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For the past 21 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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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
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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
Thoughts on Losing
LAST Saturday I lost my iPod. It was a white, first edition, 5th generation iPod video. I remember ordering it on the Apple web store, the very moment it came up on the site. Oh, I loved that little piece of gadget. It contained thousands of my favorite songs, photos, videos and even random files, because I also use it as a portable hard drive. I never left the house without it– always in my shoulder back, ready when I needed it. Now, it’s gone.
I lost it after a night of amazing rock n’ roll with my dearest friends. I lost it at the event where one of the most memorable gigs I have been involved in took place. I lost it while I was having one of the best nights ever. Yes, I lost my iPod, but it did not ruin that fantastic night.
Yes, I lost something valuable, but I did not let that taint the pure joy of experiencing a magnificent event with my closest confidants. I did not allow that small negative thing cloud the legacy of a positive thing in my life. I did not because in this case, the good outweighs the bad.
There’s so much good, there’s no room for anything bad. There’s so much beauty, ugliness cannot survive.
I have lost other things in my life– gadgets, money, and even friends. But that has always been my rule of thumb- to find the happiness in depressing situations. It eases the pain and never fails to put me in perspective. Life is like that. You lose some, you win some.
Thoughts on Finding
It is joyful to find lost treasure.
This morning I went to Bayonne Park for a jog– yes, I figured that the park is just a block away, so why not?
While walking on the baseball/softball field, I thought of how nice it would have been If I had a baseball and able to hurl some pitches. But the thing is, I don’t have a baseball – never had one. But lo and behold, just a few feet from where I was walking– by the man-made lake, I saw a dirty, forgotten softball. I thought it must have been abandoned by its previous hurler, so I picked it up and dusted it off a little.
I was glad, however, it was too big. I wanted a baseball, but I got a softball, it is good enough. So off I went to the nearest diamond and hurled the newly-found softball. After a few throws, I noticed something behind the batting cage - a baseball! I went and picked it up. Again, it was an old, forgotten baseball, but it is in fairly good shape. My discovery of these balls made my morning! I know they are not mine, but I just assumed that the previous owners have left it for me.
I appreciated the simple joy of finding something you want at the very moment of need. It was a real miracle. It may have not saved lives, or gave sight to the blind, but the small baseball miracle reassured my belief that I am not alone and that happiness can be found in the smallest of things.
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Kris Aquino has been chosen as one of few Deal or No Deal hosts worldwide to host the global tour of the famous and top rated U-S game show program with Howie Mandel.
Mandel currently the host of the popular U.S. game show airing on NBC, and the Canadian version, Deal or No
Deal Canada will visit Manila and tape a special episode of DOND with Kris from April 22-25. So televiewers in America will soon see how their favorite game show is played in the Philippines.
ABS-CBN Business Unit head Alou Almaden said that American contestants will be playing the game according to the rules of the show's Philippine version with the local Banker and 26K girls.
Aside from the Philippines, the US version of Deal or No Deal will also be taping in Estonia and South Africa.
Mabuhay ang Filipino talent!
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MARIAN Rivera is much more excited playing “Dye-sebel” than “Marimar”.
“It’s but to be expected as this is a much more challenging role,” she says. “I have to take special training for my role as a mermaid and it’s not that easy to swim with a fish tail on. The consolation is that everyone who saw my scenes with the tail on say it’s the most convincing Dyesebel mermaid tail ever. Para raw totoong totoo at hindi fake at all. Feeling ko talaga, may buntot nga ako ng isda kapag lumalangoy ako underwater. It’s hard kasi matagal kasi sa ilalim at hindi kami agad pinaaahon in our location shoots in Coron, Palawan. But it’s really worth it. Maganda talaga lumabas on screen. And when you enjoy what you’re doing, nawawala lahat ng hirap mo.”
Does she think her tandem with Dingdong Dantes will still attract viewers after “Marimar”?
