philstar.com – Entertainment – Page 17

philstar.com - Entertainment

Soomin: The K-Pop star is a black-belter

Sep 062013

Just call her Soomin. “It means ‘extraordinary beauty’ in English,” smiled Soomin, her eyes sparkling like the cold drink in front of her, speaking through her interpreter, fellow Korean Brian Lee who is marketing and international director of Starbliss Entertainment with which Soomin is under contract. We’re having late dinner at Mario’s restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City, Thursday night, approximately one hour ride away from Crowne Plaza where Soomin and the other K-Pop artists (including SHInee, EXO-K and Dal*Shabet) were billeted. They flew in from Seoul Thursday morning for the K-Pop Republic mounted by All Access Production tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum (for tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555). Also with us was Vic de Vera, Brian’s friend who arranged the interview. Vic is the managing director of Widescope Advertising Agency. I became a bit apprehensive when Brian told me that he and Soomin took a cab to Mario’s (their service car was bringing the other artists to a money-exchange outlet and then to a spa) and I was relieved to know that Soomin, so fragile-looking like a Dresden Doll (you could mistake her for Carmina Villarroel), is a Taekwondo black-belter. Well, you know… The name is perfect for the K-Pop singer who has the drop-dead looks and the figure to justify it, after all she’s also a supermodel and, soon, an actress ready for her movie debut, a true-life thriller called Target which will be partly shot in Cebu. She stands 5’9”, weighs 107 lbs. and measures Read More …

Surviving the tyranny of television in the 21st century

General

Aug 132013

Surviving the tyranny of television in the 21st century

Whoever invented television must be having nightmares at this time for the curse he has brought upon the world. What he had intended to be an aide by making life easier had turned around to do the exact opposite. While researching on this invention of the ’50s that provided information worldwide at the click of a channel, we found that it also provided many other services we could have done without. It brought up-to-the-minute “visual news” with close-ups of murder and accident victims swimming in their own blood. Was this what we had expected? With television practically on the entire day, pre-school children are the most affected by its good and bad effects. In the US, TV has become the substitute nanny; here in the Philippines, choice of TV shows has been left to the yaya’s discretion. TV viewing takes time away from play, conversation, interaction with people and reading. Twenty years of research have shown that children who watch too much TV are overweight, are prone to violence to resolve conflict and believe whatever commercials sell. The solution, therefore, is in monitoring and controlling television content which is very difficult. In the past we had radio, then the movies, then television. Every other medium suffered from the dominance of TV. It killed our movies that even our big action stars, who had never before appeared on television, bowed to its influence. Today, there are the hard news and the straight-talk shows, news magazines and documentaries. Broadcast codes insist on Read More …

What awaits Kapatid Ogie

General

Aug 072013

Ogie Alcasid (center) with TV5 president and CEO Noel Lorenzana and chief entertainment content officer Wilma Galvante at the contract-signing held Tuesday afternoon MANILA, Philippines – Ogie Alcasid has formally joined TV5 family as he signed an exclusive contract last Tuesday with Kapatid Network president and CEO Noel Lorenzana and chief entertainment content officer Wilma Galvante. “I’m very excited to work again,” said Ogie. “That, for a long time…of course, we need to wait for the right time and this day has finally come. I’ve been waiting for this moment so I’m excited.” Ogie’s contract, according to Wilma, is “perpetual.” That being said, does it automatically mean that the singer-songwriter’s three-year binding contract with the network, as stated in the press release, can go beyond the agreed term? “It’s a long-term contract,” confirmed Ogie. “I’m happy that we will be working together again. I was there when he first signed a contract with GMA and now I’m also here when he signed a contract again,” Wilma offered. “Although nag-kahiwalay kami sa trabaho, we always keep in touch naman; hindi kami talaga nagkahiwalay.” Asked about his decision to move to another network, Ogie said, “You know that Mr. Manny Pangilinan is my godfather; ninong ko s’ya sa una kong kasal at ganun din sa pangalawa pero sana wala ng susunod hahaha, so when the offer came sabi ko, ‘Why not?.’ And you know before I made this (decision). I spoke to the management (of GMA) and I’m happy for their blessings.” Read More …

Wolfgang rocks US & Canada

General

Jul 162013

MANILA, Philippines – Wolfgang (photo) is headed for US and Canada this July and August for a series of shows. It’s been more than a decade since the iconic band embarked on a North American tour, having pounded the Middle East and Asian circuit these past few years. Wolfgang is composed of vocalist Basti Artadi, guitarist Manuel Legarda, bassist Mon Legaspi and drummer Francis “The Beast” Aquino. The band has won numerous accolades from NU107 Rock Awards, Awit Awards and the biggest indie awards group, the Malaysia-based AsiaVoize. The North American schedule billed as Rock Summer 2013 kicks off on July 19 at Broadway Studios, San Francisco, California. (For tickets, call [408] 655-9102.) The band heads to L.A. on July 20 at the Beyond the Stars Palace (with tel. no. [323] 201-1029.) It hits the East Coast on July 27 at the Laboom Lounge, Woodside, New York ([551] 998-6020.) Chicago’s Hard Rock Café is the place to be on Aug. 23, at 63 W. Ontario Street. ([224] 545-0304.) In Canada, Wolfgang will be at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theater on July 26 ([647] 505-7644); Winnipeg on Aug. 3 at the Garrick Center ([204] 962-2903); and Alberta on Aug. 4 at the River Cree Resort & Casino ([780] 707-0824). Also featured on the tour are Kamikazee and Kitchie Nadal. Spearheading the productions is a consortium composed of Nosaj Entertainment, Diamond Productions and Alyas Galo Productions. Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 For complete schedule of Wolfgang’s Philippine and international shows, check out Wolfgang Philippines on Facebook.

