By Matt Hurwitz
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, California--Lindsay Wagner never had to use jujitsu or save Canada
from Bosnian terrorists -- or worry about her boss watching her take a shower
through her bionic eye.
Well, times have changed.
Today's "Bionic Woman
" (airing 9 p.m. EDT Wednesdays on NBC) is one superhuman leap from the now
-seems-tame series of the 1970s.
Check out this "Bionic Woman" widget showing clips from the new series, courtes
y of NBC.
A spinoff of the hugely popular 1970s series, "The Six Million Dollar Man,"
the original starred Wagner as Jaime Sommers, the female recipient of some high
-tech replacement parts who went on secret missions to stop bad guys.
But the similarities with the new show stop there.
"She's the girl next door whose ability to kick your ass you don't see coming,"
says executive producer David Eick of his vision for the character.
Known for reinventing the classic space series "Battlestar Galactica" into a cu
rrent hit for the Sci Fi Channel, Eick wanted to give the new series a differen
t twist.
After tossing around an idea for a show about a female crime boss, he decided t
o change his anti-hero to a hero and wrap the idea around the "Bionic Woman" ti
tle after several unsuccessful attempts had been made by other networks to brin
g the series back to life.
Unlike the original, Eick envisioned "a younger person, who, like Spider-Man's
Peter Parker, had these unique abilities hoisted upon her without asking for th
em, and then have her personal life be in constant competition with her newfoun
d abilities."
Sommers' personal life consists mainly of watching over teenage sister Becca, f
or whom she's now responsible following their parents' split. The difficulty li
es in the fact that, for the sake of her sister's safety, she must keep her sec
ret activities just that, a secret.
"Becca's really at the center of it all for Jaime," notes Michelle Ryan, the 23
-year-old London-born actress who portrays Sommers. "She's off doing these miss
ions, but it's Becca's needs and issues that keep Jaime grounded and real."
Adds series co-star Isaiah Washington, who portrays Sommers' mentor, Antonio Po
pe: "It's what I call a `perfect imbalance' -- trying to figure out this new un
derground world, and still be the big sister at home."
Though she started the series wandering through life as a young bartender, Somm
ers is now a "consultant" with the ubiquitous Berkut Group, a clandestine organ
ization that fixes problems that can't be handled by the police, military or FB
I.
"We're told we're contracted by private citizens who want to see a world in whi
ch their children and grandchildren can grow up," explains Miguel Ferrer, who p
lays Berkut chief Jonas Bledsoe.
Ferrer's charge, Sommers, after suffering a near deadly auto accident, has had
her legs, one arm, an eye, and one ear replaced with bionics -- though not in a
1970s mechanical way.
Part of the challenge, says Eick, was "we only had the rights to the show's tit
le and the character's name, but, legally, we couldn't depict mechanistic techn
ology that involved parts being placed on the body."
The solution lay in the use of "anthrocytes" injected into Sommers' blood to re
generate the missing parts, instead of replacing them.
"They're nanobots," Eick explains. "They're just microscopic anatomical machine
s in your body that you don't feel or aren't aware of. It's like having cells w
ith brains."
The regenerated limbs give Sommers unusual strength and agility, something she
needs when practicing the rough-and-tumble martial arts performed in the show b
y several members of the cast.
Helping her put her new fighting tools to work are Jae Kim (Will Yun Lee) and P
ope (Washington).
"She has a hard time, because she's still a wide-eyed young lady, and still wea
rs her heart on her sleeve," says Washington. "So he has to infuse in her an un
derstanding of what teamwork means, and how to operate off of instinct and be l
aser sharp. Because if you don't perform well, if you have a bad day, someone d
ies."
Since the beginning of the series, Sommers has slowly been growing into her rol
e as a "weapon," and boss Bledsoe has slowly moved from seeing her simply as a
$50 million investment to a very human member of his team.
"He's beginning to warm up to Jaime," Ferrer explains of his character. "It's i
nferred that Jonas had a poor relationship with his own daughter, so he's reluc
tantly becoming sort of a surrogate father to Jaime. Which depresses the hell o
ut of me," the 52-year-old Ferrer says. "I'm a father now to some hot chick? Ug
h." With a report from INQUIRER.net
October 2007 Archives
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--Rhian Ramos is suppo
sed to be taking a break from show biz.
But she found herself accepting a major -- make that mega -- role in a new afte
rnoon soap on GMA 7.
The 16-year-old Rhian is the new partner of Mark Herras in the remake of âMy On
ly Love,â the 1982 Sharon Cuneta-Gabby Concepcion starrer, according to GMA Art
ist Center.
The series, which started taping on Wednesday, is expected to be launched next
month as possible replacement for âKung Mahawi Man ang Ulap,â another remake. I
t stars Bianca King, Stef Prescott, Alfred Vargas and Rita Avila, under the dir
ection of Louie Ignacio.
Rhian, who also hosts the Animax show âMad, Mad Fun,â is âoverwhelmedâ by her n
ew assignment. But she promises to continue her high-school studies -- the main
reason she took a breather from the biz earlier this year.
âItâs written in my contract that education is my priority,â says Rhian, who is
currently enrolled as a junior in a home-study program. âI want to take a crea
tive course like directing or fashion design in college.â
The young actress is thrilled that Robin Padilla and Sharon Cuneta expressed in
terest in working with her in future projects.
