AlDub concert in Brooklyn a huge thrill for fans across N. America

Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards as the popular AlDub love team. Photo by Boyet Loverita

Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards as the popular AlDub love team. Photo by Boyet Loverita

By Lindy Rosales

A non-Filipino American portrayed them as “the Brangelina of the Philippines.”

Never mind that Brangelina is no more, but the blurb sums up accurately that the celebrated Aldub love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza has a cult following among Filipinos around the world.

Fresh from California, AlDub flew into NYC for the Kalyeserye sa US (KS sa US) concert tour. This is the first time AlDub performed outside of the Philippines. They were joined by The Lolas, a trio of cross-dressing ‘grandmas.’

Members of the chapter were there to meet Aldub and the Lola’s at John F. Kennedy airport, had front seat tickets to the concert and

“Matagal na naming hinihintay into,” gushed a member of the Official ALDUB MAIDEN Fans Club of New York-New Jersey. The club was at the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Brooklyn to greet the pair after their sold-out concert.

Being away from the Philippines for a long time, I did not have a clue how popular this tandem is, but I got a crash course on from my sister who’s a fan. She showed me the Ultimate Kalyeserye Scrapbook, asked me to watch “Eat Bulaga,” the longest running entertainment show which introduced the AlDub segment.

The Yaya Dub character was discovered via her funny Dubsmash videos. She was invited to audition for “East Bulaga” and told not to smile no matter what happened. In one of the early segments while she was doing her Dubsmash, the producer put Alden Richards face on split screen. Richards was in the studio for his “That’s My Bae” segment. Yaya Dub broke into a thrilled smile when she saw Richards on the split screen. “Kinilig si Yaya” was how the studio described that split-second moment. Thus, AlDub was born.

In such a short span of time, the loveteam called “Aldub” became phenomenally popular. The Lolas were added to the segment, namely Lola Tinidora (Jose Manalo), Lola Nidora (Wally Bayola), and Lola Tidora (Paolo Ballesteros). The King’s Theater in Brooklyn was overflowing with AlDub fans last April 12.

Merly Edqui, a resident of Queens, had a VIP ticket and wore her fan club tee shirt. “This is priceless,” she said.

The Three Lolas portrayed by Jose Manalo, Willy Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros. Photo by Boyet Loverita

The Three Lolas portrayed by Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros. Photo by Boyet Loverita

The show was a riot.

Alden was introduced as the Pambansang Bae and he asked people to sing along with him as he sang a medley of songs. He received thunderous applause. Someone shouted, “We love you Alden”… “We love you Maine.” Maine did a song and dance with two back-up dancers. Finally, the duo came onstage together for their first dance segment and the audience was mesmerized. The energy of the crowd was amazing, not to mention infectious.

Some people got lucky when they were picked to join AlDub on stage, among them 83-year-old Nanay Rosie, who is a member of the AlDub Toronto Fan Club; a 65-year-old man from New Jersey; and a younger man. Ade Dy, an 80-year-old resident of Toms River, New Jersey rushed to the stage. She and five friends drove for three hours to reach Brooklyn. Dy said she wakes up every morning at 4 to watch “Eat Bulaga.”

“Pini-pray ko na magkatuluyan sila ni Maine,” she said.

The onscreen AlDub romance has led to a series of pretend milestones: a church wedding and now two babies.

In a rare interview with Maine Mendoza’s mother Mary Ann Capili Mendoza — also known as Mommy Dub to her fans — she talked about her reaction on their successful U.S. show.

“Siyempre po overwhelmed, kasi sa reception ng mga fans niya. Kung masaya sila, mas lalo pong masaya kami,” she said.

She said she could not believe the success of her daughter.

“It’s unbelievable… it’s unexpected. We didn’t expect that ganoon ang response ng mga tao. Amazing. Parang something na hindi namin anticipated na ganoon.”

Asked if an off-screen romance is brewing between Alden and her daughter, she said, “Ay, hindi ko po alam yon, eh … actually hindi ko alam. Wala akong masabi. Basta siyempre, lahat ng magulang hinihangad nila yong kabutihan, kaligayahan, yong mamahalin siya, hindi siya pababayaan, yong hindi siya paiiyakin.”

Gerell Delavin from Toronto Canada came with five members of MAINEnatics Canada.

“We love Maine, pero we also support Alden. We support Maine all the way,” she said. “Sobrang enjoy yong Kalyeserye. That’s why we decided na kahit mahal, okay lang, yong pera kikitain mo naman ulit, pero you only get this chance not very often.”

The show was sponsored was Happy Box in association with Synergy Productions, Great Smile Production, Inc., and GMA TV.

The shrieking, singing, and dancing crowd

The shrieking, singing, and dancing crowd



One Comment

  1. May hooper wrote:

    I get enjoyment with the 3 lolas as much as the aldub team…i think that they r all great at what they do…i use to wake up after midnight to watch but my work schedule has taken that away from my daily routine….

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