounds a lot better doesn’t it?
Now, why am I writing about death all of a sudden? Why after fun-filled articles in the past issues, I decided to go macabre and morbid?
1 reason: The HBO hit drama series “Six Feet Under” on DVD.
I know I need not to be reminded by this show about the inevitability of death, but having watched the whole DVD of the first season, magnifies the truth that most of us are too scared to face: Death is real.
Six Feet Under was an amazing series but it ended its run after five seasons, just this year. It was created by Academy Award winning writer of American Beauty Alan Ball, and has bagged numerous TV trophies throughout its groundbreaking run.
The show was like nothing else on TV. It has broken a lot of taboos in the television world by trivializing things that are real yet too dark to talk about. Homosexuality, incest and mortality were some of the sensitive issues tackled by the show. It was also well acted and brilliantly directed.
The series was about the life of family who runs a funeral home business in suburban LA. Its famous tagline “When death is your business, what is the meaning of your life?” is the series’ synopsis in a single line.
The show has become notorious for its opening sequences, when somebody always dies. The writers may have used all the possible causes of death in its opening scenes for the whole five years. From a person being struck by lightning, to just a regular hospital death, the show has succeeded in emphasizing that death, as much as it is a part of the show, is a an undeniable part of everybody’s life. In trivializing death, Ball has made it acceptable for national TV.
But the beauty of the show rests not on its bold subjects, but on how it looked at death and dying in a “half-filled glass” perspective. By trivializing death, it has made it less scary, and oddly enough, more acceptable and meaningful.
In one scene at the show’s first season finale, Nate Fisher, one of the main characters of the show, was comforting a grieving woman, whose aunt died suddenly after being hit stray golf ball. The woman, in her grief, asked Nate why do people have to die, to which Nate replied, “to make life important”. Once you are aware of the reality of death, you will treasure life more, and live it to the fullest. Inspiring isn’t it?
Aside from the show’s heavy emphasis on death, it also highlights the power of relationships. How a family holds up in a life surrounded by the permanence of death, and how people should embrace one another in this very short life. As one character on the show Rico, the resident mortician, said, “ When I die, I want my funeral to be more of a celebration of a life that was well lived, and a good reason for my family and close friends to come together”.
I have watched the show’s last two seasons on TV, finished the first season DVD last night, and the second season has just arrived from my favorite Ebay seller. I just can’t wait to pop it up and feed it to my DVD player. And in this light, I am encouraging all of you to get the first season on DVD and see for yourself how remarkable Six Feet Under really is.
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Ted Reyes is a musician, composer, record producer and journalist based in NYC. If you have any comments you can visit his website at www.tedreyes.com or email him at tedreyes@mac.com
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Action superstar and Sen. Bong Revilla, Jr. said he feels sad about sister Andrea Bautista’s coming wedding. “I’m a bit sad because she has been taking care of our father and now we don’t know who will take care of him but at the same time I am happy for her because let’s face it, she’s not getting any younger and she deserves to be happy,” the senator told in an interview at the press conference of the controversial 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines (MMFFP) last Tuesday.
Sen. Revilla was present at the said event because his movie “Exodus: Tale of the Enchanted Kingdom “ is among the seven official Festival entries.
Despite the controversies the MFFFP is facing, Sen. Bong is optimistic about the movie industry. “I’m very positive about the local film industry now. In fact, I believe that the ‘golden age’ in Philippine movies might be just around the corner especially after the good news that I’ve been hearing about the success of ‘Ispiritista.’ Naniniwala talaga ako na pataas na ang industriya . Even if I’m already in the Senate, I’m always open to doing all I can for the industry,” Sen. Bong expressed.
Meanwhile, Sen Bong also disclosed that he is anticipating the coming Senate investigation on the issues involving his friend and colleague Rudy Fernandez and talent promoter Robby Tarroza. “I’m waiting for the investigation to start but what I can say now is that I know my friend Rudy to be a very calm and patient person. But that doesn’t mean that I’ll be taking sides about this matter. Kaya nating isantabi ang pagkakaibigan sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Pero sa ngayon hindi pa tayo puwedeng magsalita tungkol dito hanggang hindi pa natatapos ang investigation.”
