Uproar in the House

If there is anything we should learn to appreciate with Ces Drilon’s saga to freedom, it is that we should never lose hope. Amidst talk and insinuations of rape, murder and molestation, the brave warrior-reporter-modern heroine walked out of her captors unscathed, and ready to face the world again.

Her real life battle’s headlines make all other talk — from alleged sex scandals to celebrity spats — seem like what they really are, cheap dates compared to the real deal.

On the topic of nationalism, there’s been an unlikely uproar on the glossy front, with Joey Mead’s naked body serving as canvas to Solenn Heussaff’s painted rendition of a Philippine flag bodysuit, on the cover of this month’s Rogue. Wearing the archipelago’s colors is nothing new to Joey, for as a young VJ for Channel V in the ’90s, and the scene’s reigning “it” girl, she once wore a micro-micro mini version (designed by Ronald Pasion and Brando Umali of Warp) of the flag for the Philippine centennial celebrations way back 1998.

The word on the street is that whatever is left on the shelves is going to be collated and subsequently banned. This of course made people go into panic mode and made them grab a copy faster than you can read the latest gossip blog. Radio talk shows had a field day and angry callers dropped more than a line. “This is an outrage!” Some even name-dropped their schools, as if that gave them the nationalistic right to voice out more than others. Still others were overly emotional and exclaimed without thinking, “Joey Mead should not have done this — she’s British!”

Body of Work

It’s funny how our countrymen go to emotional lengths to partake in every story (not that I see anything wrong with it), not to mention the amount of judgement passed just to make every vote and sigh count.

 The democracy we chose entails us to action, but let us not forget to get the facts straight. Uh, by the way, Joey Mead is not British. Some parts of her life were spent in Australia, but she is part Filipina, part Iranian. And her middle name is del Pilar, yes as in Marcelo H. Del Pilar. Okay, it’s all in the Rogue cover story, just grab a copy.

“Yes, I wore a representation of the Philippine flag on a magazine cover. This image for me is something that is inspiring, the same way sports brands have produced their Philippine flag-inspired track sports jackets and limited edition shoes. It is the same logic why people put Philippine flag or map tattoos on their bodies,” Joey explains and tries to comprehend the fuss over her latest “body” of work.

“When you’ve done as many magazine covers as I have, you’d want to do something that meant more to you — this means a lot to me, it represents my work, and I’m not embarrassed about the female form. I wanted to make a statement. I wanted to be part of something that breaks the “rules” and provoke people to think and feel.” In the end, it is a debate between art liberals and the conservative guardians. “I’m a proud female Filipina, and I want women to feel the same way,” Miss Mead tells me emphatically.

What if the cover was Francis Magalona, or Joey Ayala? Would it have triggered such a response? Both men are widely known to be staunchly nationalistic and represent both a genre and a generation. Would forum threads be going haywire if it were somebody (emphasis on the “body”) else? The conservative right argues that it isn’t about the subject as much as it is the respect due to the flag of the Philippines. Could have been anyone. The Rogue magazine editors are very much aware of this and stand by their decision of publication.

Sold Out, Wiped Out

The last time this happened to the magazine (sold out, wiped out status) was during their KC Concepcion cover. Yes, it was KC’s first wet look cover, executed by the same man who made us gasp at Joey’s tri-colored nude — yup, it’s Mark Nicdao. Much as I would like to think it was Miss Concepcion’s sultry turn that made the magazine fly, it was the inside shoot of a certain Shawn Yao — in full toe sucking glory, artfully shot by master provocateur Juan Caguicla — that was the subject of the attention. The passed word on the shelf floor was that the man himself Henry Sy had bought out the entire run as a favor to Yao’s ultra conservative parents. This issue made Shawn Yao the new muse to the scene’s avant guardians.

Scoping the scene for new sins may be other people’s favorite pastime, no matter how lame it may sound, but despite all that has been said and blogged, I still look at everything with a viewer’s fresh perspective to life. That we have not become jaded with all that is happening around us. That we still care, no matter how great the adversary is ahead. That we have not lost hope.

Right now, Joey Mead is in Bali for the wedding of Amanda Griffin to David Jacob, while Shawn Yao is most likely having drinks with friends at The Fort. Ces Drilon must be spending time with her family, happy to be reunited with her kids. Elsewhere in the city, KC is on her way from shooting her first movie to Ruffa Gutierrez’ birthday party and the launch of Ruffa as the new Belo endorser. Ronald Pasion and Brando Umali have since forged musical and artistic careers, while Rogue continues to push and provoke with each issue they put to bed. Francis Magalona has Eat Bulaga at noon today while Joey Ayala is composing new songs to save the environment. Henry Sy is moving forward with his global mall expansion, one mega mall at a time. Mark Nicdao and Juan Caguicla tirelessly pursue with their passion of creating visual excitment for this image-hungry generation.

And Marcelo H. del Pilar has been dead for a long time now, yet his legacy lives on — whether or not his descendants choose to embellish themselves with the symbol of what he stood for.

“Vivere e lasciare vivere, “ to quote our Italian brothers. Live and let live.