We have waited five long months to see him back on stage. Filipino immigrant Renaldo Lapuz was the only “idol reject” who came back on stage armed with a marching band from the University of Southern California. His original song Brothers Forever filled the entire Nokia Theatre for around 5 to 10 minutes.
People roared with laughter. Without doubt, Lapuz has just claimed his seat as the king of American Idol Season 7 rejects.
Randy, Paula and Ryan joined Lapuz on stage as he paid tribute to his favorite Idol judge, Simon Cowell.
Renaldo Lapuz, 45, used to be a tricycle driver in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. In 2004, he was petitioned by his mother to live in the United States. He worked at Wal-Mart and Greyhound Bus. His friends encouraged him to attend the audition in Texas last January.
Twenty-five-year-old David Cook from Blue Springs, Missouri may only have choir background and a couple of band gigs in his resume but his amazing creativity and cool style won him 56 percent of record smashing 97.5 million votes in America. That’s 12 million strong over teen balladeer David Archuleta.
Cook, whose creative and powerful versions of Billy Jean and Hello become the hottest downloaded tunes in the planet, broke down to tears last night after Simon Cowell put him down three times in favor of Archuleta.
Cowell’s remarks would have sealed Archuleta’s fate with the crown but it only gave people reason to rally behind Cook. The world reknown speed-dialing power of hyperactive teens and encouragement from their aging grandmothers could not beat America’s love for an underdog.
Archuleta is an extremely talented singer for his age but his youthful shyness may have turned off mature crowds who gave their hearts and votes to a more stable and confident performer in the likes Cook. But days prior to the finals showed it could be anybody’s game. Both guys have always been winners.
The latest Narnia movie poster caught my eye and erased the images I had in mind about a freckle face teen on safe diet pills named Caspian. This prince is no frail boy but a hunk and I don’t have special claims on that realization as most beleaguered Narnia followers share the predicament. Hey, I have no qualms about it. Prince Caspian finally has a face!
British actor Ben Barnes shines as Prince Caspian in the second installment of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. He was introduced as an addition to Narnia’s main cast in February 2007 and will continue to appear in the movie’s third installment “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” scheduled for release in 2010. Prince Caspian will be shown in Philippine theatres first week of June.
The 26-year-old Narnian prince was born Benjamin Barnes on August 20, 1981. His parents are both engaged in medical practice. Ben grew up in South West London and went to Kingston University (Yay! I knew where that is!) to study Drama and English specializing in Children’s Literature. He was seen previously on screen as the young Dunstan Thorn in Neil Gaiman’s “Stardust”. Just recently, Barnes was chosen to play Dorian Gray in the movie “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”.
