And FUCK is no longer a dirty word - at least, not these days.
You can even swear by it.
I am reading this absurd book extolling the joys of unadulterated SEX.
The screaming headline shouts: THIS WORLD NEEDS A GOOD FUCK EVERY NOW AND THEN.
You think so?
SEX IS JOLLY GOOD WHEN YOU SHUT UP.
SEX is a PRIVATE thing,
You are supposed to respect and protect your lover.
NOT EXPOSE THEM.
Much less scandalize them.
You close the window,
You calm the light,
You savor the silence,
You ignore the skeptics,
You're in tune with your body and rhythm,
You unlease your inner senses,
You go wild and raucous -
After all, you're behind closed doors,
You know no taboos here ...
You explore vigorous humping and bumping and all the Kama Sutra loving like there's no tomorrow.
It's the name of this game called LOVE and SHARING INTIMACY.
You are your own man,
MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR.
SEX IS PERSONAL.
WITHIN YOUR BEDROOM.
YOU KEEP MUM.
But NOT for certain celebrities, specially the perverted ones with devious schemes.
In HONG KONG one year ago, EDISON CHEN exploded unashamedly in full force exposing his staccato dalliances with his leading actresses.
His fetish? To film himself balling his "lollipop" ladies.
EDISON destroyed their careers with his romps, and bolted off like a whirlwind, after hotting up world news.
This time round, our friendly neighbour - the PHILIPPINES has one HAYDEN KHO, celebrity doctor who loves to hog the limelight.
Right into the internet.
He's a 6'2" dandy who started his modeling and showbiz career whilst in college.
He's now a full fledged cosmetic surgeon who's pitting his good looks, charisma and academics into good use.
HAYDEN with his bevy of lovely ladies is here to give EDISON a run for his money with the unleashing of his sex videos depicting his no-holds barred escapades in cyberspace.
Who's the culprit?
Glory be, hell knoweth no fury like a lover scorned.
HAYDEN KHO is by now, very famous (hmmm ...infamous) indeed, for the wrong deeds.
It's much ado about everything now.
He's the paparazzi's hottest property now for his indiscretions.
It has been reported that he still is nonchalant.
THE HAYDEN KHO SCANDAL is a case of loving and two-timings or simply, a case of too much loving.
His bevy of beauty queens?
Notably KATRINA HALILI (pictures ABOVE) - and MARICAR REYES, among others.
SEX MAKES THE WORLD GOES ROUND?
Perhaps.
But for HAYDEN KHO, too much loving have caused him dizzy spells.
At least he's enjoying worldwide fame now with the online focus on his sexual perversions, bedroom farce and tintillating exploits.
This profession teaches entertainers to adorn "masks".
So you've to contend with the myriad of plasticine and phoniness.
Everybody is putting up a front.
That's their facade for protection.
Funny thing is, in my years of interacting with Asian actors, the less popular that particular artiste is, he adopts a more "put-on" attitude to conceal his latent insecurties.
The really famous ones?
Well, good wine needs no bush, so the proverb says.
They are mostly, genuinely nice.
Opinions on artistes can be shaped into something interesting, less daunting, never beastly,
Beauty
It's in the eye of the beholder.
Otherwise we'll all be heading the same direction.
Right?
YOU WOULDN'T LABEL this damsel as being strikingly beautiful?
She ain't ZOE TAY, the glam puss for sure.
But I'll vouch for this one:
She refreshingly different.
She has a radiant personality that melts like sugar upon your palm.
And there's one thing we can tell from her ready smiles.
She is sunshine.
She's sugar.
She exudes unpretentious warmth.
She looks squeaky clean and cherubic.
She has a quiet charm - for shouting out loud - that sticks to you like steadfast glue.
You cannot forget, surely not.
You wouldn't want to.
Not this one.
Bubbly, friendly, more than what you can say.
She's FELICIA CHIN,
MediaCorp most famous SINGAPORE actress across the causeway -
MALAYSIANS simply love her,
FELICIA CHIN is the only one so far that has Malaysian advertising clients rooting for her,
And we'll definitely see more of her, yah?
SHE'S ONE PRETTY LITTLE BABY, as the song goes:
Pretty little baby, (Yah, yah) Pretty little baby, (Yah, yah)
Pretty little baby, You say that maybe, You'll be thinkin' of me, And try to love me, Pretty little baby, I'm hoping that you do-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!
