RUSHES
Edu’s dream ‘Papaya’ dancers
By the Inquirer Entertainment Staff, Inquirer.net Entertainment Staff
Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 21:18:00 03/26/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Picture this. Hillary and Barack dancing the “Papaya.”
After seeing award-winning broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer on ABC’s “Good Morning America” perform the dance made up to promote his dance CD, Edu Manzano said he would love to see the two US senators have a go at it.
“They’ve been at each other’s throat for quite a while. It’d be nice to see them do something hilarious, for a change,” Edu told Rushes.
“Papaya,” first recorded in 1976 by the Polish singer Ursula Dudziak, is part of Edu’s ’70s-inspired album, “World’s Greatest Dance Steps,” released last year by Universal Records.
Edu said about 17,000 versions of people around the world doing the now-famous dance have been uploaded on YouTube, including that of “Good Morning America” anchors Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Chris Cuomo and Sam Champion. Another is the clip of US Ambassador Kristie Kenney dancing with Edu.
In a full story on the craze, British new agency Reuters tagged “Papaya” as RP’s answer to “Macarena.” An entry in Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, explained that the song was a favorite lip-synch material of Filipino drag queens in the ’70s gay disco/bar scene.
Edu recalled: “One day on our game show ‘Game KNB,’ the director, choreographer and resident disc jockey said I should do a song-and-dance number. Mel Feliciano thought up the steps. Since then, we would play it whenever a contestant answers a question correctly. This is the cue for the audience to stand up and dance.”
He added: “The song never fails to bring a smile to your lips. It could be the solution to the looming rice crisis or the stalled peace talks between the government and the rebels.”
And now, Arnel Pineda
“There are very talented singers in the Philippines. Remember Charice Pempengco?”
That was Ellen Degeneres on her show Monday night, promising a global audience another Filipino singer as special guest soon. This time it’s Arnel Pineda, new lead singer of Journey.
Ellen aired a YouTube video of Arnel, as front man of his local band Zoo, singing a Steve Perry/Journey original.
“Wow,” the effervescent host said afterward, then proceeded to tell the story of how the US band found Arnel through those uploaded videos. “My staff is trying to bring the whole band (Journey) here,” Ellen said.
Top of the Talk Shows
For those who missed last weekend’s gabfests on TV. (And why we are moved, if we are moved.)
•Rufa Mae Quinto, on rumored Mexican boyfriend Robert Lopez:
“Inspiration pa lang pero wala pang plano.”
(Euphemisms for... ?)
•Robin Padilla, on his love scene with Ai-Ai delas Alas in their forthcoming team-up:
“Basta sa ganoong eksena, ako’y nananabik.”
•Ai-Ai on the love scene with Robin:
“Yung first shooting day namin, naghalikan na kami agad. Sa buong buhay ko [sa] pelikula... noon lang ako pinagpawisan.” (Sa pananabik din?)
•Meryll Soriano, asked if she and Bernard Palanca are on speaking terms:
“Di pa kami nakakapagusap... I’m giving him time to think. Siyempre yung nangyari naman sa amin di madali, di ba? I’m sure nag-iisip-isip din yun.” (Di kaya dapat, nauna yun?)
•Aiko Melendez, on making peace with Ara Mina:
“Nandoon na ako sa punto na nakalimutan ko na and I have moved on. Kung magkita kami sa isang lugar and makapag-usap kami, why not? I think kailangan na naming papahingahin yung issue.” (We think so, too.)
•Ara, on making peace with Aiko:
“I cannot say I’m really ready... Kumbaga, nag-heal na yung wound pero nagkaroon na ng scar.” (Hmm, puede.)
(The Buzz and Showbiz Central)
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