The announcement was actually anti-climactic.
Days before the airing of the America’s Got Talent (AGT) grand finals Monday night, Feb. 18 (US Time), the whole world already suspected who the winners were, no thanks to a reported “leak” from the episode taped in advance.
The Philippines’ big hope, Marcelito Pomoy, placed third runner-up (fourth) to V. Unbeatable which is composed of 29 dancers from Mumbai, India, that first appeared on the show in 2019 winning a Golden Buzzer from judge Dyane Wade, the husband of former judge Gabrielle Union. The group finished fourth in last year’s edition.
Does that mean that this year’s fourth-placer stand a good chance of duplicating that feat? Hope springs eternal as we keep our collective fingers crossed.
Didn’t he have any regrets over the results, considering the legions of fans that cheered for him since Day One of the show where the four judges gave Pomoy a standing ovation not just once but twice, stunned by his exceptional ability to sing a song in both male and female voices?
“Hindi naman ako nanghinayang,” Pomoy told The STAR in a phone interview. (He flew back earlier this year, presumably after the taping of the championship episode.) “Well, I am very happy and I feel like a winner because of the positive feedback from people not just in the Philippines but around the world. At least supported ako ng mga tao sa buong mundo.”
Pomoy won the hearts of fans when he sang The Prayer during the audition, followed by Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) for the semi-finals and Beauty and The Beast (Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson) for the grand finals. In one portion of the show, Pomoy led the singing of We Are the Champions with the contenders.
It was AGT founder and lead judge Simon Cowell who chose Beauty and The Beast as Pomoy’s finale piece, much to the disappointment of Pomoy’s fans who disapproved of Cowell’s comment that Pomoy’s performance was “predictable,” whatever he meant. But he was the one who chose it, fans argued, so…?
“I couldn’t do anything,” admitted Pomoy. “’Yon talaga ang pinili niya, eh.”
If he had a choice, Pomoy said that he would have picked any of these four songs: We Are The World, Hallelujah, All I Ask of You (from Phantom of the Opera) and I Believe You (Dion and Il Divo).
Of course, Pomoy (and the other contestants) already knew the result but they were prevented by the non-disclosure term in the contract. Who was the “leaker?”
“I wouldn’t know,” said Pomoy. “Hindi ko po alam.”
Still, he buoyed the hope of his fans by posting an invitation on his Instagram a day before the airing of the finals:
Tomorrow is judgment day…Please don’t forget to watch the final tomorrow…there will still be an encore so I will be performing one more song together with the other contestants.
We are 10 grand finalists and from the 10 contestants, 5 will be eliminated then the other 5 will be ranked from top 1 to 5 but only one will win. Only one will bring home the trophy and the $20,000 grand prize.
In this scenario, I would love if you will still watch my finale performance. As what I am always saying, win or lose, I know that I am already a champion because in your hearts, I know that we won already. We raised our Filipino flag and represented our country to the best that I can be.
My dream has already been a reality with a bonus. It is to be able to perform not just once, twice but there will be a fourth time tomorrow on one of the biggest competitions in the whole world, America’s Got Talent the Champions Edition. See you all tomorrow. Love you all.
The three others in the Top 5 were: Duo Transcend (Trapeze Duo), second; Tyler Butler-Figueroa (violinist), third; and Sandou Trio Russian bar, (Acrobats), fifth.
One of the judges, newcomer panelist Alesha Dixon (a longtime member of Britain’s Got Talent judging panel), was reported to have expressed “shock” over the results, as she posted this on her Twitter account, “Wow, I’m shocked. @marcelitopomoy8 (Marcelito Pomoy) takes 4th place. Are you shocked as well?”
Pomoy’s career took off after he emerged grand champion in the 2011 edition of Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT). It was his wife, Joan Paraiso (also his manager), who in 2018 brought Pomoy to the attention of Ellen Degeneres who made him appear on her show. After that, AGT first invited Pomoy to compete on the show but he politely declined.
“Ang galing ng misis ko mag-guide ng career,” said Pomoy.
Pomoy was the first pure Filipino who competed in AGT Champions Edition. In 2017, 11-year-old Fil-Am Angelica Hale received her Golden Buzzer from Chris Hardwick and won as the youngest (first) runner-up in AGT’s history.
Although he didn’t get a prize (the prestige was good enough), Pomoy said that he is thankful because he has been getting more projects.
“I used to have offers, pero mas dumami pa lalo ngayon,” added Pomoy who has put up two hardware/construction supply stores in Quezon province.
But he hopes to return to AGT.
“It’s going to be for the grand finals of the regular AGT but I’m not sure if it’s going to be aired live,” clarified Pomoy, now a freelancer. “Sana matuloy.”
What’s up?
• De La Salle Lipa’s high school batch of 1970 will hold its grand alumni homecoming and golden anniversary (50 years) Saturday next week (Feb. 29), starting at 9 a.m. at the school’s old gymnasium in Lipa City, Batangas. Class of 1970 batch mates are encouraged to attend the celebration by either calling or texting 0917-8248623/0917-8005986.
• Multi-platinum recording artist Noel Cabangon returns with brand-new single Pipiliin Pang Maghintay, a poignant track about love that just won’t be denied despite the odds, and serves as the singer/songwriter’s latest original composition.
Inspired by beloved kundimans of yore, Cabangon’s new song promises to be a classic in the making with its soothing melody and universal theme of true love, one that sacrifices without counting the cost.
Pipiliin Pang Maghintay is now available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Amazon Music under Universal Records.
• The Philippine Live Entertainment, Arts and Festivals (LEAF) Awards, which recognizes commendable live performances in the fields of theater, dance, music and festivals all over the country, granted the Outstanding Director Award to Dulaang Filipino trainer-director Riki Benedicto for his remarkable work in the modern re-imagination of William Shakespeare’s classic Julius Caesar.
Benedicto’s Alyas July is a contemporary adaptation based on National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera’s Filipino translation of The Bard’s masterpiece. It was written by Carlos Palanca Memorial award-winning playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc and was performed by Dulaang Filipino, the resident theater company of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).
(E-mail reactions at rickylophilstar@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)