Pinoy fan deletes viral Lea Salonga video; not sorry, regretful for uploading
MANILA, Philippines — The Filipino fan who uploaded Broadway star Lea Salonga’s backstage and dressing room video that went viral has taken down the million-viewed footage, but said that he had no regrets or did not think he had to apologize to Lea for uploading it.
The uploader, salon owner and theater lover Christopher Carpila, guested on the “Julius and Tintin” show of broadcaster couple Julius Babao and Christine Bersola-Babao on One News.
In the show’s episode uploaded yesterday on YouTube, Christopher shared how he and his group of other fans went to the backstage and the dressing room to see Lea.
“Siyempre tayong mga Pilipino, ‘pag may show… gusto natin para may remembrance tayo, makapag-pictures tayo…” Carpila told Julius and Tintin on why he went to the backstage with friends.
“Nung labasan na… nagtanong kami sa isang personnel kung saan naming pwedeng makita si Ms. Lea. So ininstruct n’ya po kami na pumunta sa exit door, which is saan lumalabas ‘yung mga artista kapag talagang magsa-sign ng mga autograph or pauwi na, so pumunta po kami doon. Ito po ‘yung sa pinakalabas ng theater.”
After waiting for what he claimed to be a long time, they asked a personnel where Lea was, and the personnel said, “She is inside,” pertaining to her dressing room.
“So tinanong niya po kami kung anong pangalan namin. So pagkatanong ng pangalan namin, pumasok s’ya sa loob…”
After a while, the personnel returned and asked for their names again.
When the personnel met them for the third time, he said they were given permission to enter the backstage.
“Wooh! Sobrang saya po namin kasi sabi n’ya sa’min, ‘You can go inside’ na!”
According to Christopher, another woman personnel assisted them inside the backstage to usher them to where Lea was.
He said they were asked to queue in a line for guests for picture-taking and a little chit-chat.
Tintin asked if Christopher was a tourist in New York, then he stressed that he and another companion were tourists while the rest from their group are US-based.
When their turn came to see Lea, Christopher said their group couldn’t contain their excitement.
“Hindi po namin ine-expect na with a little time po sana mapagbigyan naman tutal andoon na po kami,” he recalled.
“But of course, nirerespeto po namin si Ms. Lea. Baka that time pagod po s’ya or whatever. Naiintindihan po namin ‘yun kaya kung mapapansin n’yo po, nu’ng nag-instruct s’ya sa amin na doon, doon, doon, sinunod pa rin namin s’ya…”
Julius then reiterated that Christopher and his group could have been given permission to access the backstage: “’Yun kasi ang hindi alam ng mga tao – na kayo ay pinayagan. Humingi kayo ng permiso at pinayagang makapasok sa loob.”
Julius thinks the cause of the squabble was miscommunication between the theater’s security personnel and Lea.
“Kaya it puzzles me that pinayagan kayo pumasok sa loob but Lea was saying, mayroon dapat guest list. ‘Di ba kapag papasok ka sa loob, titignan muna ‘yung guest list na ‘yun para malaman kung nandun ka? So kung wala ka sa list na ‘yun, ‘di ka maaaring pumasok. So nakakapagtaka bakit nangyari ‘yung ganito,” Julius added.
According to Christopher, the “meet and greet” with fans was done outside the dressing room, and they were asked to line up outside the dressing room, although he noticed that some in the line took their pictures with Lea inside the dressing room.
He said that even before the dressing room incident, he and his companions already tried to approach Salonga when he saw her at the center dance floor. But security personnel prevented them from coming near when Lea said, “I don’t know them.”
Christopher said he has videos of these claims, but did not upload them for the privacy of those also in the video.
Tintin suggested blurring the private people’s faces if Christopher really intends to show the videos to clear his name.
Julius said Lea just asserted her strictness when it comes to following protocols, and he acknowledged Lea for still giving the fans the photo opportunity they were asking for: “Inentertain pa rin kayo at sinamahan kayo hanggang sa may pintuan…”
Tintin added: “So in fairness kay Lea, we can show the photo now, nagpapicture sa inyo si Lea… nakangiti pa si Lea. So kahit may nangyaring gan’un na misunderstanding, she still was gracious.”
Christopher affirmed Julius and Tintin, saying that their group was still grateful for having accomplished taking pictures with the Tony Award winner: “Very thankful pa rin kami. Sa mga nangyari nga, napagbigyan pa rin kami.”
