How I became a Pussycat fan

MANILA, Philippines - I’m not a fan girl. I don’t chase after famous people; I don’t cut out their pictures in magazines and worship them. In my world, going up to celebrities to ask for an autograph or to have a picture taken with them is simply not done. Call me bashful, proud, or just too slow, but I hardly have any photos with celebs or any of their John Hancocks either. It isn’t that I lack the opportunity to see these people — I actually see many local TV personalities all the time; I just don’t go near them.

To be clear, I don’t mean that I get starstruck, such that I either go nearly insane or become frozen on the spot at the nearness of some famous person. Though I won’t try to enter a shoving match with other fans, I won’t move away either because seeing celebrities is an “experience” you can, well, brag about to your friends. Imagine being with someone who won’t shut up about Tayong Dalawa and saying to her, “I saw Jake Cuenca, Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson this afternoon at the mall!” — it feels as great as getting a higher score than the know-it-all classmate who tells anyone who’ll listen that no one can ever get a better grade than him. I just don’t approach stars because it feels silly to go up to complete strangers just because I saw them in a movie.

Sometimes (okay, many times), I don’t even recognize these stars at all. I know them, but what can I say? I am really poor at facial recognition. Once, I was even left alone in a restroom with one of our local singers. She spent what seemed like hours in front of the mirror. I was so annoyed! Later on, after I finally got to peer at myself in the mirror, I went out to find a hassled looking man talking to the girl in the CR. It turns out that she was one of the artists I had come to watch at the club. Oops. Can I help it if she doesn’t exactly exude that superstar-I’m-important vibe?

Of the times that I do manage to recognize, approach, and speak to famous people, they often either ignore me or turn out to be total snobs. Come on! Celebrities shouldn’t be divas! Fans help them become popular, help them become household names. They deserve better than a cold shoulder or a shrug-off — after all, they can decide the fate of these people on TV. In a snap, these celebs would go from superstars to falling stars if the fans decide to boycott their shows, movies and music.

So, with a score of not-so-stellar experiences with pop icons, I didn’t expect much of the Pussycat Dolls press conference at the Hotel Sofitel a couple of days before their concert. I anticipated a very brief encounter with some very bored (or tired, or uninterested, or snobbish... you get the picture) looking ladies who couldn’t dash off the stage faster once the presscon ended.

Upon entering Seven Pecados, I immediately felt intensity in the air. People were buzzing around, and every second, flashes of light from cameras illuminated the place. The presscon had started and I jumped into the mass of people crowding around a small stage. Twenty minutes later, I found that I had predicted only one count correctly: The presscon was incredibly short, too short even. The rest of my pessimistic prophecies, as well as my previously very low opinion of pop stars flew out the door.

Under the harsh spotlights and the constant camera flashes, four members of The Pussycat Dolls — Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Ashley Roberts, and Kimberly Wyatt — sat on high stools, smiling, fielding questions, and conversing with the members of the press. Because we live in an aesthetic world, the first thing I really noticed about the girls was their looks. Let me tell you, I’d never been truly impressed by someone’s appearance, that is, until I saw them. I couldn’t believe they were actually prettier in person! It should be a sin to look incredible on camera and look even more incredible in the flesh.

Once I stopped gawking at them, I finally got around to listening to the Q&A that I was supposed to be taking part in. Filipino hospitality proves to be, once again, something that foreigners notice and appreciate — the girls loved how well-received they were by the people. Nicole, who is part Filipino, was especially touched because wherever she went people called out her name. Hmm? Could it be because hers is the only name fans are familiar with? After all, huge billboard ads along EDSA informed us that she’s convinced her name is Nicole. Hah! Let her true fans correctly spell (or pronounce) her surname.

Nicole is certainly the most famous of the Dolls, but it was good to see that she didn’t hog all of the glory and answer all the questions herself. She considered the other members as her sisters and drew strength from them as they went on tour. They supported her during their emotional first concert here, and Nicole was glad that they, too, could feel the energy, grace and humility of the Filipinos.

After successfully covering A.R. Rahman’s Jai Ho, many were curious if there was a possibility of a Pussycat Dolls collaboration with some local artists. The whole group agreed that there was a good chance that they would do so, with Nicole adding that she would love to someday work with her idol, Lea Salonga.

As the press conference drew to a close, I realized that there was someone missing. Jessica Sutta had apparently injured her back while in Australia and had to sit out a few shows to rest and recuperate. Despite her absence, the rest of the Dolls were determined to put on a good show for the audience.

Asked what would be different this time around (their last Manila concert was years ago), Nicole answered, “Well, we have another album now.” Last time they were here, fans kept asking for encores, and they ran out of songs to perform because at the time, they only had one album out, PCD. “We didn’t know if we should repeat some songs, or make some up,” Nicole said laughingly. They wanted to give fans what they wanted — more.

Now, with Doll Domination soaring high on the radiowaves, the Pussycat Dolls can definitely give more and more.

I’ve always been a big fan of the Pussycat Dolls (have you ever tried dancing in four-inch stilettos?!). With their charm, singing and dancing talent, and bombastic looks, it’s no wonder that they live up to their album’s name — they are certainly dominating the music scene. After this close encounter with international pop stars who definitely look and act the part (I would never mistake them for vain nobodies hogging the CR mirrors), they not only made me an even bigger fan of theirs, but also changed my outlook on celebrities for the better. To borrow a phrase from one of their chart-topping songs... when I grow up... I want to be strong, charming, artistic (and hot!) like them.