Adventures of Super Gail

Here's something to read while online...

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Is Freddie Aguilar Challenging our Identity?

As I have told you before, we are a very sensitive group. We get one –a rather insulting but “true” – criticism, we strike back like a murder of crows. Now, just to be clear, I am taking the side of Ol’ Freddie here, even if his comments are, should we say, extreme.

Just humor me for a second and read on.

Firstly, I wish to make clear that we are not monkeys. We are ape-like descendants called homo-sapiens and nothing else.

Okay, beside the point.

The thing is what Freddie opened up here is a very old scab we tend not to notice under our heels. It kind of makes us… walk a bit “different.”

Identity Crisis: A Look at History

Remember that even before that fateful day on 1521, we’re already greatly influenced by Malays and the Chinese, so there’s no telling what we truly are.

This is so that by the time the Spaniards arrived, many of our ancestors are already either Buddhists or Muslims. To assume only a few artifacts might have remained dealing with Bathala when Magellan and the rest came flashing their swords and chalices.

What I mean to say is that, in short, we have already lost much of our identity even before colonization. So what else is there to lose, they say?

Now, along with their conquest and colonization came that lifetime stigma between the Spanish lords and the common Indio. You know, they took our natural riches, enslaved us, and gave only little power to those half-breeds they call mestizos. And, oh yeah, Rizal is one of them.

It’s no wonder then that we hate them so much.

Well, the Americanized generation is no better. Even though the Spaniards did leave, they left their legacy among these mestizos.

Oh, I know you know the lot of them. Landlords, hacienderos, those rich folks in Alabang.

Old families.

Okay, so, because our grannies hated this rigid Spanish tradition, they’d rather embrace the so-called freedom offered by the American Culture. It’s like, which would you prefer: the Spanish tradition that makes you wear Barong Tagalog while reminding you of past oppressions, or bling-blings that promises you a wealth of opportunities?

I guess you know the answer.


It’s a Fact, Really

The thing is, because we cannot identify ourselves, we cling to these cultures as relief. And we, as much as we want, try to make it our own.

This is who we are today, a halo-halo, a mixture, a smorgasbord of cultures.

So who can say they are truly Filipinos?

As I said, no one’s “pure” these days. Not even me.

In basketball, we got other half-breeds playing in the field. In the entertainment industry, God knows how many are Americanized Citizens hiding behind Filipino screen names, or half-breeds working as entertainers.

That’s fact.

But this does not mean it’s good or bad.

You decide on that. Not me.

I’m just an observer.


Hollywood, Pinoy Style

Speaking of entertainment, in movies, I’ve noticed that there are a number of scenes and action sequences directly hacked from other famous and not-so-famous Hollywood films. Plots are no different, like now with Ogie Alcasid’s new film. Try catching “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Star Movies just this once and see what I mean. Or maybe that very old film “Tootsie” starring Dustin Hoffman.

And it’s no better on our soaps as well, now that we are used to hacking from very good shows only cable TV can offer and make it our own. As of now, I assume that “Ghost Whisperer” of Jennifer Love Hewitt is on its second or third season, while “Nasaan ka Maruha” is just starting out.

Now don’t get me wrong. As I have said in the previous entry, we still got some originality left, even if some of these ideas sprouted from copying a germ of an idea.

One of my favorites is the old “Okay Ka, Fairy Ko” that is minutely copied from those old 60’s serials “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Genie.” But it turned out to offer more than just magic, but also a lot of family-valued entertainment not much TV shows can speak of today.

Even game shows are franchised from foreign branches.

Sadly, the trend of copying a TV show has gone to the extreme. Korean telenovelas and Mexican soaps are now being made as remakes having Filipino actors.

Honestly, I just hope they’d be doing “Great Teacher Onizuka” with Robin Padilla… or “Death Note.” Wouldn’t that be entertaining?



Everyone is into R&B

To be honest, Freddie, I say you nearly struck gold. But it’s still way off the mark.

Singers today can not be blamed for singing foreign songs. They will stay and they will stay.

I think what’s to be blamed is style. They all sound the same with their exasperating rhythm and blues antics.

They revive old songs like it was their own, rhythm and blues style.

They sing their own old Filipino ballads, rhythm and blues style.

Now they’re brave (or brazen?) enough to give out a rendition of our national anthem, Lupang Hinirang… still.. rhythm and blues style.