âIt would be a dream-come-true,â she says. âItâs so flattering. When I retire f
rom acting, Iâd have a great list of co-stars.â
While Rhian met Sharon at the premiere of GMA Filmsâ âOuija,â she passed off th
e chance to be formally introduced to Robin.
At that time, she recalls, taping for her show âLupinâ was held in the same com
pound as Robinâs program âAsian Treasures.â
âI saw him from a distance. I didnât have the guts to say hi to him,â she recou
nts. âOthers may think I was rude for not saying hello. But Iâm just shy. I get
easily star-struck.â
Rhian is aware she is often misunderstood. âI realize you canât please everyone
. Some will understand you; others simply wonât.â
MANILA, Philippines--Rhian Ramos is suppo
sed to be taking a break from show biz.
But she found herself accepting a major -- make that mega -- role in a new afte
rnoon soap on GMA 7.
The 16-year-old Rhian is the new partner of Mark Herras in the remake of âMy On
ly Love,â the 1982 Sharon Cuneta-Gabby Concepcion starrer, according to GMA Art
ist Center.
The series, which started taping on Wednesday, is expected to be launched next
month as possible replacement for âKung Mahawi Man ang Ulap,â another remake. I
t stars Bianca King, Stef Prescott, Alfred Vargas and Rita Avila, under the dir
ection of Louie Ignacio.
Rhian, who also hosts the Animax show âMad, Mad Fun,â is âoverwhelmedâ by her n
ew assignment. But she promises to continue her high-school studies -- the main
reason she took a breather from the biz earlier this year.
âItâs written in my contract that education is my priority,â says Rhian, who is
currently enrolled as a junior in a home-study program. âI want to take a crea
tive course like directing or fashion design in college.â
The young actress is thrilled that Robin Padilla and Sharon Cuneta expressed in
terest in working with her in future projects.
âIt would be a dream-come-true,â she says. âItâs so flattering. When I retire f
rom acting, Iâd have a great list of co-stars.â
While Rhian met Sharon at the premiere of GMA Filmsâ âOuija,â she passed off th
e chance to be formally introduced to Robin.
At that time, she recalls, taping for her show âLupinâ was held in the same com
pound as Robinâs program âAsian Treasures.â
âI saw him from a distance. I didnât have the guts to say hi to him,â she recou
nts. âOthers may think I was rude for not saying hello. But Iâm just shy. I get
easily star-struck.â
Rhian is aware she is often misunderstood. âI realize you canât please everyone
. Some will understand you; others simply wonât.â
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Inquirer columnist, still thought of
herself Saturday night as the underdog, even after winning âCelebrity Duets,â a
reality singing contest among celebrity non-singers on GMA 7.
âI never claimed to be a good singer,â she said.
So, why did Valdes top the competition, besting finalists Dr. Hayden Kho Jr. an
d Jessica Rodriguez-Bunevacz?
Host Regine Velasquez said it was probably because âTessa was just having fun.
She knows her strengths and weaknesses as a performer.â
Judge Mitch Valdes agreed: âShe was very wise in her song selections. She picke
d those songs that took into consideration her limitations. Even when she took
risks, it was still within the bounds of her personality.â
The contestants performed weekly with professional singers. The program is a co
ncept of Fremantle Media, âIdolâ franchise holder. This is the first round of
âDuetsâ in the Philippines.
Wilma Galvante, GMA 7 senior vice president for Entertainment, dubbed Valdes as
the âpopularâ choice. âViewers (who voted via SMS) loved her,â Galvante said.
âThey could see she exerted effort in rehearsing and preparing her costumes.â
Host Ogie Alcasid pointed out, âThis is a show for the audience. The viewers ch
ose the winner.â
Fellow finalist Bunevacz revealed that she herself had been rooting for Valdes.
âShe is donating all her cash prize to charity. I admire her for that,â Buneva
cz said.
Valdes is distributing her P1 million prize to 10 charity institutions, includi
ng Street Pals, Sisters of Mary, the PGH Pediatric Ward, White Cross, Assumptio
n Batch â81 Foundation, Gifts and Graces and Assumption Mission Schools.
Kho also insisted that he was happy about the results. âHad I or Jessica won, t
here might be intrigues,â he said.
Valdes reiterated that her secret was not to have high expectations.
âMy only goal was not to be the first to be eliminated,â Valdes quipped. âI was
always in the bottom two throughout this 13-week competition.â
Her husband Dennis Valdes; her parents, Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto and husban
d Alex; and sister, Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez were all present
at the finals.
By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net
VIOLENCE depicted on television is the main target of some congressmen who are
complaining that children are most affected by what they see on TV.
Representatives Narciso Santiago III (party-list representative, Alliance for R
ural Concern), Roman Romulo (Lone District, Pasig City) and Mark Llandro L. Men
doza (Fourth District, Batangas) co-authored House Bill 2689 that seeks to pena
lize broadcast media outlets that show violent behavior on TV.
Under the proposal, called "Childrenâs Protection from Video Programming," viol
ators will be fined P200, 000 and have their licenses revoked.
The congressmen argue that researchers are pointing out that children exposed t
o violent video programming have a higher tendency to engage in violent and agg
ressive behavior.
"There has been an increase in the number of reported violent acts directed at
children and an increase in the amount and severity of violent acts observed by
children through the media, including television, movies, computer games, and
videotapes directly linked to violent programming," Santiago said.
