Dolphy celebrates 80!

I’ve been writing for several years now and writers do get to know a lot of people in the show business. I was once asked who in the showbiz world would I like to one day meet. I answered Dolphy. I grew up watching John & Marsha on television and it was in 2002 when I first met the King of Comedy. He was pleasant, easy going and had absolutely no air about his being a major star. He agreed to pose for shots with anyone who asked and willingly signed autographs. It has been six years since I met the man I fondly call Tito Dolphy, yet there is so much more to know about the man... and now we can know a lot more...

Tito Dolphy started his birthday celebration with a series of events beginning with the launch of his first autobiography entitled Dolphy Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-Isa as told to Bibeth Orteza. Along with the book is his two-part documentary DVD detailing both his personal and public life.

 His son Eric Quizon, publisher of the tell-all book and organizer of the highly-attended affair at the NBC Tent, was on hand to greet guests from the entertainment, fashion, political and business sectors. Among the well-wishers were Dolphy’s good friends, Nene Vera Perez of Sampaguita Pictures, Susan Roces, Gloria Romero, Annabelle Rama, Marichu Vera Perez, Gina de Venecia and Armida Siguion-Reyna. Upon entering the NBC Tent, the venue of Dolphy’s 80th celebration, guests were welcomed and treated to a photo exhibit courtesy of Hewlett-Packard, featuring photos of Dolphy by photographer Jun de Leon and various old photos from the Quizon family’s collection. Guests indulged in a sumptuous cocktail feast sponsored by Margarita Fores’ Cibo Di M and overflowing drinks served by Ralph’s Wines & Spirits and Hardy’s Wine.

Professor Randy David, Mabel David, Leo Abaya, Dan Matutina and Bing Camacho were there to talk to the press and guests about their experience in the making of Dolphy’s controversial “Taglish” book — the first of its kind in the Philippines. Other showbiz celebrities who paid tribute to Dolphy were Leo Martinez, Ricky Davao, Monsour del Rosario, Dawn Zulueta, Juliana Palermo, Angelu de Leon, Cherry Pie Picache, film directors Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Joel Lamangan and Mel Chionglo. ABS-CBN bigwigs Charo Santos-Concio, Leo Katigbak, Linggit Tan, Chit Guerrero and Bong Osorio with business luminaries Guillermo Luz, Oscar Sanez and lawyer Alex Cabrera celebrated the momentous event with Dolphy. Other well-wishers were Senate President Manuel Villar, Senators Chiz Escudero, Bong Revilla and Mar Roxas with Korina Sanchez.

The Dolphy Aid Para Sa Pinoy Foundation was introduced that evening by foundation president Eric Quizon. He enumerated the foundation’s objectives — managing and operating a school for the performing arts and college scholarships for deserving children of OFWs. Other sponsors of the successful event were ABS-CBN, doctors Manny and Pie Calayan of Calayan SurgiCentre, Inc., Smart Communications, Yahoo! Philippines, Bench, San Miguel Corp., Coca-Cola and Viva Mineral Water.

Dolphy with Zsa Zsa Padilla and sons Ronnie, Eric, Jeffrey, Vandolph and Boy2, will be traveling to North America in October for a series of concerts and the book tour. It will kick-off at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, followed by shows at the Silver Legacy Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada on Oct. 25. Other cities they will visit include Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton.

 The hardbound book is available at National Bookstore and Fully Booked. The paperback version will be out in November.

Responsible luxury was the theme when Philip Stein, the leader in mind-body wellness through frequency-based technologies in luxury watches, opened its first global boutique at the Podium mall in Ortigas, which coincided with the launch of Feel it — Project Red Cross, a special program that aims to benefit the blood services program of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

Flying in from the United States to grace the affair was Philip Stein Corp. president Will Stein, who was joined by Philip Stein endorser Kris Aquino, PNRC governor Rosa Rosal and Lucerne Group managing directors Emerson and Ivan Yao.

Stein said: “Other watchmakers open their first stores either at New York’s Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles but we at Philip Stein chose to open ours in Manila because we are happy and appreciative of the positive energy that Filipinos have.”