Sen. Bong continued that it is a welcome news to him when he learned that Jenine Desiderio—who reportedly underwent the same ordeal as Rudy and company experienced—would be willing to testify should the investigation call for her. “I’m happy to know that she’ll cooperate. In fact, madali naman talaga kausap ang mga kapatid natin sa industriya pagdating sa mga ganitong bagay .”
On the lighter side of show business, Sen. Bong beamed about “Exodus” being “a movie that can be at par with foreign movies in terms of special effects and overall caliber because we did everything we can for the movie which is one of the reasons why I feel very positive about the local movie industry these days,” he closed.
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Viva Hotbabe Gwen Garci has attracted the hot-blooded males not only with her pretty face, perfect figure and golden voice but also a bewitching smile.
But do you know that behind her smiling face is an unhappy childhood and later on, failed relationships?
As a young girl she never felt being loved by her Chinese father who wanted to have a son as his first-born. The chauvinist parent believes that Gwen will bring misfortune to the family and moreso, his business. She was tongue-lashed and beaten for no reason at all. The girl was not allowed to play with other neighborhood kids and eat at the dining table. “I ate with the maids and ate what they cooked such as vegetables, dried fish and bagoong while my brothers were given beef, pork and chicken. I walked to school while my brothers rode our car,” Gwen relates.
To get his father’s attention, she tried to excel in academic subjects but when she handed to him her report card, he tore it and even suspected that her mother paid the teachers to give her high grades.
Disgusted, Gwen left home and met new friends who introduced her to cigarettes, booze and the night life. She fell in love with a guy named Justin but later left her to join showbusiness.
Love no. 2 was Cris, a Filipino-Canadian basketball player and commercial model. After she posed for Formula 3, a European automotive magazine, Viva Films top honcho Vic del Rosario offered her to be a Viva Hot Babe. She became busy that she neglected her boyfriend who turned to another VHB, Sheree.
Now, Gwen is grateful to have a friend named Andrew Woolf, a British-Filipino model. She also reconciled with her mother.
Gwen’s story will be dramatized at the Kapuso drama anthology “Magpakailanman” hosted by Mel Tiangco and helmed by Argel Joseph. She appears as herself with the support of Leo Martinez, Maria Isabel Lopez, Jake Roxas, Jordan Herrera, Simon Ibarra, Coco Martin and Zoren Legaspi.
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Francis Magalona dreads the day his daughter Maxene will be involved in a serious relationship, this he told the media recently at the launching of QTV Channel 11’s “Fam Jam,” which the Master Rapper hosts with Maxene.
“It’s something that all fathers dread. But one day it will happen to my children, they will fall in love. I just wish that whoever it is that they end up with, they’ll be taken care of the way Pia and I took care of them,” he said in an interview at Annabel’s Tomas Morato in Quezon City .
Francis’s ultimate rule on his future in-laws: “No violence. No heartaches.”
For her part, Maxene said she appreciates the way her parents give her the kind of trust and independence she enjoys. Francis stressed, “Pia and I have always allowed our children to be independent. Let them be responsible for their actions. I’m happy and proud that Maxene here knows where she stands. She knows her priorities, school first then career. She’s been doing well in school right now as a second year college in Ateneo.”
Francis further said that hosting a show for the first time with her daughter will allow them to bond together. “‘Fam Jam,’ which is a reality-based band search with singing families as contestants, will give me and my family more time to enjoy each other’s company because I bring the others when we tape during weekends.” The show kicks off on Nov. 11 and every Saturday thereafter.
The “Eat Bulaga” host also cleared inhibitions people might have about the show saying “I don’t think we have to be afraid and doubt if the show will rate because Filipinos know talent when they see it and the show is overflowing with it. And this is not a money contest wherein the fate of the winner is decided through text votes because there will be judges who will decide which family to vote off each week.”
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Being one of the most dynamic and celebrated personalities ever to come out of the Philippines, we have come to expect a certain degree of showmanship, style and flair from Martin Nievera who has dazzled audiences the world-over with his charm, wit and musical gifts. He did not disappoint his adoring fans here in Vancouver last Feb. 24, 2002 at the Orpheum Theater and people here are still talking about it. Now as the seventh stop on his 23-city tour, the anticipation in Vancouver of what he has to offer was very high.
