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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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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
THE trend is clear. The time has come. The word is ‘free.’ Today, Nine Inch Nails offered their latest album free of charge.
It is the boldest statement yet from a major artist about the state of the music industry since Radiohead gave their fans options on how to go about the band’s latest release: They can choose to pay, or not.
NIN’s move is yet another blow to a struggling industry whose grip on its consumers is fast slipping away. Nobody buys music anymore, and that is the truth. Now, artists cash in on tours and merchandise and not on CD sales anymore like it used to. In the old days (perhaps less than ten years ago), gigs are played to promote albums. Now it is the exact reverse– albums promote gigs. The more free releases artists give away, the more popular they could become– and rich due to tour revenues and band items for sale.
The ‘free’ trend is a natural by-product of the home recording revolution. Most artists are now equipped with basic recording equipment in their homes and can release songs and albums as often as they want without the controlling arm of record executives. Gone are the days when, artists needed a big budget to produce their records, now it is all do it yourself.
Despite the free trend, however, some artists still opt to have their albums on physical CDs or vinyl, but only for the novelty of it and not for anything else. Perhaps, there are still some CD and vinyl enthusiasts who appreciate these ancient forms of music distribution. But it is certain that the majority is not into liner notes and tangible album covers anymore. Almost everyone has turned to the digital form.
The way of listening to music has changed since the birth of the iPod, and it is but natural for the music companies to change their form of delivery as well. Thus, came the Mp3 and all the countless online music stores. The music companies’ embrace of the new order also proved to be the end for them.
In light of all these, perhaps, FilAm artists and labels could do this as well. Titofelix did it with their latest album, and so did our local indy label, Soulorks. But given that most FilAm bands are generally unknown to the whole FilAm community in the whole country, there’s a chance that the effort would be futile.
Truth is, we are yet to see FilAms really supporting local artists in the way the mainstream fans support big groups like Radiohead and NIN. If Fil Am fans can watch Radio head gigs and purchase NIN t-shirts and mugs, why can’t they lend the same support to a FilAm bands?
We hope they will.
If we can get all FilAm music lovers and the local media to support the music scene, it would not hurt so much for artists to give away their albums because they know they will get their compensation from full house gigs and sold out t-shirts.
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MANILA -- Young actress Bea Alonso will play the lead role in ABS-CBN’s adaptation of the Mexican telenovela "Betty La Fea." The confirmation was made by television director Wenn Deramas.
"Yes, gagawin na nga 'yung Betty La Fea," said Deramas. Deramas said he will be meeting today with other network officials to discuss the series.
"May meeting nga ako kasi gusto na nila na simulan 'yung Betty La Fea. Mayroon pang "Dyosa" kaya pag-iisipin ko din kung paano," Deramas added.
Betty La Fea is the story of a not-so-pretty but intelligent woman who falls in love with her boss and decides to have a makeover.
Contenders for La Fea
Prior to Deramas' confirmation that Alonso will play Betty La Fea, there were other actresses being considered for the role. They were "Lobo" star Angel Locsin and "Maging Sino Ka Man" mainstay Anne Curtis.
Earlier reports had said singer Regine Velasquez was also considered for the series. In February, Velasquez appeared on the entertainment show "The Buzz." She said she was the one who broached the idea to "someone" that she wanted to play the role of "Betty La Fea", or Ugly Betty, in the Philippine edition of the popular TV series. The show was first aired in Mexico and it later had a successful US version.
The singer said that her interest in doing "Betty La Fea" and her excitement over the subsequent offer from ABSCBN first made her decide to say good-bye to GMA-7. Velasquez emphasized that she was genuinely interested in doing the series. She pointed out that she would not have risked employment at GMA-7 and her good relations with the station if she was merely creating a ruse to get better terms for her new contract. In the end, Velasquez decided to stay with GMA-7. (MNS)
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MANILA -- Carmen Curtis, mother of Anne Curtis, said if she were asked to choose, she would want her daughter to end up with TV host Luis Manzano. She said this is because Manzano is a nice person. Other than that, she said she has always been a die-hard Vilmanian, and would love to have actress Vilma Santos as an in-law.
Mrs. Curtis said, "Si Lucky nanligaw talaga, except soul mate ang gusto ni Anne, muna. Boto ako kay Lucky pero sabi nga sa akin ni Lucky, 'Mommy ayaw eh'."
But Anne's mother admitted that she has also become fond of actor Sam Milby, who is also courting her daughter. Milby has been wooing Anne for a few months.
"Si Sam, he's very, mabait siya, mabait, very. Pag nakikita mo mato-touch ka sa mga ginagawa nya. Gaya ng umuwi kami. Mostly we spent Christmas and New Year's eve with the family. Yung pakikisama niya hindi siya yung gaya ng ibang artista," said Mrs. Curtis.
As proof that the family will be supportive in case Anne and Sam end up together, Mrs. Curtis promised to watch the "Heartthrobs" concert of Sam and actor Piolo Pascual, to be staged in Sydney and Melbourne in May.