Under the Feel It campaign, Philip Stein will be selling limited-edition Philip Stein-Project Red watches that were created in collaboration with Kris Aquino. Only 440 Philip Stein-Project Red watches were created: 200 in small cases and 200 in large cases that retail for P30,000 each; and 40 large cases fitted with diamond dial indexes on Mother of Pearl and the letter “K” on the dial, which cost P70,000 each. Part of the proceeds from the sale of each watch will be given to the PNRC. Kris remarked that she was “touched that Will Stein is doing Project Red” and proudly noted that she “doesn’t just endorse Philip Stein” but she “buys it as well.” Kris added that she already bought 10 pieces of the limited-edition Philip Stein-Project Red watches to give to her closest friends.

The event also featured the turnover of a P1,000,000 check donation to Rosa Rosal, who was extremely grateful for the generous amount that will be used to purchase a platelet incubator.

During the event, Metrobank credit card cardholders were given a treat as they got to enjoy zero percent interest for 12 months when they purchased the Philip Stein-Project Red watch and those who used their card were also presented with an extra Philip Stein watchstrap. 

(To find out more about the Metrobank Platinum MasterCard offerings such as global concierge services and 24-hour customer service, call 8-700-707.)

The Travel Club and Rajah Travel Corp. presented travelers with the best reasons to go places during the three-day “Mad About Travel” event that offered great deals on luggage, bags and travel accessories and the best and most exciting travel packages here and abroad. It was held at the Primer Star, The Travel Club’s new office building.

According to The Travel Club’s VP for marketing and sales Me-Ann Santos, the event is a showcase of the best offerings from The Travel Club, which was recently installed into the Philippine Retailers Association’s Hall of Fame as the Most Outstanding Filipino Retailer (medium category), and Rajah Travel Corp., one of the country’s top travel companies.

Santos said: “The Travel Club and Rajah Travel Corp. share a common platform — travel — and this event gave us the opportunity to offer incremental value-added services to each other’s loyal customers.”

Rajah Travel Corp. president Aileen Clemente said: “Like The Travel Club, Rajah is an enabler of travel and our objective is to provide for needs of the traveler and help them make a successful journey.”

There were big discounts on sturdy luggage and travel gear from brands like Victorinox, Samsonite, American Tourister, World Traveller, Carlton, Eagle Creek, Ace, Jansport, Sea to Summit and The North Face. The Travel Club’s stores are located at Ayala Center Makati, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North EDSA, SM City Batangas, SM City Marilao, SM City Pampanga, SM City Clark, SM City Baguio, SM City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, SM City Davao, SM City Cagayan de Oro, Gateway Mall, Shangri-La Plaza, Greenhills Shopping Center, Festival Mall, Robinsons Bacolod, TriNoma and soon at the Power Plant Mall.

Paul Potts became an instant star where he first auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent when he sang Puccini’s Nessun Dorma. After his audition, unexpected Potts mania struck the online community in almost every corner of the globe, with the video of his audition receiving close to 30 million hits on YouTube. He eventually won the competition.

Born just outside Bristol in 1970, Potts was singing almost from the moment he could talk. “My mother recalls me listening to the theme from ET and conducting an imaginary orchestra with sticks,” laughs Potts. By the time he reached 11, he was part of one of the best church choirs in Bristol, but it was when he hit 16 that his love of opera took hold. “I bought a cheap recording of Carreras,” he recalls. “It was the first time I had heard Che Gelida Manina (Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen) and I was so moved by it. To this day La Boheme remains my favorite opera.”

Within days of winning, Potts was in a recording studio laying down the tracks for an album that is expected to storm the charts across the globe. Featuring a diverse range of tracks, there is, of course, Potts’ hauntingly beautiful Nessun Dorma, which won him the competition, and the equally captivating Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro), which he sang in the semi finals of the show. Other highlights include a Spanish version of My Way and a truly extraordinary Italian rendition of REM’s Everybody Hurts (Oguno Soffre).   On July 16, 2007, Potts launched his debut album entitled One Chance. It had sold two million copies by year-end.

Catch Paul Potts live on Oct. 8 for a one-night-only concert at the PICC. Paul Potts Live in Manila is a Concertus production with etc, 2nd Ave, Jack and C/S.

(For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 on log on www.ticketworld.com.ph. For sponsorship inquiries, block buy and VIP tickets, please call Concertus at 813-2612 and 813-2617.)