You can ask the flowers, I sit for hours, Tellin' all the bluebirds, The "bill and coo" birds, Pretty little baby, I'm so in love with you-oo-oo-oo-oo!
(chorus) Now is just the time, While both of us are young, "Puppy love" must have it's day-ay-ay, Don'tcha know it's much more fun to love, While the heart is young and gay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay!
Meet me at the car hop, Or at the pop shop, Meet me in the moonlight, Or in the daylight, Pretty little baby, I'm so in love with you-oo-oo-oo-oo!
( instrumental bridge; repeat chorus) Pretty little baby, I said, "Pretty little baby", Oh, now, pretty little baby....(fade out)
She's our PRETTY LITTLE BABE.
Her name?
FELICIA CHEN JING XUAN.
Previously CHEN FENG LIN.
And what's in a blessed new name?
A comely career, golden prosperity and glorious fortune?
Oh, I wish!
It's like sitting there looking pretty, just pray and stay wistful.
Life's not like that.
Common sense will extol the logic of working and planning hard.
Some luck may prevail but ingots of gold don't simply land on your lap just-like-that.
Fat hope.
The THAIS love to change their entire names for a change in luck.
The CHINESE believes that altering "certain characters" in their names would ward off nasty incidents and usher in double happiness in fortunes.
That is, if you believe.
In LIFE, you've got to reach out and embrace something
like a religion,
I read somewhere, someone saying:
IT'S NOT THAT I BELIEVE IN GOD, BUT I FEAR THE DEVIL.
Aptly said.
If you pass by the ERAWAN district in Bangkok, you would espy hundreds, if not thousands - of fervent prayers at the PHRA-PROM, the super famous 4-faced Thai-Hindu God Staturette who "offers help in all directions".
Bus loads of tourists from all over ASIA would come and pray for quickly-get-rich-feel-good schemes.
Ever-once-in-a-while you can spot some famous HONGKONG or TAIWAN artistes or pop idols there to lend credence to this belief.
So there!
So what did FELICIA CHIN's new Chinese name did for her?
Dunno, it's debatable.
More than one year ago, she was slated to be the next AH JIE (Big Sister) in Mediacorp Singapore.
But after the change in her name, her 'stars' seem to dwindle.
Her recent screen roles seemed lack lustre.
Two of her nubile competitors JEANETTE AW and JOANNE PEH, who once-upon-a time were her beautiful maids-in-waiting, suddenly outshone her.
Why?
Nobody can really tell, much less guess.
The game of the name?
Hard to say.
One of my THAI film maker friends changed his name and it didn't seem to get him anywhere.
Quite in fact, his career nosedived.
He's now considering switching back to his original birth name.
Anger thy father?
I wouldn't dream, dude.
LIFE IS STRESSFUL ENOUGH WITHOUT ROCKING ANY BOAT.
This one is from the PHILIPPINES and is about a once-upon-a-time "undying devotion" that has gone awry.
Regarding the star line-up above, I am sure many in MALAYSIA (JERICHO has a huge fan following there) are familiar with JERICHO ROSALES (a.k.a. ECHO) and HEART EVANGELISTA.
So you'd have no problem to identify the faces of Hollywood's new actress BRIANA EVIGAN (of STEP UP 2 THE STREETS fame)and CARMEN SOO (Malaysia's model/actress).
IN ASIAN TINSELTOWN, it's hard to rule out what is "real" from what is "reel".
It's also difficult (though not impossible) for an artiste to find true friends in this dog-eat-dog industry of make-believe, rivalries and petty jealousies.
Your fellow artiste may congratulate and wish you well on a plum role that has just landed on your lap, but how sincere are his good wishes? Sweet words do not maketh a friend.
It is safe to say that every not-so-popular actor is longing for his rival to "topple" from grace so that he can take over the reins, well, hopefully.
The entertainment world is full of manipulators - the media machines and the television stations, and the "feuding" artistes will just be fodders to more gossip to boost sales and ratings.
Of course, as in every business, company politics are rampant, and MORE so in the the entertainment circle where creeps and "plastic" people are always lurking around.
