2009 09/16-09/22

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

Willie Revillame For Vice President?

When his home studio’s self-imposed suspension expires, the highly-controversial Wowowee host, Willie Revillame will come back on TV on Monday, September 21, 2009 and will make a very important announcement. He was previously rumored to be running for a seat in the Senate but those remained just that – rumors. His throngs of supporters, though, are encouraging him to run for a higher office – that of the Vice Presidency. As gathered from reliable sources during his recent stint here in the Lake Tahoe area, he is seriously considering the matter.

An hour or so before his Lake Tahoe show two Saturdays ago, reports have it that ticket sales where not ‘as expected’. Buoyed by the recent high-emotion controversy involving Willie (specifically the late Cory Aquino funeral TV inserts), people are uncertain if he can still fill the huge venue. Much worse, people are uncertain if Willie will still do the show. But word and text messages quickly got around and quickly forwarded that weekend, that he is confirmed doing the show and he is in the Bay Area already. So people came in one by one, group by group, car by car, from far away cities ( Stockton , Sacramento , San Jose , etc) and filled the 5,000 plus Harvey ’s Casino Amphitheater.

I have watched Willie work closely almost the whole day during rehearsals that Lake Tahoe show and I must say the guy takes his craft very seriously. On camera, he is a funnyman, but behind the scenes he is very meticulously testing this and that, rehearsing this and that, hands-on. It is his show, he owns it and he wants it delivered the very precise way.

In all fairness, Willie presented a high-quality Wowowee in Lake Tahoe , the best I have seen in this show’s history. It started with the singing of the US National Anthem, followed by the Philippines ’s Lupang Hinirang. Emotions are still high, when a giant Wowowee flag carried by a burly man appeared on stage, with a very haunting version of the show’s theme song played on the background. For some unexplained reason, without being coached, the audience remained standing, treating the song as another ‘national anthem’. The man ran off stage and waved proudly the flag around the area. And then the man of the hour appeared on stage.

After more or less a month of being ‘invisible’, Willie greeted his largely mature and family audience with a very sincere ‘Akala ko ho iniwan niyo na ko…(in English, ‘I thought you guys left me already..’)’. And the audience responded emotionally with the loudest applause and ‘I Love You, Willlie’s’. It was visibly, the best case of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, no doubt. Needless to day, the succeeding numbers presented (by Pokwang, Mariel, Anne Curtis and their dancers) were also very entertaining, the Wowowee kind-of-way.

Last Sunday night, Willie also filled the 8,000 plus strong Tacoma Dome in Seattle , with people from Portland , Utah and other States attending. Canada-based Filipinos also traveled to see the show, notwithstanding changed Passport and other requirements imposed upon entering the US border.

In my personal assessment, Willie is the ‘man you love to hate’ and the ‘man you hate to love’. It is this distinct quality that endears him to the masses. It is also this quality that will make him win, in case he indeed decides to run. Hey, he already bought a $5 Million 8-seater private plane recently (a huge bargain considering the market price was reportedly $13 Million), so all that campaigning travels will no longer be an obstacle.

So, let’s wait and see.

Willie Revillame is literally and figuratively back, after a month of absence, hosting almost everyone's favorite noontime show, Wowowee, shown here at Lake Tahoe's Harvey's Casino Amphitheater stage, with San Jose's Ms. Susan Pacifico during the show's 'Bigatin' number.

The Philippines' People's Champ, Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao waves to his supporters at the AT&T Park last Sunday afternoon during his promo tour with Miguel Cotto (from Caguas, Puerto Rico). They will be exchanging blows and punches at the MGM Arena on Saturday, November 14th, 2009. Photo by Vince Monasterio.

Congratulations to San Jose's Jocelyn Tabora for cinching the Mrs. Agoo 2009 crown last Saturday night. She will travel in December this year for her crowning moment in Agoo, La Union, to be witnessed by her husband's (Matt Tabora of Agoo) family, friends and townmates..

An Online Love Story. Robert de Castro & Sheryl Bierman met online and will tie the knot on October 10, 2009 in Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, CA. Pastor Scott Palmbush is officiating.

Dorothy Vitug Alcantara celebrated her 59th birthday with big celebration at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Milpitas last September 12, with former Milpitas Mayor Jose Estevez doing his special speech in her honor.

Also present during Dorothy Vitug Alcantara's birthday shindig at the Crowne Plaza are the Yabut Family headed by Celebrity Star Award 'Mother of the Year,' Maria Encarnacion Sarmienbto Yabut and 'Ang Sarap' owner and notable twin sister Encar and Elena Yabut with partners.

