Arnel Pineda

I had the privilege of hosting a product launch today for a major computer brand making its way from the US to Asia. The theme was cows so I had to wear my cowboy outfit, which gave me memories of the late Heath Ledger. My manager purchased a cowboy hat for me from those vendors on EDSA. Now I finally know why those guys have been selling those cowboy hats, I’m their market – hosts that have to adhere to the theme of their clients. Now if I could just find a genie vest vendor.

So the highlight of the show were the two performers Rachel Ann Go and Arnel Pineda. Honestly, I’ve never seen either perform live until tonight. I’ve heard of Rachel’s name on the radio but I never knew what she looked like. She had a wonderful voice and seemed nice. I didn’t get a chance to meet her though as she left already when I got backstage. I got to meet Arnel Pineda though. He is now the lead singer of Journey, the old band of Randy Jackson, the American Idol judge who tries a little too hard to sound black by saying “Yo dog!” a little to much.

The audience fuzzed over Arnel and kept requesting song after song making the event a mini-concert. It just dawned on me that Pinoys need the validation of foreigners of our own artists to realize that they are truly talented. Maybe it’s true for all cultures. It took Leah Salonga, Apol de Ap, and Billy Crawford recognition abroad before they got any respect for their art here in their own country. I’m not saying it’s bad or good. It’s jut an observation. So I guess I’ll have to go back to Doha soon and do my Fingerdini act again and hopefully Ellen sees that on youtube. But I won’t because that is the most boring place on earth.