So it comes as NO SURPRISE that when JERICHO ROSALES and HEART EVANGELISTA (Philippine on-screen and off-screen sweethearts) called their 3-year old relationship quits officially in May 2008, the television stations played up the split to garner more ratings by interviewing the hapless artistes on national television to a point where it was impossible for either of them to take on another recourse.
Or is it the other way around, where the stars are using the media to devise a "prime-time publicity blitz" for themselves as some form of promotional gimmick?
JERICHO ROSALES comes from a humble background and his is a poor boy-to-successful-rich-actor as compared to born-rich HEART EVANGELISTA. This may not be a match made in heaven as HEART's wealthy parents have always objected to the relationship.
It has also been rumoured that JERICHO has fathered a child years back, but nobody can attest to this "hiccup in the grapevine".
Both JERICHO and HEART are under the management of MANILA GENESIS, but HEART has moved on to greener pastures by signing up with GMA-7.
Bad boy JERICHO (a born again Christian) has been espied to be two-timing HEART by having flings with upcoming American Actress BRIANA EVIGAN and Malaysian actress CARMEN SOO which caused HEART to put a damper on their relationship (or this is just a timely excuse for a fresh start in a career move)?
SO WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE BUBBLE BURSTS ..... WHEN LOVE DIES?
I totally agree with fellow blogger THESS BACSAL when she said
"If the heart is the place where loves come from, then where does love go when it dies?
But does love ever really die?
If someone has hurt us in the past, is there a need to shut off the feelings we have for him or for her, so that we may feel better?
The years that two persons been together is something that can never be thrown away nor forgotten.
Love never dies.
In fact, you will always care about that one special person, but on a different degree of loving.
You will always be concerned for his or her welfare.
You will never wish ill of that person no matter how much they made you cry, or left your heart to bleed".
For JERICHO, the world is a stage and life goes on.
For HEART, hell knows no fury like a woman scorned.
For us, it's a lesson about LOVE that we should learn from their breakup, that love needs to be nurtured, and to stay faithful in top form to the one we care about.
And never to take our soulmate for granted.
'Cos sometimes, true love may not come this way again.
DID SOMEONE SAY THAT LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU ARE SORRY?
With a name like BOSCO to start off with, you simply can't go wrong.
"I like it because it's different, la" he purrs.
Don't you think BOSCO reeks more like a pet's name?
All my friends laughingly think so.
BOSCO WONG is a pure case of SUBSTANCE, and FORM.
Affectionately known asWONG CHUNG CHAK in Cantonese, he is Hong Kong television's hottest, most impressive up-and-coming star to date and most consistent crowd-pleaser.
Industry insiders say that he could be a contender for the "next TONY LEUNG" of Hong Kong Cinema.
Time will tell.
Unpredictable, effervescent and charismatic are adjectives that best describe him.
BOSCO is always armed with a beaming smile and a friendly pat if he's near you, which earns him the reputation of being an approachable artiste.
He has a sunny disposition to life.
Despite the highs and lows of every day's living, he staunchly believes that there is indeed one road, but there are so many ways to travel it.
Smile and the whole world smile with you!
In 1998, BOSCO was spotted in the street by a talent scout who recruited him for a television commercial playing opposite the infamous CECILIA CHEUNG of the EDISON CHEN scandal.
Thereafter, HK TVB, after witnessing the potential in him, auditioned and groomed him for an acting career.
From then on, the rest is history.
All this for this dude whose childhood dream was to to be an international CHEF specializing in Chinese cuisine.
He is a gifted actor, often touted for his outstanding performances in television family dramas, following the trend of his famous predecessor CHOW YUN FAT, also formerly from TVB.
"I am worth it," he grins, "I give my "all" in each role that I play."
He has no qualms about roughing up to lend credibility to whatever role he is playing, and hopefully bag an award or two.
He has an engaging chemistry with his on-screen girl friend MYOLIE WU, but off-screen he denies an attachment.
"MYOLIE and myself are pure colleagues," he quips.
His secret wish?
"To have LISA WONG (TVB veteran actress) as my godmother."
He's not joking.
At 29, he has a long way to go to horn his craft, and BOSCO is in no hurry.
His fans would often say, Golly, BOSCO is really cute.