He adds that the media should be responsible in serving the public interest and
it should be under government regulation to protect children against violent a
nd indecent video programming.
TV shows and movies in the Philippines are all monitored by the Movie and Telev
ision Review and Classification Board, which also rates the shows as general pa
tronage, parental guidance, restricted or X-rated or not for public screening.
By Marinel Cruz
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--When news first broke that the local horseracing channel o
n cable TV was going off the air, aficionados panicked.
But a group of horserace owners led by Hermie Esguerra took over the racing cha
nnel (76 on Sky and Home cable providers, 80 on Destiny Cable) to ensure contin
ued coverage.
To the rescue thus came Makisig Network, the first Filipino male-oriented chann
el. It had its first broadcast on Monday.
Esguerra said Makisigâs main goal was to upgrade the quality of horse racing co
verage.
âWe want to position horseracing as an entertainment sport, not as a form of ga
mbling,â added Esguerra, chair and CEO.
Esguerra is also the owner of Wind Blown, the highest-priced, most famous and m
ost-awarded horse in Philippine racing history, according to Inquirer columnist
Manolo Iñigo. âViewers will learn all about breeding, horse lineage, as well
as relationships between horses and jockeys, horses and trainers, horses and ho
rse owners,â Esguerra said.
Jake Maderazo, Makisig president and veteran broadcaster -- and also a horse ra
ce owner -- noted that the network will also devote programs to other male inte
rests like business, gaming, entertainment, health and fitness, parenting, rela
tionships, travel and lifestyle.
âThe shows will be informative and therapeutic,â said Maderazo.
In âAt Your Pleasure,â host Nancy Castiglione talks about cars, bikes, drinking
, toys, gadgets, even women and gambling.
Men will speak their mind on sexuality, spirituality, hobbies and interests in
Ariel Uretaâs âMan To Man Talk.â
âMacho Gwapito,â hosted by Rico J. Puno, is an hour-long musical show. Tim Taya
gâs âMenpowerâ reports on subjects of interest to men as tackled in current men
âs magazines.
There are also specialized shows: Monsour del Rosarioâs âFit and Fast with Mons
our,â about martial arts; Dominic Ochoaâs âMad About Wheels,â for car lovers; a
nd Inquirer food columnist Reggie Espirasâ âVenus Cooks for Mars.â
Claudine Trillo and Kit Cojuangcoâs âTimepiecesâ is all about watches. In âLivi
ng the Life,â Trillo talks with high-profile men about their collections and ho
bbies.
âPinoy Gamers,â hosted by Reema Chanco, are for lovers of video games, and âYou
r Sportâ is about extreme sports.
âRetrosportsâ features successful Filipinos in the field of sports. âThe Bachel
orâs Padâ presents a bachelorâs lifestyle.
The horse racing shows are: âRacing Roundtable,â âLargabista,â âKing of Sports,
â âEnsayo at Trangko,â âThe Finish Line,â âRacing Liveâ and âInside Racing.â
By Marinel Cruz
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--Kris Aquino says all's well now between her and cager husb
and James Yap.
âWe attended marriage counseling sessions,â Kris told entertainment writers on
Monday during a gathering for White Flower, a brand of liniment she endorses.
âThere are things you just understand better about each other when a third part
y explains them to you.â
Kris added that she and James also consulted a priest, believing that a relatio
nship is stronger âif it has a spiritual center.â
The couple, who were married in civil rites two years ago, hogged the headlines
in February this year when James was reported to have had an affair. They brok
e up, but reconciled. In April, Kris gave birth to James Jr.
âBaby James has the body type of an athlete, long and lean,â the proud mom said
. He has grown 10 inches, [and] is so active, he crawls and tumbles. He's showi
ng interest in dancing. He stares at the TV when he sees the Streetboys, Sexbom
b or ASF dancers performing.â
Kris's son Joshua, with actor Phillip Salvador, is now 12 years old.
She is seen weekdays on the game show âDeal or No Dealâ and the late-morning ta
lk program, âBoy & Kris,â with Boy Abunda on ABS-CBN.
She said her show with Boy would have a new format starting next week. But she
hastily dispelled rumors that the reformat had been brought about by poor ratin
gs.
Fast friends
âBoy and I have long thought of it,â she said.
Kris said rumors blaming her for the ratings have not affected her friendship w
ith Boy. âI guess some people just can't believe that Boy and I can have such a
smooth relationship.â
In fact, Kris said, Boy recently closed four endorsement deals for her.
âMy family and I are moving into a new house soon. Boy told me that, until I ha
ve moved in, wala siyang kukunin from any of those deals,â said Kris. âHe's sup
er sweet. Forty percent of my house came from Boy's perseverance. He said, âJus
t tell my godchild (James Jr.) that these walls were given to him by Ninong Boy
.â
By Agence France-Presse
NEW YORK--NBC Universal announced plans Tuesday to buy Oxygen Media, a cable te
levision network focused on programming aimed at women, for $925 million.
NBC Universal, the media-entertainment giant that is a unit of US conglomerate
General Electric, said the acquisition was part of a strategy for more rapid gr
owth.
"In just seven short years, Oxygen has become the crown jewel of independent ne
tworks," said Jeff Zucker, president and chief executive of NBC Universal.
