I do not really follow teleseryes on TV but tonight, I caught the final episode of Ikaw Ay Pag-Ibig–the drama on primetime TV that stars Zaijan Jaranilla, Xyriel Manabat, and many other others, including veteran actor, Mark Gil.

Aside from the remarkable acting of Mr. Gil as Congressman Gonzales, what struck me most was his confession. He was convicted in the last several episodes and he really repented from his sins. He asked forgiveness from the people he had wronged, including his family and the people under his district, plus he also tried to correct the mistakes of his past–like withdrawing his false accusations that sent his daughter’s lover in jail. Although he could not entirely correct everything, as several of the characters already died or lost a number of productive years in their lives, the point of the matter is that, he repented.

How I wish that even just a fraction of corruption politicians here in the Philippines would do so? Imagine, even just one percent of those in public office who have willfully done the people of the Philippines wrong will just repent, come out in the open, and try to make amends for what they have done–you can just imagine the change that will happen in this country.

Sigh…too bad…it only happens on TV…

Covert Affairs stars from left, Christopher Gorham, Piper Perabo, and Sendhil Ramamurthy

Last night, I am sad that it was already the Season 2 Finale of Covert Affairs that we watched.

The good thing is, they will be up for a third season because the show is doing well. The sad thing is, they will resume in the summer of 2012. And that will be about six months from now!

Anyway, on the final episode, we see Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) driving off to the countryside in a vintage Corvette given to her by Auggie (Christopher Gorham). It was revealed that Annie might have feelings for Auggie but the guy is in love with the younger sister of his fellow soldier who had died in the war. Jai Wilcox (Sendhil Ramamurthy) has sent his father to jail but he also expressed his intention of becoming DCS chief of the CIA.

There is really a lot of things to expect in the next season and I really would like to see Annie and Auggie become romantically involved because of their nice onscreen chemistry.

If the creators of the show will continue with the good story, then Covert Affairs may well continue with many more seasons.

Angelina Jolie with Anderson Cooper

Recently, actress and UN Ambassador Angelina Jolie was interviewed by Anderson Cooperin his TV show and in the screen shot above, the actress was seen laughing heartily.

I think that it is refreshing to see her laugh like that because she is often pictured with a grim and serious look on her face. But my gosh! She looks to frail! I do miss her look in Tomb Raider.

Angelina Jolie is so Thin!

Anyway, I really wonder why celebs like Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmesmaintain that somber look. My husband told me that maybe they do not want to have wrinkles. Laughing creates laugh lines and in order to prevent that, they keep a straight face. I wonder if there is a value to his opinion, but I think that he has a point. But gee, I would laugh my heart out–wrinkles or not. Life is too short to keep a grim face always.

Without a hint of a smile--Victoria Beckham always looks like she is mourning.

Daniel Darwin--or Astroboy of Talentadong Pinoy

I am so into watching Talentadong Pinoy lately because of their current defending champion–Daniel Darwin a.k.a. Astroboy.

He is half-Filipino (his mom is from the Pinatubo area) and his dad is Nigerian American (as I was told by a couple of readers. He used to work for a magazine in New York until he decided to come back home to the Philippines.

To say that he is very good with a hoola hoop is an understatement. Darwin is a total performer and the hoola hoop is not just an accessory or playing it is not just a skill. He is one with his hoola hoop. His movements are very fluid and there is no question about the skill. But his mastery and creativity are simply breathtaking.

And his physical attributes do not hurt either. He is handsome, long, lean, and lithe. He speaks English, French, and Filipino. He is classy. And he is a world-class performer.

Whenever Astroboy is on stage, the judges, jury, and audience are mesmerized. He totally owns the stage and it seems that nobody is around anymore. He is master…and he is one…with his hoola hoop.

Oh my gosh, I am like a star-struck fan. I dunno, his talent is not something you see everyday. He is a combination of skill, creativity, showmanship, and good looks. Who can beat that.

My prediction is that, he will become a Talentadong Pinoy Hall of Famer soon.

By the way, I wanna mention that he teaches how to handle a hoola hoop at the Quezon City Memorial Circle. Just ask around for his schedule. I want to catch that!

Piper Perabo in Covert Affairs

I am not sure if it is because the lead character as the spy Annie Walker is a woman (Piper Perabo), the travels to exotic locales, or mainly because it is an espionage series that does not have a lot of bloody encounters. Sure there are actions scenes, but they are not gory.

Perabo is a neophyte spy in this show. Despite her skills, she is humble and most of all, she has a heart. I dunno if spies like these work out in real life, but well for me, it is worthy to watch and follow on TV.

Covert Affairs was created by Chris Ord and Matt Corman. Aside from Perabo, others stars include Christopher Gorham, Kari Matchett, Peter Gallagher, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Anne Dudek.

Next time, I will feature here the Hunks of Covert Affairs.

Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited Edition

So naturally, I do not know who the housemates are.

Last time, I heard that the task of the three girls at the Big Brother House was to “seduce” the guys. And I am like what? What kind of a task is that?

