Last Fil-Am standing in American Idol

Two contestants who are half Filipinos ended their quest to be the next American Idol last week.

The first to go was Bridget Hermano, a 25-year-old Seattle, Washington resident. Her hip-hop style did not impress the judges.

The next day it was Hawaii native Bryant Tadeo’s to be shown the door. The judges said his interpretation of Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind left much to be desired.

Nicki Minaj found the falsetto section to be the song’s saving grace. “Thank God you did because I didn’t like anything else,” she said.

Randy Jackson said Bryant had the tone and the “beautiful voice, but it never quite went there for me.”

Keith Urban agreed with Randy about Bryant’s voice, but was not really sold.  “You have a beautiful voice. I think that was a very, very good song for you. I feel you handled it really, really well. The fact that everybody got off their feet really, really quickly when you started singing for me it says you might have the connection and that’s what I’m listening and feeling for.”

Mariah Carey spotted “a couple of moments where you kinda get lost....I appreciate the fact that you do have raw talent, I really do. I don’t know if this is your best performance ever but I think you are a talented person.”

With the ouster of Bridget and Bryant, 17-year-old Adriana Latonio of Anchorage, Alaska is left to keep the Fil-Am banner flying.

Adriana wowed the judges with her version of Aretha Franklin’s Ain’t No Way. Nicki complimented the petite Pinay, calling her a “little tiny thing but commands the stage from the second she walks out.”

There are now 10 male and 10 female contestants left in the hunt for the title.

The most successful performer of Filipino descent is Jessica Sanchez, who was the Idol runner-up last year.

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Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla admitted last week they have an “MU” (mutual understanding) relationship.

That means the two stars of ABS-CBN’s hit teen series Princess and I are not exactly sweethearts, but they are close to getting there.

Kathryn and Daniel are busy promoting their first big screen team-up, Must Be…Love, which will be released next week. The two have proven their worth as a love team in 24/7 and Sisterakas.

In Must Be…Love, friendship develops into romance for (Ivan) Daniel and (Patchot) Kathryn. Daniel says he is comfortable teaming with Kathryn. “I’m happy because we’re together almost every day. We’ve gotten super close. Because we’re so happy, we don’t feel (making the movie) is work, it’s more of having fun.”

What’s the secret to the success of their love team? “Maybe teenagers see themselves in us,” Kathryn says.

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The producers of the TV5 series Never Say Goodbye has decided to make Nora Aunor’s character “disappear” for a while.

“Marta” has been shot and is now missing. She will be out of the scene because Nora is in the US to seek treatment for her voice, which has been faltering.

Her vocal cords were affected after her cosmetic facial surgery in Japan.

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This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival Rules will have a new category: New Wave Animation.

“With the growing talent pool of animators both locally and abroad, it is high time that we recognize and showcase their potential to a broader audience,” explained Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino.

Tolentino made the announcement during the appreciation party last week for the winners of last year’s MMFF. Dingdong Dantes received his cash prize as the filmfest’s best actor. Brillante Mendoza, who won as best director, received the award for Nora Aunor, who won as best actress.

The chairman also reported that the festival’s nine entries grossed almost P800 million in box-office receipts, higher than last year’s take.

Among the big grossers were Sisterakas, One More Try and Si Agimat, Si Enteng Kabisote At Si Ako.