In reality, BOSCO is not devilishly handsome, but he has a jovial boy-next-door look with a playful grin.
Moving on up?
Yes, that is BOSCO's ambition in this competitive world of acting.
His career is on the fast track and he is far from being an eye candy.
What would happen if Hollywood beckons in future?
"Right now, I am not saying anything. I am not even contemplating this idea as I would want to see Asian actors in roles that are NOT stereotyped."
There's a thriving film industry out there and one gigantic TV drama factory that produces prime time soaps.
It's called MEDIACORP Singapore.
Yet some SINGAPORE bloggers nicknamed it MEDIACORPSE.
Sarcasm or Spite?
Considering that the station is one of the very best in ASIA and is constantly churning out some of the most prolific dramas, such as the recent REUNION DINNER and JUST IN SINGAPORE.
REUNION DINNER and JUST IN SINGAPORE made us all sit up to take notice of the simpler virtues in life, of living in the heartland of SINGAPORE.
They were wonderfully scripted and kudos to the writing team who had added beauty and realism to the otherwise mundane lines.
Excellent true-to-life scripts, we all say.
And to the competent acting cast who delivered the goods.
They are "best actors" in their own rights.
We enjoyed the series so much, we laughed and we cried all-the-way with the characters.
And we are especially wowed with the "au naturel" acting prowess of veteran actress CHEN LI PING.
And kudos too, to PAUL CHAN, the Station's Vice-President OF Branding for his first-hand and entertaining blog covering the MEDIACORP scene.
You are doing a great job, PAUL, in "enhancing the brands" and making themso vibrant.
He has a way with his banters and interactions with the artistes (not easy, because we are hopeless at people mayhem).
NOW BACK TO THIS ARTICLE.
It's bound to upset some raw nerves.
But we're sticking to our guns.
SOMETIMES, a great notion?
Maybe. Perhaps.
Our regional production team (comprising a fair mix of SINGAPOREANS, MALAYSIANS, FILIPINOS, HONG KONGERS and THAIS) try to stay positively opinionated, bear with us.
We are insiders in this industry.
We do our homework before we shoot from our mouths (pun intended).
We are not fans.
It's MIND over MATTER, OK?
As a CHINESE adage goes, we are dealing with SUBJECT content and not the PERSON.
JEANETTE AW.
She's really beautiful, isn't she?
She has that kind-of-a-face that can launch a thousand ships.
She's getting better and better.
Pearly white teeth, enchanting smile, sparkling eyes that beckon you seductively - yet with a tinge of playful shyness.
Believably perfect.
She reminds you of a younger VIVIAN CHOW, the Hong Kong squeeky clean girl-next-door artitste.
Nope, we were not taken in by her in the first instance.
In her earlier drama roles, she was often the spoilt lass or shy maiden.
Until LITTLE NONYA came along and changed all that.
As I have mentioned, her image just "grows" on you.
She's going to grace the SINGAPORE google tube for many more long years to come.
This sweet damsel is bound to set male hearts aflutter, not only in SINGAPORE but from far, far away - from all around the region.
Provided that her MANAGEMENT is SINCERE in promoting her seriously and NOT PUSHING her off the limits.
Stop repeating that JEANETTE is 29 (who cares, since she can pass off as 23) and that rookie CHINA babe DYT is only 23.
If the pairing is so uncomfortable, just don't align them together in the first place.
So much for comfort zone.
Age is just a number if a person can maintain his or her looks.
Sensitivity is quite another matter.
Women do not like to be reminded that they are a year older.
First, they were adamant in bestowing JEANETTE the crown, since ZOE TAY and FANN WONG, the Station's reigning queens are happily married and have reached their pinnacles.
JEANNETTE AW gained awesome fame in LITTLE NONYA the recent blockbuster drama series.
She should be the ONLY leading actress there judging by air time, storyline and character focus, as any foreign producer or film maker can see and judge.
THE SINGULAR THEME WEAVES AROUND THE LITTLE NONYA. Even the name.
JEANETTE had fleshed her dual roles as the distraught peranakan mother-and-daughter during pre-and-post Japanese occupation with aplomb.
She deserved the compliments and even her management applauded her.
At first.
Now it's a different story. There's a sudden change of hearts and minds.