"It's a terrific property with a clear mission, strong brand, and desirable aud
ience."
Oxygen was founded in 2000 by current chairman and CEO Geraldine Laybourne alon
g with talk show host Oprah Winfrey and television producers Marcy Carsey, Tom
Werner and Caryn Mandabach.
The network is available in over 74 million homes, and according to the company
is "the only fully distributed entertainment cable channel launched in the las
t decade."
"This acquisition increases our foothold in the advertiser-coveted young, upsca
le, female demographic, and perfectly complements our current roster of cable c
hannels and plays to our strength of running and operating cable networks," Zuc
ker said
Oxygen will join NBC Universal's cable entertainment networks including USA Net
work, Bravo, and SCI FI. Oxygen will also provide some links with iVillage, a l
eading online website for women acquired in 2006 by NBC.
NBC will fund the deal by selling two independent Telemundo television stations
, KWHY in Los Angeles and WKAQ in Puerto Rico.
By Agence France-Presse
CANNES, France--Love it or loathe it, television channels designed for babies,
some still too young to talk, are catching on around the globe.
America's BabyFirst TV and Israeli-based Baby
TV, round-the-clock channels dedicated to infants and toddlers under three,
are proving increasingly popular with advertisement-free content produced with
the help of child psychologists.
"It's the educational television tool that parents have been waiting for," Shar
on Rechter, who co-founded BabyFirst, told Agence France-Presse at the MIPCOM g
lobal audiovisual trade show taking place in this southern French town.
"We're getting interest from all over the world," she added as the channel anno
unced its launch on France's CanalSat.
BabyFirst, launched in the United States on Mother's Day last year, offers brig
htly colored short programs that run between two and seven minutes, designed to
help a child's development.
Its older competitor, Israeli-based BabyTV, is also on the rise after media gia
nt News Corp.'s Fox International Channels (FIC) announced here this week that
it has bought a major stake in the channel now watched in more than 50 countrie
s.
Fox International CEO David Haslingden said BabyTV had "established a new niche
" in providing a new service for parents and babies."
Babies could also be about to take their first step into the digital world afte
r Fox said it planned to extend the product "to video-on-demand, broadband and
other platforms, in order to complement our offer with more interactive games a
nd services for parents."
Both channels have banned advertising, and BabyFirst's Rechter said that in add
ition there was no violence, no inappropriate content and no over-sensory stimu
lants. Instead, content aimed to encourage parents and babies to learn and play
together.
While babies often are exposed to television from an early age, these are mostl
y programs designed for adults or older children.
BabyFirst, available on satellite and cable in 28 countries including Canada, M
exico, Britain, Latin America, Taiwan and 21 Arab states, claims its shows are
adapted for every stage of a baby's development -- helping to develop language
and maths as well as sensory skills and creative play.
Programs for the tiniest are in black and white as their eyes cannot recognize
colors in their first few months of life.
But it's not all hard work for tots in front of TVs.
Specially-designed evening content helps soothe a baby to prepare for sleep and
hundreds of hours of popular baby DVD/video content is also available.
Rechter said such shows also help parents who need time to prepare dinner or a
few moments to themselves. "I believe it's a good tool that can be part of a ba
lanced life," she said.
The company expects to launch in another five countries shortly with future gro
wth principally in Asia and Europe, Rechter added.
By Associated Press
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--Seven years after shooting the first season of "Survivo
r" in Borneo, US television mogul Mark Burnett is returning to Asia in an allia
nce to develop and distribute new reality TV series and game shows, officials s
aid Wednesday.
Burnett's Los Angeles-based production firm and Asian leisure group Genting Int
ernational plan to invest up to US$20 million in a joint venture that will "rew
rite the answer to, 'What's there to watch on television?' in Asia," both sides
said in a statement.
A new company, Mark Burnett Productions Asia, will take root on Singapore's Sen
tosa island, where Genting plans to open a casino resort that will include a Un
iversal Studios theme park, a giant oceanarium and film production facilities b
y 2010, the companies said.
"We've been doing business in and around Asia since our company was founded and
we've been looking at ways to do more in this massive market," Burnett said in
the statement.
Production on the first series will hopefully start by early 2008, probably in
Singapore, Krist Boo, an official at Genting's Resorts World in Sentosa, told T
he Associated Press.
Burnett targets three to five productions for the first year, with a casino-rel
ated show being considered as one of the eventual fruits of the planned 10-year
partnership, Boo said.
Other shows might be patterned after US productions that Burnett is developing,
such as "Amne$ia," a quiz show that tests contestants on questions from their
own lives, and "Jingles," a reality series that looks for writers of commercial
ditties, Boo added.
Singapore's Economic Development Board, which promotes investments in the city-
state and put Mark Burnett Productions in touch with Genting in June, said the
venture "reinforces our efforts to grow into an international media hub."
It is also likely to lure more people to Genting's planned US$3.4 billion Sento
sa casino resort, because visitors can "participate in game shows, watch the pr
ograms being made and even interact with the stars of the show," the companies
said.
Besides "Survivor," the latest season of which was filmed in China, Burnett has
shaped other hits including "The Apprentice," "Rock Star" and "Are You Smarter
Than a Fifth Grader?"
Genting International is the overseas investment arm of Malaysian conglomerate
Genting Bhd. It has developed resorts and casinos in Australia, Britain, Malays
ia, the Philippines and Singapore, but the alliance with Burnett marks its firs
t foray into television production.