Mrs. Curtis emphatically said, "Of course I have to support!" (MNS)
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MANILA -- THE 19- year-marriage of couple Ramon “Monching” Christopher and Lotlot de Leon ended on May 1 as the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) declared their marriage null and void since both were underage when they got married on March 27, 1989.
A year ago, actress Lotlot filed an annulment case at the court by reason of irreconcilable differences she and her husband Monching are undergoing. And this month, the actress confirmed that they are now legally separated as she received the court’s decision.
When asked in a television interview what was her initial reaction when she heard about the verdict, Lotlot said: "When I got the call from my lawyer, I am really surprised. But there is a misconception that people experiencing the same situation should be happy... for me it was mixed emotions.”
She said she was not proud of what happened to their marriage initially because of their children. "We're not proud (annulment case) God only knows. I know Monching and I really tried to make the marriage work but it really failed. But what's good about this is I know that Mon and I learned so much from the relationship, for the 19 years that we’ve shared. I just hope this would become a lesson for us.”
Although the couple chose to part ways and go with their lives separately, what only matters to Lotlot for now is the respect that her partner is giving her and the proper care and continuing guidance for their children.
The actress said their kids know of their decision. She also believes that they are mature and educated enough to understand their situation. She admitted though that it is not easy for the kids to cope. She hopes they eventually will accept and comprehend the mistakes of their parents and learn from these mistakes.
Lotlot was the one who informed Monching of the court’s decision. She was also the one who informed the kids.
Despite the court’s resolution, Lotlot however commends Monching, “One thing that's very good about my relationship with Monching is that when it comes to raising the kids, we are still one and that will never change.”(MNS)
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MANILA -- RUFA Mae Quinto surprised “Showbiz Central” staff last Sunday when she brought along rumored boyfriend, Bobby Lopez at the GMA Broadway Studios.
“Nag-promise kasi ako sa kanila na personally ay ipapakilala ko sila kay Bobby,” says Rufa Mae. “Kaya bago ko siya ihatid sa airport, pinadaan ko na siya dito.”
This was to quash rumors that the boyfriend she was talking about was just an “illusion.”
“Noong una, break na raw kami. Tapos, ilusyon lang daw,” Rufa Mae laughs. “Kaya hayan, in the flesh na dinala ko si Bobby. Siguro naman titigil na ang mga nagsasabi na nag-iilusyon lang ako, ‘di ba? Maging happy na lang sila sa akin na may bagong inspirasyon ako ngayon.”
When asked if he’s dating other girls right now than Rufa Mae, Bobby, who’s Mattel Company’s finance officer in Hong Kong, said: “I’m not dating anybody except her. I want to get to know her better and to get to know all her friends here. (MNS)
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The Filipino film Serbis is one of 20 films chosen to compete in the 61st Cannes Film Festival, the premier international film festival held yearly in Cannes, France. This year’s festival will run from May 14 to 25.
Brillante “Dante” Mendoza helms this indie film, which is expected to be screened in the Philippines this June. Serbis is a co-production between French producer Didier Costet for Swift Productions and Filipino producer Ferdinand Lapuz for Centerstage Productions.
Serbis is the story of a family living in a rundown movie house in Angeles City, Pampanga. Gina Pareño plays the matriarch who owns the moviehouse, while her family members serve as her employees. Playing Gina’s children are multi-awarded actress Jaclyn Jose, former action star Dan Alvaro, and newcomer Roxanne Jordan.
Julio Diaz plays Jaclyn’s husband, while Kristofer King is cast as the projectionist of the movie house and Coco Martin is a painter. Mercedes Cabral plays Coco’s girlfriend and Bobby Jerome Go plays the son of Jaclyn and Julio.
The screenplay of Serbis was written by multi-awarded Armando “Bing” Lao (Kubrador, Pila-Balde). Bing co-wrote the story with Boots Agbayani Pastor (Kaleldo, Masahista).
Serbis has been invited to the official Competition section of the 61st Cannes Film Festival. Cannes—considered the top international film festival in the world, followed by the Toronto International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival or Berlinale—has several sections, including the Directors Fortnight and the Out of Competion.
The Competition section is the toughest section to crack. This is only the third time that the Philippines has been invited to this section in Cannes: the first time in 1980 with the late National Artist Lino Brocka’s Jaguar and the second in 1984 with Kapit sa Patalim, also by Brocka. The screenplay for Jaguar was written by respected artists Ricky Lee and Jose “Pete” Lacaba; with Lacaba getting solo screenplay credits for Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim.
Last year, Dante Mendoza’s independent film Foster Child, produced by Seiko Films, was accorded a five minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight, the same category where other Filipino films have been shown—namely, Lino Brocka’s Insiang (1978) and Bona (1981); Mike de Leon’s Kisapmata (1981) and Batch ‘81 (1982); and Mario O’Hara’s Babae sa Breakwater (2004). Brocka’s Orapronobis was shown in the Out of Competition section in 1989. When Serbis screens at the 61st Cannes Film Festival, Dante Mendoza will do the country proud once again.
Earlier this month, his Tirador won three major awards in the Singapore International Film Festival, including Best Picture and Best Director. In 2005, his first full-length indie film, Masahista, won the Golden Leopard Award at the Locarno International Film Festival.
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