Julius then asked, “Kung okay naman, nag-effort din naman si Lea para matuloy itong pictorial na ‘to, bakit kinailangan mong i-upload ‘yung video?”
“Actually, wala akong interes or naisip na makapanira ng kapwa or masiraan si Ms. Lea dahil alam n’yo naman, nakakahiya naman kung gan’on at sino ba naman ako? Kaya lang siguro, tao lang naman tayo,” Christopher explained.
He admitted, though, that although thankful to Lea for having given the photo opportunity, he still was hurt by how their group was initially treated, which is why he uploaded the video.
“Tayong mga Pilipino ‘pag nakakaramdam ng konting sakit ng dibdib, nakakapagpost tayo, nakakapagsalita tayo ng mga bagay na hindi natin alam ang mga nagiging consequences. So ayun po siguro ‘yung nangyari sa akin. Dahil sa disappointment lang,” he said.
When asked if he regrets posting the video, he said: “Actually, nirerespeto ko po silang lahat. Hindi ako nagsisisi na pinost ko s’ya. Kasi nga lumuwag ‘yung dibdib ko. Nailabas ko ‘yung disappointment ko, ‘yung sama ng loob na nasa dibdib ko, nailabas ko na siya.”
“Alam ko may pinanggagalingan din ‘yung mga sinasabi nila sa akin, ‘yung pang-babash nila, so iniintindi ko na lang po at hindi na lang pinapatulan para po everybody happy,” he said of his bashers.
“Kasi hindi ‘yun ang ineexpect namin from a Lea Salonga.”
Tintin asked what they were expecting from Lea, to which Christopher replied: “Kasi pare-parehas po kaming Filipino. Nasa ibang bansa po kami. Tayo namang mga Filipino ‘pag nasa ibang bansa tayong mga Filipino, ‘yung embrace naman natin tayong mga Filipino. Ewan ko kung entitled po ang tawag d’un. Sana hindi naman po…”
“Alam mo, ‘yung Pilipino ka, makita ka, ‘Oh, hi,’ malumanay... ‘Yung warm po sana. I don’t know, baka ‘yun po talaga personality ni Ms. Lea,” he said.
Julius and Tintin asked Christopher and other fans to understands Lea’s paranoia about being approached by strangers, citing that even Britney Spears was recently slapped by a bodyguard when she tried to approach basketball star Victor Wembanyama.
According to Julius, what happened between Lea and Christopher were not their fault, but probably due to a lapse in security.
Christopher admitted going on Facebook live to show the musical’s curtain call and told Tintin that he has deleted the video.
When asked for his reaction to Lea’s tweet asking fans not to cross her boundaries, Christopher said: “I think hindi naman po ako nag-cross sa boundaries n’ya. Napakita naman po natin sa video ‘yun. Hindi naman ako lumapit sa kanya nang malapit na malapit. Nagkalapit na lang po kami nu’ng nagpa-picture kaming dalawa.”
Related: 'I have boundaries': Lea Salonga addresses viral video over alleged snubbing incident
He took a video of the meet and greet because they were “super excited.”
“Dahil gusto po namin ma-capture ang moment with her. Kumbaga, ayaw naming may makalagpas na sandali dahil alam namin na sandali lang ‘yung moment na ‘yun.”
He thinks Lea saw them taking her video, and Lea was alone in the dressing room and while they were taking pictures in a wall outside the room.
When asked if he thinks he owes Lea an apology, he said, “Hindi ko alam kung kailangan kong gawin ‘yun. Pero pasensya na siguro, hindi.”
Related: Lea Salonga doesn't mind losing fans to protect her boundaries
When the couple asked Christopher why he was not sorry for uploading the video, he said, “Alam ko wala po akong ginawang masama. Alam ko ‘yung pagka-post ko, hindi ko intensyon na manira or ipakita sa buong mundo na ‘yon s’ya. Tulad nang sinabi ko, tao lang. Tao lang na hindi nakapag-isip nang ikinilick.”
He, however, has a message for Lea: “Ms. Lea, we’re so proud of you! At pinopromote ko po ang ‘Here Lies Love’ dahil napakagagaling po nang mga aktor na mga gumanap sa serye na ‘yan. Kaya Filipinos all over the world, kapag ipinlay po ‘yan sa inyong mga lugar, please support po natin ang mga Filipino dahil angat ang Pinoy.” — Video from One PH via YouTube