SEEN IN THE CITY

Charice Gets Standing Ovation(s), Again!

Lake Tahoe’s loss is Seattle’s gain as Charice receives 5 standing ovations last Sunday night during her Wowowee finale numbers at the packed-to-the-rafters Tacoma Dome in Seattle (I can only recall Justin Timberlake and his N’Sync as the last performers who filled that huge venue). Reports have it that she sang famous top-rating telenovela theme songs from ABS-CBN’s Tayong Dalawa, Kambal Sa Uma, May Bukas Pa, among others. Her numbers were the most applauded, earning her standing ovations each time.

I was in Lake Tahoe when the production crew prematurely turned the lights off during the Wowowee show, shortly after 8:00pm, due to security reasons (according to the show’s Line Producer, Ms. Pia Pena) posed by the previously-scheduled fireworks display (apparently in honor of some kidnapped victim 18 years ago, who just returned home). Anne Curtis was in the middle of her 3^rd and final ‘Lady Gaga’s Just Dance’ song and dance number when her microphone was suddenly muted and host Willie Revillame explained to the over 5,000 strong audience the situation, who was left with no choice but to vacate the venue. Charice was not able to perform at all her prepared numbers (Willie asked her to sing her trademark Whitney Houston ‘I Will Always Love You’ ), but she was able to join the cast in their hurried farewell.

Charice will be performing next at TFC’s 15h Anniversary ‘One Kapamilya Go’ happening at the Great America Park in Santa Clara on Sunday, September 20^th, together with John Lloyd Cruz and other headliners.

On Friday, November 6^th at 8:00pm, Charice will be back at HP Pavilion in San Jose ’s David Foster and Friends’ concert featuring David Foster’s superstar friends performing with her.

Incidentally, FREE tickets to the Charice HP Pavilion concert are still available and will be raffled-off by Manila Mail to a couple of individuals who will email their information (see below) to info@emanilamail.com:

Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

Promo Code: Bradford

Deadline for submission of entries is September 30, 2009.

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

The ‘Other’ Fight In Vegas

If plans don’t miscarry, a day after the Pacquiao-Cotto boxing fight on November 14^th, 2009, the Philippines’ biggest networks will also square it off, in Vegas, as Wowowee returns to the New Orleans Casino Resort AND GMA7’s Eat Bulaga cast performs at the Thomas and Mack Arena at the same time (noon) at the same exact day (November 15^th). Reports reaching this column, have it that Pacquiao will appear on the Eat Bulaga show, win or lose. Knowing ABS-CBN, it will be interesting to note how Wowowee will counter that. It will be a network war all over again, reaching beyond the Philippine shores.

I can last recall the two networks fighting it out here in California about 4 years ago or so, when ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Summer Caravan exploded at the Monster Park while GMA’s Eat Bulaga was held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, both in the Bay Area. Their performers lineup were both interesting that I personally know some people who actually went to see both shows!

Again, let’s wait and see.

PERSONAL NOTES

Congratulations to San Jose ’s Jocelyn Tabora for winning the Mrs. Agoo 2009 pageant. I personally witnessed the 3rd and final canvassing of vote last Saturday night held at the Mount Grange Hall in San Jose . She was able to sell about $26,000 worth of tickets for their organization, earning her the ultimate title.

Her crowning and proclamation will take place in Agoo, La Union on December 28, 2009 to be attended by her husband, a bona fide Agoonian, Matt Tabora and family, as well as thousands of their Agoonian organization members.

Congratulations also to the 1^st Runner Up, Ms. Vivian Ventura of San Pablo, CA and 2^nd Runner Up, Ms. Cecilia Lopez.

Best Wishes and Congratulations to both Sheryl Bierman and Robert De Castrowho met through Yahoo Personal dating website. Their romance blossomed soon after and they have become inseparable as their love has grown ever stronger over times and difficult situations.

Sheryl is currently working for Brier Elementary School of Fremont Unified District as Grade 1 teacher. Her house of worship is in Open Door Church Mountain View of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.

Robert, a talented sales and marketing person for 20 years, has recently shifted to health care during the recession and currently working as a Caregiver. He is looking forward to a promising career as an Entrepreneur.

Their faith in God, relationship with family and support from friends are the forefront of the source of their strength..

The couple will marry on October 10, 2009 in Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park , CA. Officiating them is Pastor Scott Palmbush.

They will reside in the Bay Area for a while and they both plan to buy a Love Nest of their own.

And another successful online love story unfolds.

Quote of the Week – “This is the way of the adulteress – she eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong’. - from The Bible

This column also appears online at http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/

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