“But when the day finally arrived on Oct. 23, Martin stepped onto the stage before the sold-out crowd at the Croatian Cultural Central with a different purpose in mind. With only a piano, played by musical director, Lori Ilustre, as accompaniment, he displayed a different side to his personality as an introspective performer. The change was felt not only in his songs, from his opening Corner of the Sky, to later ballads, I Sing for You, I’ll be There, and Home, but also in his spiels about his regret of not spending more time with his sons while they were growing up.
“Though it was clear he was proud of his accomplishments, his pursuit of stardom has nevertheless kept him away from his loved ones. He said that he envied us, in that regard. We should not admire celebrities so longingly, for in many respects we are more fortunate than them. Fame is not all it is cracked up to be. But to live and learn is all a part of life’s journey. Or as Martin himself said, ‘Those who have not struggled have not lived, and those who have not failed will never know true success.’
“The performance, however, was not all self-reflection and soul-searching. What would a Martin Nievera concert be without moments of sheer hilarity? In the middle of the concert, Ilustre announced that he had to go to the bathroom. Martin, all alone, looked around the suddenly empty stage as though he was a deer caught in headlights. The situation was of course a ruse. ‘Well the show must go on,’ he told the appreciative crowd who was enjoying his ordeal. ‘So I guess I could play a little for you. But I only know a few keys.’ He then belted out four songs (One More Cry, Please Don’t Ask Me, No Easy Way and Before You Say Goodbye) from his album When Love is Gone.
“On another occasion, he interviewed a married couple (Rob and Gee-Gee) whose seats were separated by an aisle. He jokingly asked them, ‘You are a married couple, right? Then why are you seated so far apart!?’ Martin went further by inquiring into intimate details about them and then took the information and sang it to Say That You Love Me. The crowd howled with laughter.
“Then Martin showed us his true passion, Broadway tunes. He sang them all, from Phantom of the Opera to West Side Story. This vocal display was amazing, considering that he had been ill and lost his voice for several days before the show. At times, it was still apparent that he was struggling, but he soldiered on. The gods must have smiled on him, for his voice soared throughout the show.
“Later, when Martin returned for his encore, he seemed surprised that the audience wanted more. It was 11 p.m. on a Sunday and many people in the audience had to go to work the following morning. ‘Don’t you people want to go home?’ he asked. They responded with a resounding more! Martin sang Kahit Isang Saglit and You Are My Song.
“These seemed to embody the theme of his program, I Sing for You. It is us, his fans, who inspire him to sing and entertain. Without us, he would not be who he is today. And with those words, Martin touched the hearts of everyone present. It was a fitting end to a great evening when Vancouver saw another side of the Concert King who appeared before us as himself.
“The show also featured Vancouver’s own Joey Albert. Joey was stellar during her rendition of Torn, Tell Me and How Do You Keep the Music Playing with Martin.”
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MANILA --- Mylene Dizon had her ups and downs, especially in her showbiz career, but now that she has her nearly one year-old son, Thomas Miguel, she feels she’s on top most of the time.
She admits she felt indescribable pain while giving birth. “Pero, napawi lahat ito when I finally saw him,” she said.
Mylene gave birth to her son in Chicago. Paolo Paraiso, her son’s dad, was at her side.
Mylene and Paolo have no plans of getting married right now. They are not living in, but they are both happy with their relationship and that is what matters, says Mylene.
She is eager to get back to showbiz, while Paolo is happy about what’s happening in his career. He appeared in the much-talked about controversial stage play, “Penis Talks Reloaded.” (MNS)
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MANILA --- Did we also hear it right that Rufa Mae also went steady with Jay Manalo?
Their affair was said to be a well-kept secret between them but Jay later on divulged this to his friends from the press.
“But that, of course, is now a thing of the past,” Jay said. “Napag-usapan lang dahil may pelikula kaming dalawa.”
Rufa Mae plays one of Jayís mistresses in “Ako Legal Wife.” Zsa Zsa Padilla is the first wife. His other mistress is played by Cherry Pie Picache.
“Ako Legal Wife, Mano Po 4” is directed by Joel Lamangan. Itís one of Regal Entertainmentís entries for this yearís Metro Manila Film Festival. (MNS)
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