There were fireworks as they sang "Alapaap." Organizers estimated about 40,000 people gathered at The Fort Bonifacio open field in Taguig City. And then there was the enigmatic 20-minute break. And just like that, he disappeared.
Ely Buendia, frontman of the popular Eraserheads which held a reunion concert Saturday, August 30, never came back onstage after singing 15 songs in their first set. What really happened that night? Watch this video:
August 2008 Archives
Annabelle Rama is furious at GMA-7 senior vice president for entertainment Wilma Galvante for what she claims as an act of "sabotage" on the opening day of her son Richard Gutierrez's movie with KC Concepcion, "For the First Time", last August 27.
Galvante's "brainless" move, Rama said, was authorizing the staging of the birthday concert "Let's Celebrate" of Richard's fellow GMA-7 contract artists Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera on the same night.
Rama went as far as charging Galvante as having "never really liked Richard" in an exclusive interview with Inquirer Entertainment. “Sabotahe,” Rama said. “Sa umpisa pa lang magkagalit na talaga kami ni Wilma. Si Annette and Felipe Gozon lang ang may gusto kay Richard.” Atty. Felipe Gozon is GMA Network chair while his daughter, Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar is GMA Films president.
Rama claims GMA-7 did not support the promotion of "For the First Time," a production of Star Cinema, the film outfit of rival ABS-CBN. GMA-7 agreed to loan out its contract star Gutierrez for the project in exchange for another pairing with KC under GMA Films to be directed by Jose Javier Reyes set to open on Valentine's Day next year.
“Tinapatan nila ang lahat ng TV appearances ni Richard sa ABS-CBN. Kung may utak s’ya (Galvante), dapat naisip n’yang this is Richard’s movie,” Rama further told Inquirer Entertainment.
For her part, Galvante denied any sabotage and said there was no intention to pit Dingdong and Marian's show against the first-day screening of Richard and KC's movie. She claimed the Araneta Coliseum, the concert venue, was unavailable on August 29 and 30, the original dates the network considered for the show. She also said they didn't consider staging the concert at another venue because of an existing agreement between GMA-7 and the Araneta group.
Rama said she was only protecting the interests of her son. She said Richard leaving the network was an option but said it was an issue "too early" to discuss.
Holding simultaneous show biz events are being considered in local show biz as head-on competition, regardless of whether it is a film showing or a concert. However observers see nothing wrong with it.
Seiko Films producer Robbie Tan even sees this as "healthy" and provide audiences more choices. Others even think it is not a head-on battle because the concert is a one-night event while the movie has screenings the whole day and would be shown on theaters for at least a week.
Get ready for another action-packed, high octane cinematic experience with “Death Race,” a sure-fire hit that will drive you to the edge of your seats.
The film, a remake of “Death Race 2000”, stars Jason Statham, who wowed us with his fighting skills in “The Transporter,” “The One,” and “War” (the last two with Jet Li), who plays Jensen Ames, a former three-time speedway champion and ex-convict who was framed for a murder he did not commit. While behind bars, he is forced to participate in a “death race” in which he dons the mask of the mythical driver “Frankenstein” and tries to survive the insane challenge against the most vicious criminals. In the race, the desperate Ames drives a monster car fitted with the most powerful weapons and will do whatever it takes to claim the road to freedom.
The high-concept undertaking is megged by “Alien vs Predator” director Paul Anderson, his first project since the blockbuster thriller. He had met the film’s original director, Roger Corman, twelve years ago amid the success of his other monster hit, “Mortal Kombat,” and suggested that he remake “Death Race.”
“This is a fabulous Hollywood development story because you always think it is so easy to make movies in Hollywood and it so isn't! I sat down with Roger 12 years ago,” Anderson said. “He said, 'It's great you've got a number one movie in America, kid. What do you want to do next?' I said that I wanted to remake Death Race 2000. He said great and then, cut to 12 years later, I finally get to make the thing.”
The film offers awe-inspiring concept vehicles designed for the film. A film that was inspired by the original production, in turn, inspired Anderson to design the cars. “Well with Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, George Miller says that the original Death Race really heavily influenced him, and in a way we've been also heavily influenced by George Miller's work. We wanted to be the big action movie with real cars covered in real rust with real machine guns mounted on. So it's not like CG bullets flying through the air. Every time we do a take with these cars it costs a fortune, because there's real ammunition going everywhere! We had the Dreadnaught going by the other day with just two of the 50-pound machine guns firing on the front of it and just the impact on your chest as it drove by. It was extraordinary,” Anderson said.
Statham, himself, was blown away when casted in the film. “Are you kidding me? I mean, you only have to take one look at the concept cars. I was shown a drawing from Paul Anderson and I was just, 'Oh, my God! That's the coolest thing I've ever seen!' Paul presented me with a script, presented me with the drawings of the cars they were going to be using and I went home and immediately read the script and it was brilliant. There's a great heroic story. The thing about trying to play a hero is that you've got to have the motivation to do what you are doing, and this is an action movie that has all the drama and possesses enough motivation for me to try and revenge the wrong-doings and save the day.”