And tonight, I caught the update where Big Brother was giving a task to a woman who was going to play the wife of a foreigner. She sorta brought it up to Big Brother that she is married, her husband is watching and so are her kids. But Big Brother only said that well, that is her task. I do not know the entire story because I did not watch the show. I do not know what the consequences will be if she did not follow because in the excerpt it seemed that she accepted.

But what the heck?

I mean, these people who are here are not playing roles, or are there? I believe they are there as themselves so when people see them doing those things, what will happen to them when they come out? And most especially, what will happen to their kids? Does Big Brother promote infidelity and promiscuity? Do they really want to tempt people? Aren’t they putting their omniscient role too far?

I guess the solution is, if you do not want to be subjected to these things, then do not join Big Brother, right? And if you do not like the show, do not watch it, right? Like me.

However, what about the rest of the Filipino people who watch this show every night including the children. ABS-CBN should know that the Big Brother show has a lot of influence on people, shouldn’t they use it to promote good values? Don’t tell me that these questionable tasks are the only things that can sell a show.

What I am ranting about is the lack of responsibility of ABS-CBN. Sure they put their “parental guidance” sign there and it is up to the parents to let their children watch the show. So does that mean that the network no longer has responsibility to their viewers as well as to the nation?

Honestly, most of the tasks there are crap! So parents, be careful about letting your children watch this show.

Nasaan Ka, Elisa?

“Nasaan ka, Elisa?“, which literally translates to “Where are you, Elisa?” is a suspense-drama being shown on ABS-CBN every night.

I am really curious about this story but I did not watch it. I want to wait for the ending. haha Yeah, I am like that. I watch these TV series when it is on its final week because I don’t like following the story every night just to feel bad when it is cut short. I like stories that end in one sitting–like in the movie.

The story of Nasaan ka Elisa revolves around a wealthy and happy family whose world is turned upside down because of the disappearance of their daughter, Elisa. It turned out that relatives have hidden desires and evil intentions. It’s really complicated. haha Maybe I should just read the spoilers.

Please tell me what you think about this show by leaving comments here.

Starring Melissa Ricks (as Elisa), Albert Martinez, Agot Isidro, Vina Morales, Mickey Ferriols, Eric Fructuoso, Aldred Gatchalian, Christopher Roxas, and many others.

100 Days to heaven starring Connie Reyes and Xyriel Manabat

But you’d be surprised that I have not written about this until now. hehe

100 Days to Heaven stars Connie Reyes as a very shrewd and successful but also very mean businesswoman named Madame Anna Manalastas who owns the Toy Company. She dies but is sent back in the person of a homeless 7-year-old, played by child actress Xyriel Manabat.

The story is very tight and each week, Madame Anna Manalastas has a problem to solve and people to make amends to. She has wronged so many people in her past life and she only has 100 days to correct everything. The greatest twist is when she learned that the con artist named Sophia Delgado (played by Jodi Santamaria) who has been helping her out is actually her abandoned daughter.

It is a great opportunity for Xyriel that at a very young age, she was able to act alongside veteran actors like Miss Reyes and Joel Torre who are regulars in the show, as well as the guests like Miss Susan Roces, Judy Ann Santos, Cherry Pie Picache, Noel Trinidad, and Richard Gomez. And the great thing is, Xyriel can really hold up her own. She is a great actress at a young age and I will never see her again as a little girl after 100 Days to Heaven. I think she does not yet get how stellar the stars she is acting with. For her probably, it is just a job that she has to do. And she is very effective.

So when 100 Days to Heaven will say goodbye tomorrow, I will really miss this show including Xyriel. Although she will soon be seen in a Christmas show alongside other kids, I would miss her as the little Madame Anna Manalastas.

Aside from being our favorite pancit canton brand, I really appreciate the management of Lucky Me for choosing to promote good values and principles in their ad campaigns.

Some of their ad concepts are promoting family togetherness, the importance of communication in the family, parental support, and the like. I love it! They are really making use of the mass media not only to promote their products but also to speak good values into the minds and subconscious of Filipinos.

Last times, my husband and I were driving along Lacson Street and we noticed the billboard of RCBC. It simply said, “Love and Respect your Parents” then it had the logo and slogan of the bank. And we were just happy to see that.

I mean if companies are willing to pay for the creative work of ad agencies and then the ad placements, which are in millions of pesos, by the way, why not use that money to promote good values? That would be a big contribution to the betterment of society because they are employing the mass media.

If only the companies will think about this.

Leonard and Penny kiss

We waited patiently for the onscreen romance of Dr. Leonard Hofstadter and Penny to come into fruition in The Big Bang Theory.

Then they were finally together and off again. They are both still in love but Penny was afraid of a deeper commitment. Eventually, Leonard dated Priya, Raj’s sister, who also eventually went back to India.

Anyway, did you know that in real life, the actors who play Leonard and Penny had been dating? I know that many of you guys know this but I don’t, so please just indulge me, okay? Because I had been thinking while watching their many canoodling sessions under what seems like peacock alley bedding that the two of them have such great chemistry and are actually pretty sweet together. I was wondering what their relationship was like off-cam.