Just the right mix for Sponge Cola

General

Jul 132013

The rock band will hold its ‘lucky’ 13th anniversary concert on July 19, 8 p.m., at the Music Museum MANILA, Philippines – How in the world that bandmates so close to each other break up with much animosity? That puzzle had been dealt with quite accordingly by members of mainstream rock band Sponge Cola who have stayed together in the music business for 13 long years. It meant that the band members’ friendship, if compared with a recipe, had just enough flavor for them to crave for it every once in a while. “We are friends in an exact way. But we’re not close enough to share underwear,” quipped frontman Yael Yuzon in a chat with the press to promote the band’s upcoming “lucky” 13th anniversary concert. The group appeared upbeat about its first major concert billed Maximum Capacity, scheduled on July 19, 8 p.m. at the Music Museum in San Juan. Amusingly, the four-piece band somehow miscalculated the length of its run in the local gig scene, which partly explained why it’s not the more conventional 10th- or 15th-year commemoration. The members may had been too busy keeping their friendship intact and in such a way effective to them. Yael, who made it through in the company of bassist Gosh Dilay and guitarist Armo Armovit, and then much later, drummer Ted Mark Cruz, reiterated, “We’re friends in just the right way.” Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 That also sounded synonymous to saying it is both professional and brotherly with neither served raw or overcooked. True enough, some bands with members treating themselves as brothers when in fact they’re not eventually turned into Read More …

So what’s wrong with being kuripot? (Or, how the stars spend their money…wisely!)

Entertainment

Jul 122013

So what’s wrong with being kuripot? (Or, how the stars spend their money…wisely!)

Indeed, there’s no business like show business where, they say, money is “easy come, easy go.” When money comes, the wise ones make it grow by investing in business, so that when it goes it leaves behind some profit. That’s what some stars are doing (bless them!), so that when hard times come, they won’t be left holding an empty bag, to wit: Luis Manzano operates a fleet of cabs; Ogie Alcasid is partnering with friends on the Japanese restaurant Ryu Ramen (on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City) and so does Sharon Cuneta also on a restaurant (Mesa, same location); Karylle and former boyfriend Dingdong Dantes are investors in Centerstage (a fun place) with the family of Maribi Garcia, while Precious Lara Quigaman and husband Marco Alcaraz own a fine-dining restaurant in a Parañaque City subdivision; Sylvia Sanchez and friend, retired PAL purser Bobby Casuela, also in the Scout Area, Quezon City; Manny Pacquiao has several businesses; and, but of course, the biggest businessman among them is, you guessed it, Willie Revillame (who owns, among others, several multi-million-peso houses in elite addresses, a private plane, a yacht and a soon-to-open condo-mall with a TV studio). There’s nothing wrong with spending a bit more if the thing is of good quality, whether it’s for personal use or otherwise. Funfare asked nine stars — Martin Nievera, Kuh Ledesma, Derek Ramsay, Divine Lee, Christian Bautista, Carla Abellana, Mark Bautista, Bianca Manalo and Matteo Guidicelli — how they handle money. What does the word Read More …

Are we ready for more calamities?

Entertainment

Jun 162013

It’s been a few weeks already since I haven’t gone out of town for a coverage. That means good news because that only means that things have been quiet in some parts of the Philippines. No major disasters, for now. I hope I don’t sound like a doomsday prophet. But even years ago, Al Gore said that because of climate change, typhoons are expected to be stronger and more vicious. Just a few days ago, outgoing Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim cancelled afternoon classes and work because of flooding, and that was not even a typhoon yet, but another habagat. It’s the rainy season-cum-typhoon season. Good luck to us. But instead of leaving it to sheer luck, or accident, it is again time to for us take an active part in disaster preparedness. The good news is, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) conducted flooding drills in some barangays, and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) conducted its declogging operations. However, even MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino was frank enough to admit that flooding cannot be absolutely mitigated. But we don’t leave it up to government to help us. Remember, it took days for help to arrive to Ondoy areas. So what do we do? Prepare, prepare and prepare. This week’s baha is another case in point of people getting stranded in so many areas, and traffic was in a standstill. Pity the students. I am not aware if staying put is an option given by universities in case Read More …

Biyahe with Drew

General

Jun 062013

MANILA, Philippines – Just because the summer is over, it doesn’t mean one has to postpone traveling until the next long break. This month, Drew Arellano (photo) goes on a series of road trips to destinations no more than three to four hours away from Metro Manila. Tonight, he visits eight towns in Pangasinan and samples the best of what they have to offer. He starts in Rosales, his mother’s hometown and then goes on hilltop adventure in Balungao. He then tries the different types of tupig in Villasis before paying his respects at the shrine of our Lady of Manaoag. From here, he heads to Calasiao where the famous white, sticky puto is made. His sixth stop is Dagupan where the milkfish is king. Finally, he hits the beaches of Lingayen and Alaminos, famous for the World War II memorial park and Hundred Islands, respectively. The following week, June 14, Drew goes on a mouth-watering food trip in Pampanga to discover the province’s “originals” — from sisig, to halo-halo, to the very first pizzeria. Drew also tries a bit of Korean cuisine as he visits Korea Town, an area near Clark Airfield, now home to many Koreans who have set up shops, restaurants, churches and schools there. On June 21, Drew heads to Subic to try various adventures on land, on water and even in the air. An adrenaline and nature-tripping combo awaits those who take a 48-hour trip to the former US naval base. Watch Biyahe ni Drew Read More …

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