For more information about the film, visit http://www.inquirer.net/movies/deathrace
Actor-host and rapper Francis Magalona has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the noontime TV show “Eat Bulaga” after confirming that he has leukemia but assured his friends and fans that he would return.
In a text message read on air Thursday by co-host and comedian Vic Sotto, Magalona said he was preparing for his upcoming treatment and expressed confidence that he would recover.
Magalona, son of former matinee idols, the late Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, described his situation as a “trial” and asked for “understanding.”
“With the help of God, watch out for my return,” said Magalona.
“Di ko lang kayo miss, love ko kayong lahat [I not only miss you, but I love all of you too],” said Magalona
The full message read:
“Sa lahat ng mga dabarkads ko dito sa Eat Bulaga miss ko na kayong lahat. Araw-araw, magkakasama tayo at kayo’y naging second family ko na. Pati na rin ang lahat ng mga viewers sa mga bahay at sa studio. Ngayon, meron akong isang pagsubok na dapat daanan at ang hiling ko lang ay pangunawa at suporta. I have been diagnosed with leukemia and I am preparing for my treatment. Sa tulong ng Panginoon, kakayanin ko poi to. Abangan nyo ang aking pagbabalik. Di ko lang kayo miss, lab ko kayo lahat. [To all my friends in ‘Eat Bulaga,’ I miss you all. As I spend each day with you, I consider you all, my colleagues on the set and viewers, like a second family to me. I need to face this big challenge and request for your understanding and support. With the help of God, I know I can face this. Please wait for my return. I don’t only miss you but also love you all.]
Magalona, one of the country’s leading rap musicians and popular TV host, said in a previous interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he did not want his condition turned into a “media circus” and would rather keep his ongoing battle with the disease “private.”
TV host-comedian Joey de Leon surprised viewers of his weekly talk show, "Startalk," when he made one dare after another as he fumed over a report published in the tabloid Balita that his noontime variety program for 29 years, "Eat Bulaga," was a flop in its recent US show.
In his article, "Bakit Nag-Flop ang Eat Bulaga sa US?" published on July 29, Balita entertainment editor Dindo Balares claimed a GMA-7 executive, whom he did not name, confirmed the show was indeed a flop. However, if one thoroughly reads the article, the author merely referred to second-hand sources in his statements and that he did not witness the event himself in Los Angeles, California.
The taped "Eat Bulaga" US show, billed "Eat Bulaga Grand Fiesta sa US", which was aired last Saturday on GMA-7 apparently wasn't a flop. Footage of the show revealed the venue, the LA Sports Arena, was jampacked. Even a California state senator, Leland Yee, was shown on stage declaring July 19, the day of the US presentation, as "Eat Bulaga" day.
This blog writer however is inviting anyone who attended that particular show to comment and give their own crowd estimates.
Because of what was apparently a false report, Joey fumed and called Dindo a liar. He then urged Dindo to come clean and name the GMA-7 executive who confirmed the seeming falsehood.
“Mapapatawad ko lahat yon na sabihing pangit ang show niyo. For 29 years, sukang-suka na ako sa ‘Eat Bulaga,’ okay lang, personal na opinion niyo yan at nangyayari pa yan. Pero sa isang event na tapos na, binaligtad mo, nagsinungaling, galit ako sa mga sinungaling. Dalawa lang naman ang kinagagalitan ko dito eh, ang sinungaling at mandaraya,” Joey told his "Startalk" co-hosts Butch Francisco and Lolit Solis in the live interview last Saturday.
If Dindo could name the GMA-7 executive, Joey said he would forget Dindo's "transgressions" and even offer him a once-in-a-lifetime gift.
“Hinahamon kita. Bibigyan kita ng ticket sa eroplano papuntang Estados Unidos, first class o business class for two para makasama mo ang dyowa mo. Isang linggong stay sa kahit anong hotel sa Amerika, sagot ko with pocket money na $5000. Sabihin mo lang sa akin kung sino ang GMA executive (na yon),” Joey added.
The biggest surprise came when Joey turned the tables on GMA-7, which he said regularly invites Dindo to its press conferences and functions.
“May nag-kumpirma sa akin na uma-attend ka sa mga presscon dito sa GMA. Eto ang hamon ko pati sa GMA. Pag inimbita niyo uli ang taong yan, mag-re-resign ako sa lahat ng shows ko sa GMA.” Joey emphasized.
Joey previously resigned as entertainment columnist of the Manila Bulletin, Balita's sister publication, over Dindo's article.
As of this posting, Dindo remained silent over Joey's charges.
