Thanks to Hiphop and Body Jam dance mate, Jam Gutierrez, I was able to attend my first local movie awards ceremony - the 34th Gawad Urian Awards - and along with fellow gym mates, Irene, JP and JR - we all trekked to Marriott Hotel at Newport City last night to join in the fun!
Well, I don't have many photos from my own camera since the batteries ran out just into the second award! Dyahe! Good think Irene brought a niftier and nicer camera so we all had nice pics with all the winners and some of the Manunuris till after all the awards were given. Pa-tag ng pics ha!!
The Marriott Hotel here is actually just like the Marriott Hotels worldwide so nothing interesting there. What makes it interesting I guess is that there's a casino inside. Well, if you've seen the Macau casinos, it looks similar to the one here. I could even say that the mall and the hotel actually look like the Venetian - and you don't have to go to Macau anymore.
There weren't many A-list celebrities since 99% of the nominees were independent films. What's sad though is I haven't even seen 90% of those movies! These movies really need a good PR firm - something with the force of nature character of Harvey Weinstein! This guy has been championing independent movies in the US for years! We need someone like him so Filipinos will go out and watch these movies. Anyway, the truth is, most movies critics like, the general audience usually ignore. It's true here, it's true in the US.
As for celebrity comments, I was amazed at how fit Cesar Montano looked! He was my gym mate more than a decade ago and he even looks better now!! He's now my new role model - physique wise! He's actually older than me and to look like that at maybe 43 or 45, wow! That's how I want to look like! His cohost, Ai Ai de las Alas, was a lot of fun as a host! She's a natural comic! And like a good comedienne, she can come up with a funny line on cue - which really impressed me! Movie scenes can be rehearsed but to be funny in a live show! Now, that's a different story. I just wished Butch Francisco, the third co-host just shut his trap. He was trying to make jokes but they weren't funny and nobody was laughing. But when Ai-ai and Buboy jabbed with each other, the laughter just came naturally to the audience. That's why Butch, just leave the hosting to the pros. I guess that's why you hired them in the first place - because they can do a better job.
Interestingly, Coco Martin is like an ice king when you ask pictures from him or talk to him. Maybe he's not really smart or could converse well with people since he was so stiff or aloof. Baka he really needs a script to cue him on what to say to people. If someone says to you "Congratulations" ano turo ng kindergarten teacher, say "Thank you" and smile. Hay naku, wag ipakita ang walang breeding, please lang!! Unlike Sid Lucero, who was very playful and chatty and Joem Bascon, who was very cordial and receptive. Even the very busy Cherry Pie Picache gave a sweet smile kahit her son was just beside her. Oh well, some celebrities shouldn't give us that 'Justin Bieber-like' BS. We could as easily let them drop off our radars if we want to and tingnan natin saan sila pupulutin. Anyhow, the only celebrities I wanted a pic with and I didn't have one were Cogie Domingo who, I guess left after he lost in the Best Supporting Actor category, and Jodi Sta. Maria, who looked beautiful last night. Sayang, I should've just stood outside when the show was going on para I can make harang on those I like.
Well, the awards were paced fine so there really were no boring moments. The venue was very beautiful and Jam, you can say to your boss that everything was very well-organized! And thank the security for not being too strict, otherwise, wala tayong pics sa stage!!!
There was a minor mishap with two awards but nothing that a good TV editor couldn't splice here and there. Good thing the show wasn't live, otherwise, the people watching on TV would've seen the blooper. Naku, sa ibang blogger niyo na lang yan hanapin ang inside story nun. People make mistakes so it was no big deal for me. Hindi siya "Take it, take it" ha! Yun, malala talaga!!
Congratulations to all those films who won! Bravo sa mga Bisaya nga nanominate ug nakadaog!! Daghan kaayo mo gabii, you make me so proud!! Ipadayon ang paghimo ug mga sine nga Bisaya!
Finally, another funny inside story last night was one of the guys I went out years ago turned out to be the son of the producer of this award-winning movie!! We were eyeing each other last night but I was too shy to say hi since I forgot his name!! The world I move in amuses me sometimes because I remember when I met him, I didn't think of him as someone who had ties to the film industry. I don't think he even talked about it. So seeing him onstage tonight thanking people for the award his Dad got, was really funny. When he went up the stage, I said to myself "Kilala ko yun a - oh my God, he's the son of the producer!"
Yun lang. Till the next event!