“Dingdong and I talked about it with our director, Joyce Bernal, and we all agreed we have to give something new sa tao para magmukhang bagong love team uli ito. Binago ang looks namin and the flow of the story is also different. Kung realistic ang ‘Marimar’, this one is more of a fantasy love story with different beautiful locations na may underwater scenes pa.”
What can she say about the intrigues thrown her way recently? That she’s maldita on the set who makes various demands, a swellhead who snubs even her fans, and other negative allegations?
“I just laugh off all the nasty chismis about me. Sabi nga nila, as you gain fame, you also gain a lot more intrigues. E, ganun siguro talaga, laging kakambal ang intriga, hindi maiiwasan. Ayoko na nga magbasa kung minsan ng mga sinusulat about me kasi nakakasira lang ng mood. Biruin mong may chika pang pati mga yaya o maids sa condo where I live, inaaway ko raw. I hardly stay in the condo. Tulog lang tapos aalis na naman para sa trabaho. Ni wala akong time makipag-chikahan sa mga tao roon, mang-aaway pa ako. The important thing is my conscience is clear, alam kong wala akong sinasagasaan o iniisnab na ibang tao, at happy ako sa work ko. Hindi ko na lang iintindihin ang mga intriga.”
“Dyesebel” will replace “Kamandag” on GMA Telebabad. (MNS)
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The 15-year-old singing wunderkind is very busy making her rounds of the top international talk shows, from Sweden, Korea, the United States and, only last week, England, as a sought-after guest on TV shows that beamed her awesome, lung-busting vocal skills globally.
Charice just recently taped a special episode for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” where she shares the stage with other gifted children. The episode airs in May.
Her most recent appearance was on the “Paul O’Grady Show.”
“Nakakatuwa, pinaghandaan talaga nila,” Charice says, referring to the top-rating British talk-comedy program. “Meron pang fireworks, para mas maganda raw habang kumakanta ako.”
The songs she sang— the “Dreamgirls” anthem “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You—were exactly what she rendered in her now world-famous stints on “Star King” in South Korea and the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” in the US.
“Yun ang hiniling nila, kung ano raw ang napanood nila sa ‘Ellen,’” Charice explains.
The studio audience on the “Paul O’Grady Show” gave her a standing ovation. She says she was told it was the first time ever.
All the attention would not have been possible, she says, without the single-handed stroke of genius of Dave Dueñas, a.k.a. FalseVoice on the YouTube channel. A 19- year-old nursing student at Perpetual Help College, Las Piñas, who also happens to be a techno geek. Dave uploaded Charice’s taped performances on YouTube, the popular videosharing Web site whose total viewers have reached 79 million as of January this year.
Charice says Dueñas was a complete stranger and only when she sought him out through e-mail did she discover why he fancied her videos.
“Kasi raw natatawa siya dun sa nanalong contestant sa “America’s Got Talent.” Mas magaling daw ako kaya pinagsama niya yung video namin.”
Said videos paved the way for all succeeding uploads now currently seen by people around the globe 24/7. The phenomenal exposure has paid off on a slow but steadily increasing rate.
“Lahat ng TV appearances ni Charice sa abroad libre, pero napakalaking tulong,” mom Raquel says. “Sa ‘Oprah’ binigyan siya ng shopping money.”
The guest stint with Paul O’Grady reportedly happened on the recommendation of David Foster, the music industry stalwart who has produced albums for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Josh Groban.
Charice laughs, saying Foster took her by the hand and introduced her as “my new singer” to the American press when they attended a high-profile show biz affair.
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MANILA -- AT the presscon for “Maligno,” Diether Ocampo denied that he has reconciled with ex-wife Kristine Hermosa after they were seen together in Boracay.
