Post by ADMIN AKO on Feb 27, 2006 12:23:55 GMT 5.5
From hotel bed to ‘papag’ and ‘banig’
BEFORE they entered what would be their “back-to-basics” address for 45 days, participants in the reality TV show “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition” stayed in a hotel—each to his/her own room.
On Sunday night, when it was time for them to be introduced to the public, the 14 new housemates, including RX deejay Rico Robles—who was almost “evicted” even before he could enter the Big Brother’s house because of a glitch in his contract—were blindfolded, hooded, and escorted by uniformed guards from the Grand Boulevard Hotel on Roxas Boulevard to waiting vans outside. A short ride brought the group to the Army and Navy Club, where they boarded a yacht. After a while they were stripped of hoods and blindfolds and transported by speed boat to Baywalk Manila on Roxas Boulevard, where the launch would be held and telecast live [over ABS-CBN].
As they went onstage, the celebrity participants were escorted by PBB’s first-season housemates. First to go up was Rudy Fernandez, called the Man of Steel of Asia because of his mechanical right leg. Ex-housemate Jenny Suico accompanied him. Fernandez, 58, a triathlon athlete, lit a torch that apparently symbolized his excellence in athletics despite his handicap. His three sons, Spitz, Fritz and Ritz joined him on stage and wished him well. A street dance production number welcomed housemate Bianca Gonzalez. She cried when a video message from her brother, TV host JC Gonzales, who was in the US, was played. The most applauded of the celebrity housemates was John Pratts, who brought the house down with another dance number with his dad Donnie, plus Mico Aytona, Aiza Marquez, Glaiza de Castro and Theo Barros. Housemate Angela Calina sang her favorite song, “Wildflower,” with Side A’s Joey Generoso. Her daughter, Aira, was onstage. RX deejay Rico Robles performed a hip-hop and rap number with deejay Shorty. Rico was visibly shaken when the next housemate, Roxanne Barcelo, with whom he said he had a previous understanding, was introduced. Budoy Marabiles, front man of the indie reggae band Junior Kilat, showed the audience why he is idolized in the Visayas, especially Cebu. Budoy rapped/sang Orange and Lemons’ “Pinoy Ako” in Waray, sprinkling his act with comedy by pulling host Toni Gonzaga into a dance routine that required him to hold her around the waist. A fashion show heralded the arrival of fashion designer Mich Dulce, who is also the vocalist of the all-girl bands “Death by Tampon” and “If Disco is a Crime.” Another fashion show welcomed Bench model Zanjoe Marudo, who spoke by phone patch with his father Zosimo, a chef in New Jersey. The six-foot hunk wept with joy. Triple gold medal SEA Games winner Gretchen Malalad was next introduced to the crowd, estimated at 15,000 by ABS-CBN head of security Rene Luspo.
Keanna Reeves could barely control her tears when stand-up comics Chokoleit and John Lapuz welcomed—and then bade her goodbye. For returning celeb Rustom Padilla, facing the huge crowd at the Baywalk was a poignant reminder of his once much-envied stardom. “Yes,” Rustom said, “I’m ready to fall in love inside the house.”
For the last time before she’s holed up inside the PBB house, Aleck Bovick held her lover, Carlo Morales, who assured her that he would be waiting. Their poignant farewell was one of the highlights of the four-hour show that ended only after the housemates boarded a float that took them to the PBB house in Quezon City.
Reaching “home,” the housemates found it stripped of sofas and pillows—it was initially designed like a middle-income dwelling—and furnished with bamboo benches. And instead of beds with mattresses, there are now papag (native beds) and banig (straw mats). How long will they last? (INQ7)
BEFORE they entered what would be their “back-to-basics” address for 45 days, participants in the reality TV show “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition” stayed in a hotel—each to his/her own room.
On Sunday night, when it was time for them to be introduced to the public, the 14 new housemates, including RX deejay Rico Robles—who was almost “evicted” even before he could enter the Big Brother’s house because of a glitch in his contract—were blindfolded, hooded, and escorted by uniformed guards from the Grand Boulevard Hotel on Roxas Boulevard to waiting vans outside. A short ride brought the group to the Army and Navy Club, where they boarded a yacht. After a while they were stripped of hoods and blindfolds and transported by speed boat to Baywalk Manila on Roxas Boulevard, where the launch would be held and telecast live [over ABS-CBN].
As they went onstage, the celebrity participants were escorted by PBB’s first-season housemates. First to go up was Rudy Fernandez, called the Man of Steel of Asia because of his mechanical right leg. Ex-housemate Jenny Suico accompanied him. Fernandez, 58, a triathlon athlete, lit a torch that apparently symbolized his excellence in athletics despite his handicap. His three sons, Spitz, Fritz and Ritz joined him on stage and wished him well. A street dance production number welcomed housemate Bianca Gonzalez. She cried when a video message from her brother, TV host JC Gonzales, who was in the US, was played. The most applauded of the celebrity housemates was John Pratts, who brought the house down with another dance number with his dad Donnie, plus Mico Aytona, Aiza Marquez, Glaiza de Castro and Theo Barros. Housemate Angela Calina sang her favorite song, “Wildflower,” with Side A’s Joey Generoso. Her daughter, Aira, was onstage. RX deejay Rico Robles performed a hip-hop and rap number with deejay Shorty. Rico was visibly shaken when the next housemate, Roxanne Barcelo, with whom he said he had a previous understanding, was introduced. Budoy Marabiles, front man of the indie reggae band Junior Kilat, showed the audience why he is idolized in the Visayas, especially Cebu. Budoy rapped/sang Orange and Lemons’ “Pinoy Ako” in Waray, sprinkling his act with comedy by pulling host Toni Gonzaga into a dance routine that required him to hold her around the waist. A fashion show heralded the arrival of fashion designer Mich Dulce, who is also the vocalist of the all-girl bands “Death by Tampon” and “If Disco is a Crime.” Another fashion show welcomed Bench model Zanjoe Marudo, who spoke by phone patch with his father Zosimo, a chef in New Jersey. The six-foot hunk wept with joy. Triple gold medal SEA Games winner Gretchen Malalad was next introduced to the crowd, estimated at 15,000 by ABS-CBN head of security Rene Luspo.
Keanna Reeves could barely control her tears when stand-up comics Chokoleit and John Lapuz welcomed—and then bade her goodbye. For returning celeb Rustom Padilla, facing the huge crowd at the Baywalk was a poignant reminder of his once much-envied stardom. “Yes,” Rustom said, “I’m ready to fall in love inside the house.”
For the last time before she’s holed up inside the PBB house, Aleck Bovick held her lover, Carlo Morales, who assured her that he would be waiting. Their poignant farewell was one of the highlights of the four-hour show that ended only after the housemates boarded a float that took them to the PBB house in Quezon City.
Reaching “home,” the housemates found it stripped of sofas and pillows—it was initially designed like a middle-income dwelling—and furnished with bamboo benches. And instead of beds with mattresses, there are now papag (native beds) and banig (straw mats). How long will they last? (INQ7)