HERE'S a video
clip from Fox Broadcasting explaining how the Sona prison was constructed
for "Prison Break
."
WHAT happens when the cast of "Surreal Life" takes part in a burlesque for char
ity? Check out this clip from TV Guide.
And wow, Balki lives! Let's do the dance of joy :)
By Paolo R. Reyes
Inquirer
MANILA, PhilippinesâThey may have been mistaken as âTeam Africaâ by one of the
clueless Malaysian contestants, but retired US Navy senior officer Henry Reed,
48, and his strong-willed Filipina wife of 13 years, Terri, 44, are as Pinoy as
they come -- minus the modest, passive-aggressive personality, that is.
Super sat down with the outspoken husband-wife tandem and grilled them for a fu
ll disclosure. (Well, almost. We donât want them to incur the $5 million penalt
y thatâs cemented in their contract.) One thingâs for sure, these hard-nosed co
mpetitors are bound to generate some seismic shockwaves over the boob tube.
What made you decide to join the race?
Terri: It was my idea. I loved watching the show. So I asked Henry if we could.
He asked me, âGive me 10 reasons why we should?â I was up till 3 a.m. thinking
. Then I got out of bed, grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote down: âP5 million.
P5 million. P5 million â¦â There were 5 million reasons!
Did you have any kind of alliance with Marc and Rovi?
Terri: NO!!! No, no, no. Thatâs all I can say. And that youâre not going to be
disappointed with the Philippine teams this season.
Henry: Alliances really donât work. Itâs such an individual thing. Unlike in âS
urvivor,â you donât need anybody else for this game.
Did things get really nasty between the teams?
Terri: Youâll have to wait and see. But it got real nasty between me and Henry.
Henry: In our normal, everyday life, we fight a lot. That is the reality of it.
[laughs]
Do you think youâll be portrayed differently after the final edit?
Terri: I really donât think so. You better agree with me, Henry!
Henry: Itâs real fire, believe me. The only way they could change what really h
appened, through editing, would be to make us look boring and lovey-dovey.
Terri: I donât think theyâll be able to find that kind of footage.
Henry: If they could stretch about 38 to 39 seconds of lovey-dovey moments, the
n hats off to them. Thereâs too much fire there! [laughs]
What was your edge over the other teams?
Henry: I guess being mature and being together for so long. I think weâre the o
ldest team.
Terri: Please. Donât remind them!
Henry: When I was in the military, we traveled around the world. I trusted her
to read maps and give me directions. Sheâs pretty industrious. When sheâs focus
ed, nothing is going to stop her. When we were in New York, she had to get some
major dental work. The doctor told her she couldnât eat meat for two weeks and
she canât talk for two days. On the way out of the doctorâs office, sheâs alre
ady yakking âtake me to Sizzlers to have a steak!â She donât listen to anybody,
and sheâs always right.
How was your marriage after the race?
Terri: Same thing. Lucky 13. But we promised each other that after 49 years of
marriage, heâll have his âone minuteâ -- a minute when he can have his peace an
d I cannot say a single word.
Henry: For one minute she can just shut the hell up. She canât talk to me. She
canât yell at me. Sheâs just going to leave me alone for 60 seconds. I donât th
ink sheâs going to be able to do it. It ainât gonna happen! [laughs]
By Paolo R. Reyes
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--There we were, 35,000 feet above the air, aboard a bumpy f
light bound for Singapore, when the throaty cockpit voice of Captain Culanculan
came crackling through the speakers: âPassengers ⦠please fasten your seatbel
ts ⦠we are about to make our final descent.â
As we returned our seats to the upright position, while dolled-up attendants wh
eeled away Duty Free carts containing tins of tobacco (or âtow-bay-ko,â as the
P.A. system so eloquently announced) and handsome boxes of hard liquor, it was
easy to imagine how the very novelty of travel -- the unfamiliar scent of forei
gn soil, the labyrinth of alien streets, the indecipherable accents of stranger
s -- can easily be lost on those preoccupied with way more important things.
Like a fiercely competitive race around the world. Or earning a ticket to early
retirement-ville by way of a brag-worthy cash prize.
Be it for $100,000 (or P5 million, more or less) or simply for the glory of bei
ng crowned as the winners of âThe Amazing Race Asia,â no amount of anxiety-abat
ing downers will ever dampen the adrenaline of those taking part in the rivetin
g, Emmy Award-winning reality TV series.
Last week, during a star-spangled bash at the Indochine Forbidden City in Clark
Quay, action-adventure channel AXN finally unveiled the spanking new lineup of
teams that will be slugging it out in the âThe Amazing Race Asia 2.â
With a television-friendly roster that includes a hearing-impaired Singaporean
gym junkie, estranged siblings from Japan, desperate housewives (and ex-dancers
) from Malaysia, hot young starlets from Hong Kong, and two Pinoy teams (includ
ing the brawny pair of Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez), the second season p
romises to be an intense, no-holds-barred scramble to the finish line.
Along the way, of course, expect your weekly dose of bratty tantrums, testoster
one-induced clashes, and some serious flirting between the contestants.