“Yes, magkasama kami sa Boracay for a pictorial, with me as the photographer, pero hindi kami nagkabalikan,” he says. “We did a pictorial there for my magazine. She also helps me out sa charity work ko for KIDS Foundation. Pero hanggang doon lang. If ever nagkabalikan nga kami, hindi ko naman itatago. As of now, trabaho lang ako at volunteer work sa KIDS Foundation that had a successful feeding program sa three barangays of Camarines Sur that we were able to identify as the most poverty stricken area in the region with 7,000 kids being malnourished. We’re now hoping to raise more funds and awareness for this particular project. We implemented its first cycle of 60 days and we’ll start soon the next cycle of another 60 days to achieve the full potential of the feeding program. For those who want to help, please log on to our site, www.kidsfoundation.org.ph.”
So he’s no longer keen on reconciling with Kristine?
“I’ve done my part doon sa sinabi ko noong niligawan ko siya uli. Kung kami pa rin ang magiging magkasama later on, only God knows. As of now, maayos naman ang samahan namin. We’re friends.”
He seems to have given up hope? Is it because of Oyo Sotto who continues to be linked with Kristine?
“I’d rather not talk about it at all. Kasi hahaba lang at hindi matatapos if ever I’d say anything. So whatever it is that I feel, I’ll just keep it to myself. Let’s just say I’m a man of few words.”
As of now, he’s just happy to be reunited with Claudine Barretto and Director Wenn Deramas in “Maligno.”
“We’ve done several soaps and films together like ‘Mula sa Puso’, ‘Saan Ka Man Naroroon’, at iba pa, kaya happy akong magkakasama kami uli rito sa ‘Maligno’ na horror naman.” (MNS)
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MANILA -- KATRINA Halili says she is hurt when people quickly judge her ability to play a lead role now that she’s topbilling the remake of “Magdusa Ka” opposite Dennis Trillo that will replace “Maging Akin Ka Lamang” on GMA-7’s Dramarama sa Hapon.
“I wish panoorin muna nila ang show before they say anything,” she says. “I will show na hindi lang ako pangkontrabida kundi kaya ko ring magbida. Don’t they want me to grow as an actress? I’m sure sawa na rin silang laging nangaapi ako ng bida kaya give me a chance naman na ako naman ang apihin ngayon.”
Katrina is no longer with GMA Artist Center after her contract with them expired last February. She is now handled by Director Rommel Gacho of Starstruck who she considers her father in showbiz.
“I’ll now be directly under GMA Network with Tatay Rommel guiding me personally at siyang personal na kakausapin nila.”
What can she say about her Starstruck batchmate Cristine Reyes’ decision to leave GMA for ABS?
“Well, I respect her decision. Good luck to her. Ang importante naman, kung saan ka masaya, di dun ka. E, ako, happy po ako with GMA, so dito pa rin ako sa Kapuso at wala akong planong lumipat at all.”
How did she feel when Iwa Moto declared she fits villain roles more?
“Parang kapatid ko si Iwa at Ate nga ang tawag sa akin niyan, so I don’t feel she means anything bad when she said that. She plays the kontrabida nga to me in ‘Magdusa Ka’, so she’ll be in a good position para makita kung kaya ko na ngang magbida o hindi. Kundi ko kaya, di siya na ang magbida. Chos! Joke lang!”
Does she think Iwa can do lead roles?
“Why not? Siguro naman, bagay din sa kanya. Let’s give her a chance. Just like me, yung mga nanghuhusga agad sa’kin, give me a chance naman muna.”
Dina Bonnevie won several best actress awards for the lead role in “Magdusa Ka”. Does she think she can duplicate Dina’s portrayal?
“I saw the movie on DVD and she’s really good. Pero ayoko namang basta kopyahin ang acting niya. All I can say is that I will do my best at sana, huwag na lang kaming pagkumparahin kasi iba siya at iba rin naman ako. Basta, kakayanin ko kahit ibang talent ang ipapakita ko kasi dati, ako ang laging nagmamaldita, di ba? Pero ngayon, ako ang aapihin ni Iwa na siyang maldita rito. Alam ko, makakaya ko ‘yung gawin, with flying colors.” (MNS)
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