Piolo: Juday is part of my history

Column: Freehand
Author: Mario E. Bautista

PIOLO Pascual is celebrating his 10th year in showbiz with a special album, “Timeless,” which turned gold two weeks after its release and which he himself co-produced with the very talented Jonathan Manalo, and a solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum on November 30.

He's also releasing a book about the various milestones in his life, written by Dave Fabros. “It's been an unforgettable 10 years and I have so much to be thankful for,” he says.

How does he feel that he is the choice of both KC Concepcion and Angel Locsin as their leading man for a movie? “Ang pogi ko, 'no?” he jokes. “Ang saya and I really can't believe that KC chose me also, kasi KC Concepcion 'yan.

“I feel so blessed. I'm flattered, nakakataba ng puso. I'd also love to do a song with her as she sings very well. I just hope she can wait for me as I still have to finish my projects with Angel. Right now, I'm having workshops with Angel for our soap with Director Cathy Garcia and while taping, we also hope to start our movie. ”

Will he agree if it's KC's rumored boyfriend, Lino Cayetano, who'll direct their film? “Parang nakakailang naman. Sana love triangle movie na lang kaming tatlo dahil artistahin naman si Direk Lino. ”

Will he invite Judy Ann Santos to his 10th anniversary concert? “Of course, I can't deny that Juday is a big part of my history. We did five films together: 'Esperanza', 'Kahit Isang Saglit,' 'Till There Was You,' 'Bakit Di Totohanin' and 'Don't Give Up on Us', all big hits. ”

At his album launching, Piolo sang the carrier single live, “Nagmamahal na Tunay,” which comes with a superb music video with Megan Young (who looks stunning on screen) as his leading lady. We tell him his vocal range is getting better and better. “I still take voice lessons up to now and being a part of a show like 'ASAP' where I get to sing each week helped hone my voice. ”

The album has 16 original songs and two of them were composed by Piolo himself, “Why Can't We Be Together” and “There for Me,” both potential hits. The other good cuts are “To Hear You Say You Love Me” by Jim Brickman, “Suddenly It's Magic” (a duet with Toni Gonzaga), “If Ony Love” by Willy WiIlcox, and the theme songs of his soap, “Walang Kapalit” and “Ikaw Lamang” from “Sa Piling Mo. ”

DIREK LINO A PRODUCER'S NIGHTMARE
BORN on January 4, 1978, Director Lino Cayetano is the youngest of four kids of the late Sen. Renato Cayetano. “The eldest is Pia, followed by Allan, then Renren, at ako na,” he says. “Pia and Ren are both married. ”

He finished grade and high school at the Benedictine in Alabang then took masscomm in UP. “In high school, I was into social science, politics and sports. But in college, I planned to take up broadcasting kasi idol ko si Noli de Castro.

“It was also at that time that my dad went into radio and TV and he realized the power of the media in helping people. When I took up some film courses, that's when I realized I wanted to be a director. After graduation, I took cinematography and film directing classes at the New York Film Academy, New York University and the School of Visual Arts. I was eager to direct my first narrative film, but when I returned here, wala naman ako makuhang trabaho so I took film courses in UP for two years. ”

It was GMA 7 that first gave him the chance to direct on TV. “I had this concept na 'Who Wants to be an Artista', parang 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. GMA naman had this concept about a reality search at naging swak ang ideas nila with mine, so that's how 'StarStruck' was born. ”

He directed the very successful first “StarStruck” that produced the likes of Mark Herras, Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi, Katrina Halili, Cristine Reyes, and Nadine Samonte. The next “StarStruck” finds didn't become as popular as those of the first batch. By then, Lino has moved to ABS-CBN.

“They offered me to direct the 'Maalaala Mo Kaya' episode about my dad's life story, with Ronaldo Valdez playing my dad and John Lloyd Cruz as me. It turned out so well they even replayed it, then they offered me a contract to do films and TV shows for them, so I took it. ”

As we're having lunch, we noticedhe ate nothing but greens so we asked him if his diet is retricted after he donated part of his liver to his dad. “Bawal sa'kin ang fatty foods kasi when part of my liver was removed, inalis pati gall bladder ko as it was attached to my liver. ”

Writer Mel del Rosario, who scripted his first full- length film, “I've Fallen For You,” says he is a producer's nightmare. “Not because he goes overbudget but because ang dami rin niyang fans na nagpapakuha ng litrato with him kaya nadi-disrupt ang shooting,” she adds. “Sabi ko nga, mabuti pa yung mga baklang director na walang fans, hindi naiistorbo ang trabaho sa set. I told him if this first movie of his wouldn't click, gagawin ko na lang siyang bold actor. ”