âThe teams in the second season picked themselves, they beat out 2,500 applicat
ions from all around Asia,â shared Michael McKay, the showâs executive producer
and director, at Café del Mar in Siloso Beach, Sentosa. âIn the first season,
everyone was quite nice to each other. But this time around, the competition i
s much more intense. Any one of them could win.â
âTo be honest, out of the Philippines alone, we could have picked seven teams,
â McKay added. âThey were all knockouts. Marc and Rovilson, hands down, had the
best audition video weâve ever seen. It was the same for [the other Filipino t
eam] Terri and Henry Reed. The first 10 seconds of their video was already off
the charts. I donât know what it is about the Philippines, theyâre some sort of
reality TV factory!â
Full of tricky Road Blocks and deceptive Detours, âThe Amazing Race Asia 2â is
tipped to be another adrenaline-fueled odyssey through the heart of adventure.
Witness these 10 feisty teams battle it out over language barriers and time con
straints as they race through a multi-country arena spanning Asia and beyond.
Will the obstacles be too hot to handle? Or will they prevail upon the final Pi
t Stop, proud and patriotic, as the winners of the worldâs most celebrated real
ity-adventure show? Tune in to AXN this November.
MARC NELSON & ROVI FERNANDEZ
Connecting flight: Best Buddies
Country of origin: Philippines
Declaration form: They lovingly slam each other with put downs and insults, all
in the name of friendship. Both love a good laugh and share an equally wicked
sense of humor. Though they both have day jobs as TV hosts, there is a slight d
ifference. âIâve got hair,â Marc shares.
TERRI & HENRY REED
Connecting flight: Married for 13 years
Country of origin: Philippines
Declaration form: Based in Cavite, the couple describes themselves as âborderli
ne dysfunctional.â They talk, then argue, then smile, laugh, and talk, then arg
ue again. âWe plan to destroy our competitors by any legal means necessary,â He
nry quips like a true US Navy officer.
DIANE DOUGLAS & ANN TAN
Connecting flight: Dancing Mums
Country of origin: Malaysia
Declaration form: They are the dancing, desperate housewives of Malaysia -- des
perate for a stress-free vacation away from their husbands and children, that i
s. Ann, 40, and Diane, 33, are long-time dance buddies that enjoy moving their
feet to hip-hop and funk jazz.
PAULA TAYLOR & NATASHA MONKS
Connecting flight: Childhood Friends
Country of origin: Thailand
Declaration form: Both 24, childhood BFFs Paula and Taylor are a sight for sore
eyes. Paula works as a VJ and movie actress in Bangkok. Natasha, a self-descri
bed âsingle girlâ who likes âplaying the field,â works for a mining company whe
re she deals with, uh, explosives.
KINARYOSIH & BRETT MONEY
Connecting flight: Dating for two years
Country of origin: Indonesia
Declaration form: Based in Jakarta, these good-looking lovers have been describ
ed as âglamorousâ and âbeautiful.â 28-year-old model Kinaryosih (like Sting or
Sitti, she has no last name) is a rising actress, while 26-year-old Brett (her
boyfriend of two years) is a physiotherapist.
DAICHI & SAWAKA KAWASHIMA
Connecting flight: Siblings
Country of origin: Japan
Declaration form: Japan finally joins the cast through the mild-mannered pair o
f Daichi and Sawaki, estranged siblings who were only recently reunited. (Daich
i married a European lass, resulting in a bloody family feud.) They are keen to
put their differences behind them.
VANESSA & PAMELA CHONG
Connecting flight: Sisters
Country of origin: Malaysia
Declaration form: These fetching Eurasian siblings are more than meets the eye.
Vanessa is an artist manager. Pamela is a professional dancer. They have perfe
cted an evil laugh, which -- when coupled with their identical voices -- sounds
freaky when they laugh in unison.
MONICA LO & EDWIN LO
Connecting flight: Dating for 10 years
Country of origin: Hong Kong
Declaration form: These high school sweethearts like to call themselves the âRo
b and Amberâ of the race. Edwin, 26, is an event organizer, while Monica, 28, i
s a former beauty queen and a popular actress with 17 Hong Kong movies and a sl
ew of TV dramas under her belt.
COLLIN LOW & ADRIAN YAP
Connecting flight: Gym Buddies
Country of origin: Singapore
Declaration form: Having met at the gym only a few months before the race, Coll
in and Adrian became fast friends thanks to their passion for fitness. But they
hold a secret: 27-year-old Adrian is deaf and relies on sign language to commu
nicate with his partner.
AURELIA CHENG & SOPHIE CHENAT
Connecting flight: Ex-housemates
Country of origin: Hong Kong
Declaration form: Aurelia is a bubbly and outgoing model. Sophie is a serious a
nd reflective writer. A love-hate relationship, by all accounts. Aurelia notes
that Sophie is the âneatest person I ever met,â while she is the messiest perso
n Sophie has ever come across. âNuff said.
By Ruben V. Nepales
Inquirer
LOS ANGELES, California--The network and producers of âDesperate Housewivesâ ha
ve issued a statement apologizing for a remark made by actress Teri Hatcherâs character in a recent
episode of the television series.
The following is the networkâs statement: "The producers of âDesperate Housewiv
esâ and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the b
rief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the int
egrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines. As leaders in
broadcast diversity, we are committed to presenting sensitive and respectful i
mages of all communities featured in our programs."
The remark, made by Hatcherâs character in a scene with a doctor, was, âOkay, b
efore we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Because I would just like
to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines."
