International exposure
MANILA, Philippines - Feeling like all things Philippines have been getting a lot more popular exposure lately? If so, it’s not just you. With two weeks to go until the Jeremy Renner-fronted spy thriller The Bourne Legacy makes its Manila premiere, we thought we’d give a friendly tap on the shoulder to those who still equate the Philippines with obscurity. It’s not the Republic of Moldova, people.
Here’s a little rundown of a few things we found charming:
Gwyneth cooks with toyomansi
Guess who enjoys her veggies with a dash of Datu Puti Toyomansi? Gwyneth Paltrow, of course! On her site, Goop, Paltrow recently shared a special dish consisting of seared black grouper and Asian-style veggies prepared by Wilmington chef Keith Rhodes.
If the thought of this native North Carolinian dish paired with toyomansi-tinged veggies excites your taste buds, you have Ms. Paltrow to thank for that.
‘White Collar’
Season four premiered with the feds hot on Neal Caffrey’s (Matt Bomer) trail after his great escape at the end of season three. There was short-lived speculation that he might be in the Philippines; apparently, Caffrey likes Tanduay Rhum. Elizabeth Burke (Tiffani Thiessen) laments, “That’s a shame. I liked picturing Neal and Moz touring the Coconut Palace.” Being a fugitive: more fun in the Philippines!
‘The Campaign’
Those who went to the movies this week might remember the trailer for this upcoming political comedy starring Will Ferrell as a veteran representative running for reelection, and Zach Galifianakis as his unlikely challenger. In the trailer, Ferrell’s character is courting different constituents and says, “Filipino Tilt-a-Whirl operators are this nation’s backbone! Salamat.” Look for this timely comedy in theaters this August.
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
A recent episode of the ABC late-night talk show featured, of all things, a parody of KFC Philippines’ TV ad for their new Cheese Top Burger. Using full-blown Taglish, the ad depicts euphoric customers attempting to eat the burger as they smother themselves helplessly with cheese. Hmm, maybe I should just try ordering a Coca-Cola Drumstick the next time I’m at a KFC just to see whether I’m met with laughter or confusion. So if you haven’t seen it yet, treat yourself to an outrageous 35 seconds on YouTube.
Russell Peters
If you’ve never heard of Canadian comedian Russell Peters, then you’re missing out on hours of sidesplitting jokes. A well-traveled native of multicultural Toronto, Peters delivers his astute observations of cultural peculiarities with an unapologetic hilarity. His stand-up style is not for the stupid or easily offended. Never mind that he does a spot-on Filipino accent or can talk at length about the many ways Filipinos and Indians can bond, you’ll enjoy him talking about other cultures as well. Go get his DVDs Outsourced (2006); Red, White and Brown (2008); and The Green Card Tour (2011). It just never gets old!
‘Here Lies Love’
Released in 2010, Here Lies Love is a collaborative project between Talking Heads front man David Byrne and electronic musician Fatboy Slim. A concept album, this collection of eclectic tracks tells the story of the life of none other than former First Lady Imelda Marcos. It’s a fascinating, inspired album featuring vocals from a slew of talented artists like Cyndi Lauper, Florence Welch and Tori Amos, just to name a few. And if this all sounds like old news, look for the album to be adapted into a musical directed by the Tony-nominated Alex Timbers and premiering in New York City sometime in 2013.
