Enjoying Wonderful World

September 3, 2012

Brewing Craziness: Tado at MIBF

Something is brewing at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), the country’s longest-running and biggest book fair. This year, though, the brew turns a little, well, strange as comedian, actor, radio personality and businessman Tado Jimenez joins the fair as one of MIBF’s featured Bookworms.

Arvin “Tado” Jimenez graduated from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a degree in Psychology. Whilst in the university, he was inspired by his artist-friends to study film at the Mowelfund Institute.

Tado is one of the hosts of reality situational comedy show “Strangebrew” with Angel Rivero which saw the tandem play offbeat characters as they interviewed well-known personalities and ordinary people on the job. The show aired in UNTV Channel 37 and Studio 23. His notable catchphrase on the show was “Rakenrol!”

After Strangebrew wrapped up, he reunited with Rivero and contributor Ramon Bautista for his late night talk show on Hit FM 99.5, “BrewRATS”. The program has since moved to internet radio station DigRadio every Thursday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Tado also owns a t-shirt line called Limitado which feature striking messages and spoofs printed on the items. He runs this business with his wife.

He is also a published author. His first book “Mga Kasinungalingang Pwedeng Sabihin sa Mga Mangmang” features Tado’s thoughts and anecdotes about life and other hilarious stories. He has followed this up with “Nag-iisa Lang Ako”.

As one of MIBF’s Bookworms, Tado, as well as cartoonist Stanley Chi, renowned tour guide Carlos Celdran, and Youtube celebrity Ramon Bautista will be making a series of online videos for the event aiming to entice people from all walks of life. There truly is something for everyone at the Manila International Book Fair.

MIBF runs from Sept. 14-18 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and Publishers Representatives Organization of the Philippines. For details, call 896-0661 or 896-0682, or e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com.

Carlos Celdran defies norms at MIBF

Who is Charles P. Celdran? Few may know him by the name Charles but for those who've taken his tours and watched his performance arts, he is more well-known by the name Carlos Celdran, probably the country’s best tour guide.

When he was 14 years-old, Carlos began making cartoons for the now defunct newspaper Business Day. After a year of studying Visual Communications at UP-Diliman, Carlos transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, majored in Painting, but later discovered his allergic reactions to paint. So he shifted to Performance Art instead. He went on to win the Yvonne Force art award and graduated with honors in 1996.

Carlos founded and co-founded many organizations including Walang Pamagat Performance Art Company where he served as artistic director. Walang Pamagat has already performed in Rhode Island School of Design, the CCP, the Bronx Museum of Art, AS220, and in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

He also founded a company that provides walking tours of Manila called Walk this Way. In his tours, Carlos is the director, producer and actor where he stages an elaborate theatrical performance while he brings his tourists around Manila.

His Intramuros tours called If These Walls Could Talk provide a half-day walking tour of the Walled City in Manila, with Carlos in full Spanish illustrado regalia. The Living la Vida Imelda, on the other hand, provides an interesting glimpse into Imelda Marcos’ life through her long-standing legacy, the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Being a cultural activist, Carlos Celdran is often asked by media men of the local and international scene to comment on things regarding Philippine society and culture. He was quoted in magazines such as Time Magazine, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. In 2010 he was included in the list of “Names You Need to Know in 2011” by Forbes Magazine. He was also featured on the British culinary show, Planet Food for an episode featuring the unique cuisine of Manila.

This year, Carlos Celdran is among the four Bookworms chosen by the 33^rd Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) along with stand-up comedian and cartoonist Stanley Chi (Mr. Suplado); comedian, director and actor Ramon Bautista; and comedian, actor, radio personality Tado Jimenez.

MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc. (ACCI), Overseas Publishers Representatives Association of the Philippines (OPRAP), and Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc. (PBAI). For details, call 896-0661 or 896-0682, or e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com.

Ramon Bautista is MIBF Bookworm!

Ramon Bautista, renowned TV host, brand endorser , comedian, online celebrity and a book author lends his magnanimous personality to the already exciting event as he joins MIBF's Bookworm ! Fun and learning are what’s cooking at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), the country’s longest-running and biggest book fair, as it heads back to SMX Convention Center on Sept. 12-16.