It's JOANNE PEH, another pretty damsel, who has a prominent supporting role in LITTLE NONYA who stole the thunder with her portrayal of a brutally maimed woman, raped and left to die.
It's JOANNE PEH who walked away with the coveted BEST ACTRESS 2009 award.
Hers is a staunch supporting role as we read it (say what you want), and not a lead by sight and sound, and we therefore beg to digress.
But her management wants her in, and that was that.
Suddenly JOANNE becomes the flavor of the season.
It's LIFE imitating ART, or vice-versa?
We don't know, but our heart goes out to JEANNETTE.
Everybody has been rooting for her to win and for some inexplicable reasons, she lost out and is left dangling in mid-air.
Heard of the song PUPPET ON A STRING?
There're plenty of cherubic smiles on the stage of the recent SINGAPORE STAR AWARDS 2009.
For the winners, it was "floating on cloud 9" and enlightenment all the way
For the losers?
Brave smiles ("no big deal, la") but teary disappointments within.
It's like this when you've got to pit one talent against another.
Did the best one win?
Your guess is as good as ours.
This is pretty much the situation for JEANNETTE AW, to have what you should have on a platter and have it taken away right before your eyes.
TO HAVE BUT NOT TO HOLD.
Entertainment politics prevail here.
Raw talent, kick ass or kiss ass?
For sure, connections are all that important here.
If Management likes you, then it's SUMMER all the way.
If they don't, then it's time to hunt for alternatives.
Unless you are tolerant of the frost-bites.
AWARDS NIGHT is not necessarily a culmination of achievements, of tributes and of glowing things to come.
It's a pitch of one-great-talent-against-another in a boxing ring.
It's pure entertainment itself to the audience out there, fodder to raise ratings and to incite media advertising.
All the World is a Stage,
And all the men and women are mere players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
It's life imitating art, so to speak.
WHAT PRICE STARDOM?
Lots.
You lose your privacy, you are heavily lauded with praises or negative criticism,
You'll feel ever-so-insecure because you fear that there's always a better one out there somewhere,
And the day'll come when you are forced to step down -
gracefully or otherwise,
THE ENTERTAINMENT ARENA is a brutal ground for challenges,
You've to dance to the right tune,
Plenty of SMILES aflowing.
But for those who have lost, putting on your brightest SMILE is the best way to walk away head up high.
With gracious dignity.
AWESOME, isn't it?
To JOANNE PEH - we have supported you in our past articles, we think you are great - we say sorry for voicing our opinions (and of course, we know you don't care).
To JEANETTE AW - at least we are seeing you in a different light now, and there'll be sunshine after the rain, for sure. Cheers!
Isn't LIFE like this:
YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME.
YOU SIMPLY CANNOT ATTAIN GLORY FOREVER.
(The above content reflects the professional sentiments and musings of your SINGAPORE's friendly neigbbours and does not seek to offend or pique controversy, so there!)
DAD, I espied this elderly man in the park at the close of evening.
He was sitting on the public bench, staring blankly into space.
He looked really desolate and lonely.
Maybe I was mistaken. But did I not see his right hand reaching for his eyes to brush away a tear or two?
Did someone in his family abuse him and hurt his pride?
Was not this man once-upon-a-time the breadwinner in his family?
There was this aura of melancholy around him that was so intense and piercing.
The evening atmosphere was marked with a dead silence and there was something unearthly calm about this place.
It was really kind of eerie.
This old man reminded me of you, DAD.
His battered looks and demeanor, there are so much semblances.
What happened to the both of us, DAD?
I was constantly traveling in my job and I neglected you, because I have my own life and career.
I forgot that you once nurtured me and gave me bread.
I forgot that, as a child, you'd buy me the most expensive books to instill in me a love for reading.
Because you told me that you were illiterate and that you wouldn't want me to grow up to be like you.
We were poor then but my platter was always full, as you'd saved the pounds for me and kept the pennies for yourself.
In school when my classmates would belittle our poverty, I became ashamed of you and wondered why we could not be wealthy as they were.
I would storm home and stared "daggers" at you for being so incompetent as a father.
I was rude, proud and ungrateful.
I was the epitome of a devil, caring only for myself and no one else.
DAD, as my eyes met those of that old man in the park, those eyes spoke volumes.
I remembered your favorites song, THE RAINBOW CONNECTION.