And for crying out loud, they’d even sung a John Lennon, rhythm and blues style. John Lennon?! Blasphemy.

At least get the notes in the right direction?

Singers like Gary V, Zsazsa Padilla, and those that came from the eighties and nineties, whatever happened to their originality in singing? Every one of them now sings the same, rhythm and blues.

Right, some might Blame Whitney Houston for promoting these and blame Mariah Carrey for making our singers mimic and scream.

Still, we cannot put the blame on them.

Put the blame on all of us, on our disambiguated Filipino heritage, our constant search for this… Filipino Identity.

Besides that are issues on the political economy of entertainment. But that’s for another discussion.



Plight of the Modern Filipino

Get this, when I read how that article on Showbiz Central retaliated on the way Freddie dresses, I laughed out loud. Come on, can one really be a Filipino by just wearing Barong Tagalog and sporting a Rizal dew? I don’t think so.

As for Freddie, he’s got one lonely battle ahead of him. First he got to get his fame back to get noticed. And he’s got to write again. Second, he’s got to read the following before going on his battle…

In this day and age, where our culture is disengaged from it natural state and skewers along between economic culture and popular culture, the word “patriotism” seems no longer valid.

Whatever ideal our national heroes have is no longer valid because our life today is far too different, far too mixed up with commerce and international relations.

Even today, no one can truly tell who the Filipino is since our role models are actors brandishing western culture, signers singing western style (don’t blame the chosen songs), and sport stars advertised as so-called national heroes that get good deals with their contracts and buy houses in America.

If there be politicians as heroes, then that’d be the day.



Dreaming of Pinoywood

Perhaps what Freddie here dreams of is similar to what German Moreno wanted for the industry, a Pinoywood.

It’s quite funny, really, how Indian Films suddenly got the better of us, despite that we make dance numbers in films like they do. How did they do it, then? How did they manage to hold audience the entire British populace and became Bollywood? Now they are being recognized for having produced “Slum Dog Millionaire.”

What is their secret?

One word: Style.

They may have copied these glam films from watching too many musicals but they made it their own style. Copied, sure, but not entirely.

If we can make our copied elements into our own style, maybe we can make a Pinoywood.

Our style in making films and TV shows.

Our style in singing, and not just merely doing that R&B stuff.

Right now, I’ve noticed how Rock and Rap are gaining their own Filipino style. Why not Pop?

Think about these.

And, umm… that long hair is not hippie. It’s American Indian. Try watching “Twilight” for a change and look at Jacob’s kins.

Anyway…

Like my idol would say…

Why so serious?

Byte me!

Ka Freddie opened a Pandora's Box

Freddie Aguilar's comments on Charice Pempengo, Arnel Pineda, and Gary V have struck a chord in the music scene, but it may as well include the whole entertainment industry.


Honestly, I guess I am not the only one who's been noticing this pathetic trend; shows copied from shows, movies copied from movies, and washed-up celebrities trying to make a niche by "reviving" songs (and not crediting the original composer).

Now I'm not saying we're not creative. I've seen a lot of promising stories - most of them from TV 5 - but the real deal is that there are more mimicked entertainments out there than the number of hair you got on your noggin'.

Okay, so there are a lot of reactions on what Ka Freddie had lamented about Filipino Singers, like the negative reaction here in Showbiz Central.

Honestly, do we really have to take it against him for his little speech?

Well, if you like, you can read this piece from PEP.

So? How come a lot of people from the industry (and some from ordinary life) make such "monkey face growl" against him?

Stupid, really, if we do. Really.

Next time, I'll be giving the details of my opinion.

For the meantime, chill.

Byte me!

Next stop: Sculpture

This is our lesson in the near future, once all reports have been presented.
And please try to prepare beforehand?



What is Sculpture? -

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Group Two: Graffiti Art Report

One of the most intriguing and yet controversial art form is this one from group two. I hope you won't be using spray paints soon.



Definition of Graffiti Art -



The Origin of Graffiti Art -



Theory of Graffiti Art -



The Facets of Graffiti Art -


If you find these confusing, go ask the reporters first...

I still have to upload some notes on the topic.
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A Report on the Optical Illusion Art

If you want to find out about Group One's Report


History of Optical Illusions -





Examples and kinds of Optical Illusions -




Optical Art: Cognitive Illusion -



Explaining Cognitive Illusions -


Explaining Cognitive Illusions -




Famous Optical Artists -

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