Ramon met video director RA Rivera in college at the University of Philippines in Diliman. It is through this friendship that he got his first claim to fame when the latter uploaded on Youtube Ramon’s video called “Dan Michael: Master Magician”, a spoof on American illusionist David Blaine. This gained quite a following.

From then on, Ramon continued to make viral videos, the most recent of which is “Tales from the Friend Zone” which has reached around 165,000 since being uploaded in May.

Elsewhere on the web, Ramon is still king with his 270,000 followers on Twitter and about 250,000 fans in different Facebook pages.

Last year, his Formspring account also received the most number of “smiles”, the website’s equivalent to Facebook’s “likes”, at 142,000.

Onscreen, Ramon is known as the host of “May Tamang Balita”, a satirical news show on GMA News TV. He also had his own MTV mini-show called “The Ramon Bautista Show”. He has graced the big screen in films such as “MNL 143”, “Qwerty”, and “Rakenrol”. However, his talents also shine behind the scenes. He is a writer and co-producer of the horror film “San Lazaro”.

Giving back to the institution that gave him a headstart in his film and media career, Ramon has been a lecturer at the University of the Philippines Film Institute since 2002 while pursuing his Master of Arts in Film.

As one of MIBF’s Bookworms, Ramon, as well as cartoonist Stanley Chi, renowned tour guide Carlos Celdran, and former DJ Tado Jimenez, will be making a series of online videos for the event aiming to entice people from all walks of life. There truly is something for everyone at the Manila International Book Fair.

Meet Stanley Chi, he's friendly not suplado, for MIBF !

Meet Stanley Chi aka Mr. Suplado!

Meet Stanley Chi aka Mr. Suplado, the not-so Philippine equivalent of How I Met Your Mother’s Barney Stinson.

Stanley is an observational comedian, artist and graphics master. He is co-host of TV5’s Front Act, creator of Manila Bulletin-based comic strip “Chopsticks,” the author of best-selling book “Suplado Tips 1 & 2.”

A graduate of Fine Arts major in Advertising, Stanley was an art director for the country’s biggest names in advertising but in 2003, decided to pursue his passion for illustrating comic strips.

Many of Stanley’s followers however came from his conception of Suplado Tips. What was considered as a random and impromptu post on Facebook turned out to be so successful that it was considered as his first ever suplado tip.

He offered more suplado tips and it wasn’t long before people caught on and his FB posts became viral. When Suplado Tips was released, his book gained a cult following.

Stanley Chi and Tado Jimenez

Suplado Tips spawned the creation of the Suplado Society of the Philippines (SSP) complete with its own suplado oath. “Suplado is the new sexy” is the tagline seen on all SSP logos.

This year, Stanley Chi is among the four Bookworms chosen by the 33^rd Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) along with tour guide, performance artist and cultural activist Carlos Celdran; comedian, director and actor Ramon Bautista; and comedian, actor, and radio personality Tado Jimenez. MIBF gathered these unique personalities together in hopes of gathering even more people from all walks of life to attend the book fair happening on September 12-16 at the SMX Convention Center.

September 2, 2012

Ballet Philippines' NEO-FILIPINO: ANTING September 14-16, 2012

Anting promises to take audiences to a different world, one that is altogether historical,

traditional, and familiar yet edgy and unusual in approach.

Sa kapangyarihan ng Anting, ikaw ba'y pahuhumaling?

Tunghayan ang sayaw ng mahika, hiwaga at galing.

Tony Perez’s libretto that explores the world of talismans and amulets of Filipino magical traditions. It is made up for four separate movements, each depicting a specific kind of amulet and its powers.

Each movement is interpreted through dance by noted Filipino choreographers:

BP artistic director Paul Alexander Morales

BP associate artistic director Christine Crame

BP alumnus and E-Dance Theatre artistic director Gerald Mercado

Airdance artistic director Ava Villanueva-Ong.

They will work with the music of noted musicians Jed Balsamo, Jerrold Tarod, Teresa Barrozo and Israel Rodriguez.

Neo-Filipino: Anting has six (6) performances at the CCP Little Theater: Friday, September 14 at 3pm and 8pm; Saturday, September 15 at 2pm and 6pm; and Sunday, September 16 at 10am and 3pm. Tickets are at P600 (matinees) and P1000 (evening shows). Student and senior citizen discounts apply. For tickets, call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. Visit www.ballet.ph.