Why Carlo isn’t directing Bakekang

Despite what some people said against the just-concluded Panday teleserye on ABS-CBN, starring Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista – not-so-satisfactory ratings, the plot was changed from an fantasy-adventure to a love story, etc. –, Carlo J. Caparas (creator of the komiks superhero popularized by FPJ) and his wife Donna Villa insist that they are satisfied with the outcome.

"Everywhere we went," says Donna (with Carlo, they’re known as showbiz’s Golden Lions couple), "people told us that they were following the series. We’re happy with the result."

But followers of Carlo said that Panday could have been much better had he himself directed it. Unfortunately, Carlo (the unchallenged Komiks King) says he’s done with directing movies/TV – "Graduate na siya sa walang tulugan," Donna puts it bluntly – and he’s now concentrating on the family’s non-showbiz businesses.

That’s why when GMA 7 bought the rights to Bakekang, one of Carlo’s well-loved komiks serial about an ugly duckling who metamorphoses into a swan (played by Nora Aunor in the movie version several years ago), Carlo again begged off from directing it (like he did with Panday, with the task falling on Toto Natividad’s shoulder).

"But I will supervise the teleserye," adds Carlo (who will be awarded the Gantimpalang Carlo J. Caparas sa Sining ng Pagkukuwento by the Komisyon ng Sining on Aug. 13). But he’s happy with the choice of RJ Cuevas as head writer. "RJ also used to write for Atlas Publications which published many of my komiks serials, so he knows exactly how I want the story to done on TV."

It hasn’t been revealed yet who the director will be.

GMA has been eyeing Bakekang for a long time and it was only last week that the station and the Golden Lions couple closed the deal. Funfare learned that GMA conducted a survey who among Carlo’s classic characters would click with the public and Bakekang emerged No. l.

Slated for airing sometime in October, Bakekang is among Carlo’s lovable characters, in the same menagerie as Tuklaw (played by Richard Gomez in the movie) and Tasya Fantasya (by an "uglified" Kris Aquino who was made a Box-Office Queen by the Golden Lions couple in such massacre movies as The Vizconde Massacre, The Myrna Diones Story, etc.)

Meanwhile, GMA is scouting for the actress who will play the coveted role. Among those on the list are Sharon Cuneta, Sunshine Dizon, Sheryl, Cruz, Jean Garcia, Jaya and a new face yet to be discovered in a planned search.

Direk Joel ‘not forced’?

Was director Joel Lamangan "forced by circumstances" to take his oath of allegiance to the administration’s Liberal Party before Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, like what Joel seemed to insinuate in his rejoinder last Monday to a Funfare story?

"No, he was not," said an eyewitness who requested his name to be withheld. "Joel knew what was happening; nobody forced him. He swore before Mayor Atienza willingly."

According to Joel, who intends to run for Cavite City mayor in next year’s elections, on the day he saw Cavite Gov. Atong Maliksi, Mayor Atienza happened to be there "to convince Maliksi to swicth back" to the LP faction of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to which Mayor Atienza also belongs. Maliksi was reported to have sided with former Senate President Franklin Drilon’s LP faction.

Joel is one of the most vocal critics of PGMA who, he said, he wants to resign even now that he’s planning to run under the LP banner.

"The truth," continued the eyewitness, "is that when Joel arrived, he knew that a convention among local leaders was going on, led by Gov. Maliksi and Mayor Atienza. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know what he was getting into. Gov, Maliksi has always been with the PGMA LP faction."

Joel is getting his baptism of mainstream politics and his initial moves are leaving a bad taste in the mouths of friends shocked by his decision to, well, "sleep with the enemy."

Contacted by Funfare for comment, Mayor Atienza simply said, "We warmly welcome Joel to the Liberal Party. I admire Joel and I believe he’s a principled person."

Will US market embrace BEP’s Tagalog video?

Here’s a report on Black Eyed Peas (here for a concert at the Araneta Coliseum tonight) from Funfare’s New York correspondent Edmund Silvestre (news editor of The Filipino Reporter):

Black Eyed Peas, the multiplatinum and Grammy-winning group, just shot a music video in Los Angeles on a less-than-shoestring budget for a song their label has little plans for, reports MTV News.

Why? Because the track, Bebot, was written and rapped in Tagalog by Black Eyed Peas founding member and self-appointed Philippines cultural ambassador apl.de.ap and although the song is a fan favorite, it’s mostly incomprehensible to the Peas audience.

Bebot, a funky dance track from the Peas’ 2005 album Monkey Business, basically means a "hot chick," Apl explained to MTV News’ Eric Araya. "You walk in a club, and you see girls dancing that’s bebot.’

Featured in the video is American Idol alum Jasmine Trias who, according to Ricky Lo of The Philippine Star, is Apl’s current apple of the eye.

"I’m so proud that they’re representing the Philippines mainstream, ‘cause we need that representation," Jasmine told MTV News. "More power and success to all of them, and just to be a part of it, it’s definitely an honor."

Rafael Toledo, frontman for the Washington, D.C.-based rock band, the Speaks agreed. "Just to be asked to be part of this is a big deal," Toledo said. "The Black Eyed Peas are representing throughout the whole world, not just the Filipino community, and to be a part of the video is just a freaking cool thing."

The video was a passion project for apl who, with some help from fellow Peas will.i.am, Fergie and Taboo, funded the production independently.

"It’s not just about doing a video," apl said proudly. "Filipino culture is like a community movement, and it feels good to represent my culture and to be embraced by my people."

This community vibe is reflected in the video. Under the direction of budding filmmaker Patricio Ginelsa, two separate treatments were shot: a modern-day house party/summer barbecue set-up; and another culturally themed, historically referenced scene.

"Actually, it’s based on true history," Ginelsa said of the latter, which was set in 1938. "Stockton, California, [was] considered Little Manila, where Filipinos were farmers back in the day. I took apl’s farmer roots and placed him in the role of a Filipino farmer. Back then, Filipino farmers had their day jobs, but all we looked forward to, though, was getting in our best suits and going to the best clubs looking nice, and meeting all the bebots!"

This isn’t the first time Ginelsa has worked with the Peas. He directed the video for The apl Song, a tender, Tagalog love letter from 2003’s Elephunk which apl wrote and dedicated to his family in his homeland.

"I like when Pat mixes in the historical, cultural parts in my songs. So that’s important to represent me right, just the way I am," apl said.

Making their own video even impressed DJ E-Man, assistant program director and music director of Los Angeles’ Power 106 radio station. "I think it’s dope that the Black Eyed Peas even did something like this because they’re very powerful people right now and very influential in mainstream music," he said. "They basically are letting people know it doesn’t matter what language, what kind of music ˜ it’s still music. Music is a universal language."

DJ E-Man even called out the Peas’ label for not pushing Bebot to radio. "I actually talked to the label, they were in my office. And they were like, ‘What are you doing today?’ and I was like, ‘I’m going to the Black Eyed Peas video shoot.’ They said, ‘Really, for what song?’ I said, Bebot. They said, ‘But we’re not really working the record.’ And I was telling them, ‘Yo, it’s gonna be a dope video. I know it.’ "

The Peas will perform Bebot at their concert tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.

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