More than just a Wiltime 1st-year celebration

Year 2010 (of the Tiger) was, for Willie Revillame, both a bad year and a good year. It was a year full of trials and triumphs. But the survivor that he is, Willie always manages to bounce back not with a vengeance, but with magnanimity towards his detractors. Why, he even graciously accepted an invitation from a media person (who castigated him at the height of the “Jan-Jan incident”) to entertain guests at the media person’s family affair.

That unfortunate “Jan-Jan incident” was one of Willie’s trials that also included, among others, a TRO filed against his TV5 show Willing-Willie by his former network ABS-CBN, with the TRO eventually lifted and a few other cases decided in his favor.

For sure, Willie has learned hard lessons from his own annus horribilis.

“I have mellowed,” he said. “I used to be emotional and impulsive but I have learned to count from one to 10 before I react, if I ever do, to criticisms lalo na ‘yung walang basis.”

His consolation is that TV5 big boss Manny V. Pangilinan consistently stands by him, beside him and behind him in all his trials. MVP was quoted as telling Willie, “Your fight is our fight; your battle is our battle.”

“That’s the good boss,” said Willie. “Hindi nang-iiwan sa ere.”

So on Saturday, Oct. 22, Willie will celebrate not only the first anniversary of his show, now titled Wiltime Big Time, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum but also his having survived the past trying 12 months. And what a big celebration it will be, with an expected 15,000 “Willienians” cheering for him, “Right on!”

Take note of the big (as in BIG) prizes at stake: Three houses and lots courtesy of Sen. Manny Villar, five cars courtesy of MVP, five Tornado 2 vans, P5M cash (P2.5M for a lucky Big Dome viewer and P2.5M for a home viewer), and more cash prizes to be raffled off at the Big Dome (one P1M, two P500,000, five P100,000 and 20 P50,000).

Right on, Willie!

Briefly noted

In 2008, Funfare congratulated Beth Aala (photo) for winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming for Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now), produced by HBO. It was Beth’s third major award in four years, including a Peabody Award in 2006 for The Music In Me (also for HBO) and in 2005 for I Have Tourrette’s, But Tourette’s Doesn’t Have Me (an Emmy winner).

The good news is that Beth took another Emmy last September, also for Outstanding Children Programming for A Child’s Garden of Poetry (also for HBO) so I’m congratulating her again.

Beth is an independent producer/director/editor who freelances with HBO in New York. She graduated from Elk Grove High School in Sacramento and received a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego in both Communication and Visual Arts.

Vivienne’s ‘come back and give back’ campaign

Apl.de.Ap’s ‘we can be anything’ campaign is supported by PAL, according to its EVP, Vivienne Tan (left)

Vivienne Tan, EVP of Philippine Airlines, continues her program of inviting Filipino-Americans to “come back and give back” to their homeland. Starting with Bruno Mars and his family last July focusing on helping orphans, the program moves on with Fil-Am celebrity Apl.de.Ap. Philippine Airlines supports the “we can be anything” campaign of Apl.de.Ap (Allan Pineda of Black Eyed Peas) that aims to help improve the country’s education situation.

According to Vivienne, “A lot of Filipino-Americans have become very successful in the United States in various professions and careers such as Apl.de.Ap. Most of them want to reconnect to the Philippines by sharing and helping the country, particularly in its fight against poverty and repairing its environment. As the Philippines’ flag carrier, we are one with all the Fil-Ams in the quest to bring our country to greater heights.”

A music video of the “We can be anything campaign” was produced by Apl.de.Ap and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, Apl’s partner in his aim to help the country’s education system. Expect Apl.de.Ap to keep on coming back to Manila via Philippine Airlines in the next few months as he promotes his advocacy. As Apl.de.Ap proudly says, “I like going back home (Philippines) because it keeps me grounded and reminds me where I came from.”  

You can watch the “We can be anything” music video of Apl.de.Ap on YouTube; just type “apl.de.ap philippine airlines.”

(By the way, here are the ticket prices to the Black Eyed Peas Live in Manila concert at the MOA Concert Grounds on Tuesday, Oct. 25: SVIP Seated P15,000 each [sold out]; VIP Seated P12,000; VIP A P10,000; VIP B P8,000; Gold P6,000; Silver P3,000; and Bronze P1,000. Tickets can be availed at 15 percent discount if buyers use their Citibank Card; bigger discount if bought by bulk.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)