And that is why. Because the two of them were actually a couple. They had been secretly dating and only revealed their relationship after they split. But they remained friends and there is still that undeniable chemistry between them on set. I just wonder if they broke up at the same time that their screen romance also fizzled?

Anyway, it is great that the two exes can still work wonderfully like that. Sometimes, no matter how the compensation is, it can be hard. I guess they really are still friends.

Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco in a couple of scenes taken from The Big Bang Theory episodes

The Big Bang Theory Main Cast

My husband and I were so excited to watch the first two episodes of the Season 5 of The Big Bang Theory because the last episode of Season 4 was just uber-hilarious that we had tummy aches because of laughing so hard.

Anyway, the first two episodes are cool but I just wanted to write this about the cast. This is long overdue but I would still want to introduce you to the funny guys at The Big Bang Theory.

Johnny Galecki

Johnny Galecki as Dr. Leonard Hofstadter

Johnny Galecki, born John Mark Galecki on April 30, 1975, first appeared in appeared on film in 1987 in the movie, Murder Ordained. After that, he had roles in several other movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Vanilla Sky, The Opposite of Sex, Playing Mona Lisa, and Bookies. And I do remember his bit role in Will Smith’s movie, Hancock. He also appeared in many TV shows, like Hardball, Civil Wars, My Name is Earl, and My Boys. But his most notable role that catapulted him to instant stardom is being Dr. Leonard Hofstadter–a genius and a physicist who dreams of love, sex, marriage, and building a family someday with the one he loves. He is in love and had a relationship with his neighbor, Penny, played by Kaley Kuoco. He also has hang-ups with his mother.

Jim Parsons

Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper

Jim Parsons plays the eccentric personality of Dr. Sheldon Cooper–a physicist who is extremely intelligent with many skills but who lacks social skills and could not detect sarcasm. He has no interest in women and finds kissing unsanitary. hahahaha Anyway, although he can be impossible to live with if he were my real-life friend, Sheldon Cooper is cute, funny, and infuriating. Parsons delivers his speaking lines very fast, like he would just ramble a formula from his head. Sometimes I wonder if he really understands what he is talking about. And then he combines it with unique facial expressions that are just so endearing. I can hardly imagine anyone playing the role of Sheldon Cooper than Jim Parsons.

Kaley Cuoco

Kaley Cuoco as Penny

Kaley Cuoco plays the role of Penny, the Cheesecake Factory waitress who lives across the hall from Sheldon and Leonard. As a waitress and actress wannabe with an extravagant lifestyle, she is always broke. She hangs out with the guys until she finally hooks up with Leonard. They had a loving and passionate relationship, but since Leonard wanted to take things to another level, Penny backed off.

Kaley is no stranger to showbusiness. She is probably that the most veteran in acting among the main cast. She started acting at age 6, in the TV movie. Quicksand: No Escape. She has appeared in many movies and TV shows since then, including Prison Break, Bratz, and Charmed. I love her role. She is cast as the typical dumb blonde but because of her close association with geniuses, her taste in men has also improved…sometimes…

Simon Helberg

Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz

Simon Helberg plays the underweight engineer, Howard Wolowitz. He is the only one in the group who does not hold a doctorate degree and it is often brought up by Sheldon. Howard would then defend this saying that he has a masters degree from MIT. In the current season, he is now engaged to his long-time girlfriend Bernadette, but still lives with his mother. I have yet to see the face of his mother although in all the episodes, we can only hear her voice. Howard and Mrs. Wolowitz keep shouting at each other. That is how they communicate. LOL I just know I don’t want to be neighbors with them.

Kunal Nayyar

Kunal Nayyar as Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali

Kunal Nayyar is the Indian actor who reprises the role of Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali, another nerdy scientist who works at the same university with the rest of the guys. Extremely wealthy in India as well as geeky, he has a psychological problems that make him lose his voice when he is around women. His inhibitions are curtailed when gets a swig of alcohol. But in one episode, he drank a beverage that he thought was alcoholic and so he became forward with women, although in reality it was just a chaser. In this show, he is also longing for love in America but is constantly bugged by his parents (through video conferencing) to marry a nice Indian woman.

Now this is the main cast of The Big Bang Theory and I just love how the creators were able to find them all. It is no wonder why Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady consider themselves blessed.

The Brady Brunch of Big Bang Theory

Lanisha Cole with The Price is Right cast

Lanisha Cole was former model and presenter in the famed game show, The Price is Right. She is suing the two producers of the show, Michael G. Richards and Adam Sandler (not the actors), for many complaints including sexual harassment.

The civil complaint included “wrongful termination, wrongful sexual harassment, failure to take steps to prevent harassment, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress”.

We have taken to watching re-runs of the show but have not really taken an interest on the girls. All I am concerned about are the contestants, their game, and their winnings. I just have a feeling though that what she is claiming may be true. Poor girl. I do hope that she gets the justice that she deserves. And be compensated, too.

Although money cannot repair the damage, at least she gets something to start her life anew.

This is not the first time that The Price is Right faces sexual harassment charges, which is why I am saying that there may be truth to this claim. After all, the models in this show are gorgeous. It was very brave of Lanisha Cole to come out in the open about this.