Filipinos, especially healthcare professionals in the US and the Philippines, <
a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?art
icle_id=92408" target="_blank">were outraged by the remark. E-mails express
ing outrage circulated among Filipinos all over the world. Blogs and websites denounced the remark.
The Philippinesâ Consul General in Los Angeles, Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon, sent a
letter of complaint to Mark Pedowitz, president of ABC Studios, which has the
domestic and international franchise rights to the show.
The remarks âserved to create racial stereotypes, thereby tainting unnecessaril
y the excellent record of Filipino health care professionals all over the world
,â she said in her letter.
The Philippine presidential palace, Malacanang, also said it would seek an apol
ogy from the TV network.
Alec Mapa, a Filipino-American actor who has a recurring role in the series, to
ld this reporter via e-mail: âIt's unfortunate that the Philippines was used as
a punch line. My family is filled with doctors and medical professionals. I kn
ow first hand from them, that the medical schools in the Philippines are top no
tch.â
The actorâs full statement appears in this reporterâs column, âOnly in Hollywoo
d,â Friday (October 6).
When asked by if ABC would release a lengthier statement, Charissa Gilmore, ABC
Studios vice president for media relations, said this is "the only statement p
lanned." With a report from Nimfa Rueda, Philippine Daily Inquirer<
/em>
BOY, David Letterman sure poured it on when Paris Hilton guested on "The Late S
how" on Sept. 28. Can you say owned?
Here's the video clip from mangoface247, which has already been viewed 2,467,147 time
s on YouTube as of this writing.
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--TV director Dominic Zapata admits he didnât watch the Japa
nese live-action series âShaiderâ as a kid.
âI wasnât a fan,â he says. âI was more into (Japanese animated cartoon shows)
âVoltes Vâ and âMazinger Z.ââ
Now heâs directing GMA 7âs âZaido,â Pinoy version of âShaider,â first aired in
the country in the late 1980s.
He recounts, âI asked myself, âAm I the right guy for this?â Then I realized th
at, on the positive side, Iâd have a fresh take on it.â
Zapata, who previously directed komiks classics âDarnaâ and âCaptain Barbellâ f
or the Kapuso network, doesnât mind re-imagining old material for new audiences
.
âAll the stories in the world have been written. Itâs just a matter of repackag
ing old stories to cater to new tastes.â
He puts it in culinary terms: âOur ancestors have been cooking fish the same wa
y for ages. We just have to come up with new ways to present it.â
He promises to stay true to the âcampyâ spirit of âShaider.â
For example, his fight scenes hew closely to the original. âWe make use of biga
tures -- big miniatures -- for the action scenes. People in robot or monster co
stumes do the stunts. Thatâs the same technique used in Japan.â
Zapata explains: âTechnically, weâre making a lot of improvements ⦠like digit
al doubles for the characters. We now make characters fly and do other things t
hat a person in robot costume canât do.â
He is also looking at incorporating the French extreme sport Yamakasi Parkour i
nto the story. âIt was used in the opening sequence of the latest James Bond mo
vie âCasino Royale.â Stuntmen jump over obstacles without the use of wires and
rope. We can try to do those stunts,â he says. âOr maybe we can learn from the
local group that practices Yamakasi Parkour.â
Zapata asserts that the âP10-billionâ GMA network is fully behind him. âSo far,
theyâve approved all my requests.â
The challenge, he clarifies, isnât about âtrying to beat the competition, itâs
trying to outdo yourself.â
âZaidoâ premiered last week, on the same night as the ABS-CBN fantaserye âLasti
kman.â
âThe audience is always looking for something new and different. Weâre definite
ly punching above our weight class with âZaido,ââ concludes Zapata.
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--Dressed in matching tankinis, Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid
prepare to parody a TV commercial starring Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo.
Bitoy (as Michael is known in show biz) shares with Ogie some ideas on how to c
ap the sketch, deftly slipping into a jazz routine to stress a point.
Ogie takes it all in, wordlessly. But when the camera starts grinding, both he
and Michael are transformed into 1970s dance duo Aldeguer Sisters!
Welcome to a typical working day on the set of GMA 7âs âBubble Gang.â
* * *
âBitoy and Ogie [work perfectly together] because they never upstage one anothe
r,â co-star Rufa Mae Quinto explains the secret of the gag show thatâs celebrat
ing its 12th anniversary this month. âThereâs give-and-take.â
Ogie agrees: âFor us, what is important is the scene, not our personal triumphs
as comedians. In any case, roles are distributed well.â
Egos are set aside -- if not altogether shredded to bits. He thinks nothing of
being Panchito to Bitoyâs Dolphy.
Bitoy, who is also the showâs creative director, quotes British comic Matt Luca
s of âLittle Britainâ fame: âThereâs no vanity in comedy.â To illustrate, he sa
ys, âIf you have to look ugly to make people laugh⦠so be it.â
Even the female cast members, all sexy stars, are routinely deglamorized.
Co-star Ara Mina points out that she often plays mom to Ogie and Bitoy here --
something she wouldnât do just now on the big screen. On occasion, she has even
donned a gray wig as Armida Siguion-Reyna.
Ogie recalls that when he first dressed in drag as the Pia Guanio clone, Papaya
Guano, he looked like a gorilla. âRegine (Velasquez, his girlfriend) said we s
hould work harder on my makeup,â Ogie recounts.