It was the signature hit of your much-loved MUPPET SHOW on television.
I don't know why I feel the urgency to play this song THE RAINBOW CONNECTION tonight.
It is such a lovely and mystical song, DAD, with those meaningful lyrics.
DAD, as the song is being played, I am re-living the memory of this scene where the old man is rising from his seat and walking towards me in the park.
I had met his gaze and tried to force a smile.
But that smile froze upon my lips.
DAD, you died suddenly when I was working overseas on a project, and I was at a location where the communication network could not reach me.
I did not even attend or preside over your funeral, as any filial son should. Because I did not know you had passed.
I wish I was there to spend more time with you, DAD.
I was cold, selfish and terribly ungrateful - these are my misdeeds.
All my life I have not treasured you and took you so much for granted.
I am filled with remorse now for being stupidly self-centered.
One day I may be punished by this thing called KARMA.
But whatever it is, as I am sipping this tea and living the nomadic life that I am leading, I want this RAINBOW CONNECTION to connect us once more.
And DAD, I do miss you.
Your face, your care and your words.
I wish I had listened to you umpteen times, but I never gave you the chance.
For parents love their children no matter what the parent is forced to do in the best interest of the child.
There is a special bond that is forged when a human being comes into relationship with a child.
A bond that is not even taken away by death as this bond lives in the child, no matter how old that "child" becomes.
And I wish I had known then.
RAINBOW CONNECTION Lyrics:
"Why are there so many songs about rainbows,
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it,
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the RAINBOW CONNECTION,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,
and look what it's done so far,
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do you think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the RAINBOW CONNECTION
the lovers, the dreamers and ME.
All of us under its spell,
We know that it's probably magic ....
Have you been half asleep?
and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
Now, let's explore the PHILIPPINE CINEMA LANDSCAPE and unearth some treasures here.
Ah, these are some of the gems that surely glitter :
SHARON CUNETA.
She's one of the finest actresses of all times, in the Philippines.
And her name spells box office magic.
She still shines, after all these years, after more than two decades in the Pinoy entertainment.
She has gone from strength to strength, without even a breath of scandal.
She has risen from popular star to megastar over the years, and her torch is continually blazing the trail.
She is SHARON CUNETA, effervescent philippine actress, singer and host extraordinaire.
She has tons of accolades to her show business status, yet she remains very much the down-to-earth, demure, soft-spoken, benevolent woman, full of warmth.
Yes, she has piled on some pounds, but look at her sparkling eyes - they speak volumes.
Everybody adore here - her family, friends and fans.
Her latest successful film THE CAREGIVER is one touching tale on the travail of an overseas worker who sacrifices her teaching position for a much better paying job as a nurse in London, so as to be with her no good, self-indulgent husband.
This is definitely another feature that's going to garner her another best actress recognition.
Viva, SHARON !!
JERICHO ROSALES
My Pinoy friends are fast to claim that JERICHO's popularity is fast dimming on the Philippine entertainment track.
Of course, there will be many die-hards who will beg to differ.
Yet there's always the prospect of overseas fame to make up for this loss since he is currently wrapping up a drama series shot in Malaysia and the Philippines.
You win some, you lose some.
Why?
JERICHO is the perennial bad boy, and there are simply too many rumors of her dalliance with a really gorgeous Malaysian female artiste -CARMEN SOO, better known as a beautiful model than as an accomplished actress.
Then the famous break-up with HEART EVANGELISTA, his off screen sweetheart of three years is getting him bad vibes everywhere.
Poor JERICHO, let's see if his new ABS-CBN and DOUBLE VISION joint soap opera is going to "lift him up above all these problems".
For sure, JERICHO is perceived as a better and larger-than-life actor in the cinema than on television.
Let's see how ratings fare when this soap series finally hit the small screen. The previous two Philippine-Malaysian collaborations had left much to be desired.
Maybe the JERICHO ROSALES and CARMEN SOO formula will save the day this time as JERICHO has a huge following in Malaysia.
With all the bad press lately, JERICHO certainly deserves a break.
Best of luck, JERICHO.
COCO MARTIN
COCO MARTIN caught my attention when I watched him on Daybreak, Tambolista and the Masseur.
