-
Arnel Pineda will be with Journey ‘for as long as they want me’
By Elton Lugay “It’s such a raw film. They were able to show my emotions.” Arnel Pineda was talking to The FilAm about his biopic, “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey,” directed by Ramona Diaz. The movie, which screens April 19 at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles his rise from a hard-luck pizza joint singer to […]
-
It’s magic: Apollo Riego to have his own TV show
By Maricar CP Hampton At age 4, Apollo Riego’s parents hired a magician to entertain at his birthday party. A year later, he was doing tricks with cups and balls. Today at 25, this popular Coney Island dancing magician is about to host his own TV show aimed at mesmerizing American audiences with his own […]
-
Conspiracy theories surround ‘American Idol’ voting
By Elton Lugay Filipinos around the globe are up in arms: Jessica Sanchez was nearly ousted from “American Idol.” And whoever said we Filipinos are not a united people? This obsession with Jessica on Idol is fueling a united front never before seen since the Edsa Revolt of 1986. The outcry ranges from vote manipulation […]
-
‘Idol’ cast-off says Jessica Sanchez ‘deserves to win’
By Elton Lugay Aspiring singer Heejun Han may have been recently bumped off “American Idol,” but his budding friendship with Jessica Sanchez is something he will always remember. “She’s an amazing woman, a great artist, a star you guys should really be proud of,” the Korean American from Flushing, Queens said. Han was working […]
-
So you think you can dance – and pay the bills?
By Roberto Villanueva Many times I have found myself in situations where I am informing people who have limited knowledge of the dance world that I am a concert dance artist and not a commercial dance artist. Without hesitation, they would immediately ask, “What is the difference?” In order to make a simple and clear […]
-
5 days in N.Y., 4 Broadway musicals, 1 giddy California girl
By Tara Saha As our red-eye flight from California dipped into the polluted air, I gripped my friend’s hand till she winced and squealed girlishly. I’d abandoned all dignity. New York City, land of fame, loss, money, musicals, and superb shopping had been my dream since I was a little girl. When, six months earlier, […]
-
Chicago’s Piyesta Pinoy was a smash bash
By Elton Lugay Chicago’s Navy Pier hosted the Philippines in its Neighborhoods of the World celebration – a “historic moment” for Filipinos in the Windy City. “This is a historic moment for all Filipinos in Chicago,” Ruben Salazar, president of the Philippine American Cultural Foundation told The FilAm. “This is also the first time that […]
-
Filipinos as jihadists? Online protest against film is on
The Filipino a suicide bomber? It’s like Chinese people portraying the Corleone cronies in “The Godfather.” There may be tiny pockets of Muslim separatists in the South, but Filipino people have never been known to be jihadists. This unfortunate detail is cinematically faulty. But in “Act of Valor,” a film about the much-heralded Navy SEALS, […]
-
The heat is on in Tampa
By Elton Lugay It was like coming home to a barrio fiesta in my native Cebu. The weather was warm. Everyone was dressed in short pants and cotton shirt, slippers on their feet. The smell of grilled pork barbecue filled the air. No, I was not on Madison Avenue, but in outdoorsy Tampa, Florida for […]