He admits that the objects of their spoofs are not stingy with feedback. âPia t
exted me one night: âMga walanghiya kayo!â [Youâre shameless!]â
Bitoy relates that Mike Enriquez, Piaâs co-anchor on the newscast â24 Oras,â of
fered constructive criticism for his Michael Ricketts character. âHe wanted me
to copy everything about him.â
Rufa Mae says Mel Tiangco isnât offended by her Bel Tiongco act. âTita Mel gree
ted me on my birthday last year on âSOP.ââ
She watches all of Melâs shows, Rufa Mae brags. âI used to have a sketch called
âMagpa K Man Lang.ââ
Clearly, there are no sacred cows for the âBubbleâ crew.
Cast members donât fret when they become targets, Ogie insists. âSometimes, on
âChaka Minute,â I joke about myself. We hit many people. Why should I be spared
?â
Not everyone is laughing, though.
Bitoy says at least one celebrity has complained. â[Singer] LA Lopez sued us. N
othing happened to the case.â
âWeâve been doing spoofs of commercials since the early days,â Bitoy recalls.
âWe had to stop for a while after a coffee company complained. But then âIspup
â on ABC 5 was freely doing ad spoofs [from 2000 to 2004].â
Bitoy and company fought to have the segment back. âWe made our ad spoofs bigge
r and better.â
Executive producer Camille Hermoso says âcreative independenceâ is valued on th
e show.
âOnly the creative team decides which commercials will be parodied.â
âA sponsor once asked us to spoof its commercial,â Bitoy recounts. Naturally, t
he sponsor interfered in the process. âLots of punch lines were disapproved. Th
atâs why we decided to maintain creative control over our material.â
Hermoso says Jet Liâs beer commercial has been the most challenging spoof mater
ial so far. âIt took us almost six hours -- to think, the segmentâs running tim
e was only one minute and thirty seconds.â
âThatâs because we try to copy the material frame by frame every time,â Bitoy e
xplains.
Bitoy and Ogieâs tandem first made its mark on the ABC 5 gag show âTropang Trum
po.â
It took a lot of convincing for the duo to make the big move to GMA 7 in 1995,
recalls Marivin Arayata, program manager and vice president for Entertainment T
V.
âBitoy was difficult to track down,â she remembers.
Apart from the money, it was the prospect of having more âcreative controlâ tha
t attracted Bitoy and Ogie.
âWe were liberated from oppression,â Bitoy jests.
Ogie looks back: âI told Bitoy: Weâve hit the big time. But it was also make-or
-break for usâa painful decision.â
Adding to the backstage drama, ABS-CBN made a counter-offer.
âSaling pusa lang kami noon sa ABS-CBN,â Bitoy says. (Apart from the ABC 5 gag
show, they had minor hosting gigs at the time on ABS-CBN.)
Unfortunately, the Kapamilya offer was limited to the financial aspect. âI was
a bit disappointed,â Bitoy says.
On top of creative freedom, the Kapuso network also offered premium exposure.
âWe were replacing âVilmaâ in the Friday night prime time slot,â says Bitoy. âB
ut that also meant that the pressure was on.â
It was a tough climb to the top, to be sure, but by the late 1990s, it became e
vident that they were on the right track.
ââDating Doonâ (spoof of the religious show âAng Dating Daanâ) put this show on
the map,â Ogie opines.
Bitoy relates that bright ideas can come from anyone. âAra suggested that we sp
oof Ricky Reyesâ shampoo ads. Antonio Aquitania thought up Sex Balls, our spoof
of the Sex Bomb Dancers.â
âWhen we get text jokes, we share them with the writers,â says Ara.
âFrancine [Prieto] never runs out of text jokes. Sometimes she texts us in the
early morning hours. Thatâs why everyone hates her,â Bitoy jests.
Director Uro de la Cruz says âBubbleâ is not afraid to embrace new technologies
. âTexting has democratized comedy. Now, everyone can be a comedian. As gag sho
w writers, we shouldnât be threatened. We should always be aware of the latest.
â
He points out that the show has churned out spoofs of everything, from MTV (Mus
ic Tagalog Version) to YouTube (IyoTube).
But there is also a need to go back to basics, Uro asserts. âI always tell my w
riters to hang out in public markets, ride jeepneys, go to Quiapo and Sta. Cruz
to see what Filipinos are laughing at.â
Thereâs a science to their craft, says head writer Cesar Cosme.
Each episode is a product of regular brainstorming, relates Cosme, more popular
ly known as Bro. Willy, sidekick of Brod Pete in âDating Doon.â
âI meet with Bitoy and seven other writers once a week over lunch in a restaura
nt,â he says. âWe spend hours just shooting the breeze, and get down to busines
s only in the last 30 minutes.â
The showâs 12th anniversary special, âBubble Gang the Movie for TV,â is the pro
duct of one such meeting.
âWe came up with an action-musical,â Bitoy quips, âwith a gay man as lead.â
Bitoy wrote 11 songs for the two-part special, airing on the last two Fridays o
f October. âBut I left room for Ogieâs suggestions,â he says.
âI heard the songs in the recording studio,â adds Ogie. âI even sang backup on
some of the tracks.â
Itâs apparent that Ogie has checked in his ego at the door.
âItâs all about making the show better,â Ogie affirms.
Yes, indeed, thereâs no vanity in comedy.