He is due to bare his frontal in a forthcoming art house flick called SERBIS.
And he's not even batting an eyelid as this is ART and it is his profession.
The great thing about COCO is that he is bold, daring and adventurous.
And is experimental when it comes to a diversity of film roles, following in the footsteps of EWAN McGREGOR.
I would not call COCO MARTIN handsome in the real sense of the word, but he has that immense charisma and his charm just seeps into you in all his movies.
Let's say COCO is cute, la ... lest I get slaughtered by his fans.
It's a lot better than being a pretty boy pin-up with no talent.
COCO MARTIN is one star that will shine ever so brightly in the years to come, if he is fully dedicated to horning his craft.
We shall see, so stay tuned, folks.
JOEM BASCON (for theBIG SCREEN)
Once in a long while, a shining star will illuminate in the far horizon.
Such is the case of JOEM BASCON.
“You’ve to watch out for our big screen’s newbie JOEM BASCON,”film director ADOLF ALIX JR enthused. “This guy’s going places.”
Going where?
Of course, with ADOLF’s films doing the international film festival circuits, the name JOEM BASCON would soon and surely, be a recognized name outside of the Philippines as well.
JOEM oozes:
Star quality
Screen presence
Disarming smile that reeks playfulness.
Kind-of-younger-brother version of PIOLO PASCUAL.Strong semblance of youth and innocence and will give PIOLO a run for his money.
JOEM has already collaborated with film director ADOLF in two of his features, BATANES and ADELA.
And there’s one soon-to-shot Asian feature called KALAYAAN starring alongside THAI actor ANANDA EVERINGHAM of SHUTTER fame, co-produced by KEN CHU from F4.
With his mentor ADOLF ALIX JR grooming him for regional stardom, what more would a big screen newbie wish for?
And then shutting them in a jiff to continue the journey -
So reach out and treasure those around you.
They may be here today, gone tomorrow.
We often take loved ones for granted.
Until one fine day they are no longer there to root for us,
Yet when they were around,
We did not even bat them a second glance
Didn't we?
Until it's too late.
Loved ones guide us in certain aspect of our lives,
Their love and encouragement will touch us and survive the passage of time,
I just know that once in a long while, I'd take a trudge down memory lane
and relive deeds and misdeeds of the past,
It's unearthly gratifying to indulge in memories of days gone by,
Happy days, sad days,
To come to grips on how our lives have taken us,
on what we were then
of how we are now.
If only we could turn the clock backwards,
If only we have the chance to do it all over again,
Would we? Could we?
Memories may be beautiful,
But there're also some that are too painful to remember.
I remember well the well-worn lyrics of an old song FIRST OF MAY
poetic words, simple yet soul searching
It goes like this:
When I was small, and christmas trees were tall,
We used to love while others used to play.
Don’t ask me why, but time has passed us by,
Someone else moved in from far away.
Now we are tall, and christmas trees are small,
And you don’t ask the time of day.
But you and I, our love will never die,
But guess who’ll cry come first of may.
The apple tree that grew for you and me,
I watched the apples falling one by one.
And as I recall the moment of them all,
The day I kissed your cheek and you were gone.
Now we are tall, and christmas trees are small,
And you don’t ask the time of day.
But you and I, our love will never die,
But guess who’ll cry come first of may.
When I was small, and christmas trees were tall,
Do do do do do do do do do ...
Don’t ask me why, but time has passed us by,
Someone else moved in from far away.
Life is Fragile, so says fellow blogger DAWN O'BRIEN.
She says:
Enjoy Your Teenage Years
While You Are Young
They Go Real Fast
And Don't Seem To Last
Here Today
And Gone Tomorrow
Life is Fragile
Here To Borrow
Make The Most
of Every Opportunity
That Comes Your Way
Thank God
Your Alive
Another Day!
Let us not fritter away this very moment,
While we are still breathing and kicking and in sound health of body and mind,
LET US CELEBRATE LIFE ...
GIVE LIFE OUR BEST SHOT,
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY,
YES, TOMORROW CAN BE BETTER,
But for now,
LET US REJOICE IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS MOMENT!
Here's the soulful touching song FIRST OF MAY performed by seasoned players LULU and MAURICE GIBB. LULU is still very much "enjoying the moments" but MAURICE has passed on.