But Mel, who has helped launch the careers of many directors, says she's confident “I've Fallen for You” will be a hit. “Magaganda ang visuals niya. The movie is not just about the love story of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson but also that of their elders, Albert Martinez and Lotlot de Leon as Kim's parents, and Chin Chin Gutierrez and Lloyd Samartino naman kay Gerald. It's full of good values and offers wholesome entertainment for the whole family. ”

HOW SUGARFREE SURVIVES
IT'S survival of the fittest for local bands these days and only the truly talented ones manage to stay on the scene. One such band is Sugarfree, composed of Eben Dancel on guitar and lead vocals, Jal Taguibao on bass and backup vocals and Kaka Quisumbing on drums. They've had three hit albums, “Sa Wakas” (2003) that produced hits like “Telepono,” “Mariposa” and “Burnout”; “Dramachine” (2004), and their newest album, “Tala-Arawan” with their hit version of the APO's “Batambata Ka Pa. ”

Sugarfree is best known for their 2005 smash hit, “Hari ng Sablay” (which was turned into a movie) and “Makita Kang Muli” (theme song of “Ang Panday”). Their latest single is “Wag Ka Nang Umiyak,” with Quark Henares megging its music video and is No. 1 in MYX's Daily Top 10.

The trio now reinvents itself as they celebrate their 8th anniversary with a grand concert, “Sugarfree Live with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO)”, on September 29, Saturday, at the Music Museum.

“It's been our long-standing dream to collaborate with a full orchestra,” says Jal, who's an avid fan of classical music, especially that of Johann Sebastian Bach. “We tried this before at Hard Rock Cafe in May 2005 where we had a flutist, two violinists , a pianist and a cellist with us. We later did three songs with the MSO in 'Rockestra' and the result was so magical. ”

“Naiyak ako,” says Ebe. “The audience loved it and it was just awesome. ”

HARMLESS, ENTERTAINING COMEDY
YOU'D initially think Adam Sandler's new movie, “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” is about homosexuality but this is actually a high-concept comedy about two guys, both firemen in Brooklyn, pretending to be gays. This seems to have been inspired by the Australian comedy, “Strange Bedfellows. ”

Larry Valentine (Kevin James, best remembered as Albert in “Hitch”) is a widower with two kids who's now facing a problem. He was so grief-stricken after his wife died that forgot to name his kids as the new beneficiary of his life insurance policy. Now, he wants to correct his mistake, but the pension paperwork period has expired and government bureaucrats tell him any alteration will take a long time. He couldn't wait since he's a fire fighter and can die tomorrow. If that happens, that means his kids will not get anything.
Instead of just waiting (which is the more logical thing to do), Larry then convinces his best friend, ladies man Chuck Levine (Adam), to pose as his gay husband. Larry saved Chuck's life once on the job, so he agrees to pretend that they're gays who have a wedding so they can have a domestic partnership where Larry will be Chuck's beneficiary.

A pesky overzealous inspector, Clinton Fitzer (Steve Buscemi), thinks they're lying and starts investigating. Afraid they might go to jail, they consult a sexy female lawyer, Alex McDonough (Jessica Biel), who agrees to defend them. Chuck then finds himself falling in love with Alex who is treating him like her gay best friend.

The film's director, Dennis Dugan (who has directed Sandler before in “Big Daddy” and “Happy Gilmore”), has made some comedies that failed to make us laugh, like “Saving Silverman” and “National Security. ” This time, he does succeed in tickling our funnybone and made the film a big hit in the U. S. earning more than $100 million, making it a bigger hit than that award-winning serious film about another gay couple, “Brokeback Mountain. ”

The two leads are okay, but the movie's funniest scene involves a black and muscular fireman (played by Ving Rhames of “Pulp Fiction” in a show-stealing role), who turns out to be the real gay in their fire station. The scene where he finally gets the guts to come out of the closet and confesses his true sexual preference to Chuck on a basketball court is very hilarious. Similarly humorous is that scene in the shower where none of the naked firemen will bend down to get back the bars of soap they dropped, then Ving Rhames comes along singing and dancing naked in front of them.

Rob Schneider, who also appears in cameo role in the movies of his good friend Adam Sandler, is hardly recognizable here with prosthetic makeup as the preacher who weds Chuck and Larry. The movie has many gay jokes that can be derogatory, but it makes up for it by speaking about gay rights (Sandler even tells the viewers not to use the word “faggot” anymore) and guesting admitted gays like Richard Chamberlain of “Dr. Kildare” and Lance Bass of N'Sync.

Jessica Biel is the eye candy here for homophobes who'd watch the movie and get uncomfortable with all the gay jokes. She has this gorgeous scene showing her clad only in her scanty bra and panties to show off her well-toned body and then she makes Sandler touch her twin peaks thinking he won't get attracted to her anyway. All in all, this is a harmless, moderately entertaining comedy that offers some inspired moments of lunacy and idiocy.

Source: People's Journal