MANILA, Philippines – Ogie Alcasid is one of the Philippines' top singer-songwriters. But back in 1994 when the Miss Universe was held in Manila, Ogie played a special role in the pageant – as Manolo the tourist guide, who accompanied the girls in their tours around the country.
During the press conference last December for his new show, Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids, Ogie recalled the experience he had in the pageant. While Ogie spent many years with GMA 7, Ogie did a number of shows in ABS-CBN such as Small Brothers, Mana-Mana, and the game show Game na Game Na in 90s.
"And ditorin ako nakilala sa buong mundo, wow, sa buong mundo...nakita, hindi nakilala dahil saMiss Universe. Kung inyo pong naalala, dito ko rin na meet yung una kong asawa (Miss Australia 1994 Michelle Van Eimeren)."
(And it was here where I was introduced to the world, wow, the entire world...actually seen by an international audience because of Miss Universe. If you remember, this is where I also met my first wife.)
"Naalala ko pa noon, sabi sa akin ni Tita Cory [Vidanes]: ‘Hey, how would you like to be seen all over the world?’ Sabi ko, 'How’s that possible?' You will be the tourist guide of all the candidates. To this very day, naalala ko, magandang exposure yun ah. Ayun, na-expose ako nang na-expose.
(I remembered Tita Cory [Vidanes] saying before: 'Hey, how would you like to be seen all over the world?' I said, 'How's that possible?' You will be the tourist guide of all the candidates. To this very day, I still remember it was good exposure. And from there on, I was exposed.)
"So yeah, that memory for me was very fresh when I started coming back here. And ayun nag-usap kami nang nag-usap and then they offered a program...kaya sabi ko nga, minaninobra ng ating Lord. Wala akong kinalaman dito," he said. (And then we talked and talked and then they offered a program...that's why I said it was God who orchestrated everything. I had nothing to do with this.)
When asked if his ex-wife heard the news that the country would host the pageant again, Ogie said he was not sure if she knew but would be happy to hear the news.
"Di ko yata nasabi pero siguro...(I'm not sure if I told her, but I guess she knows). But I would say that she would be very excited about it, at the same time feel 'oh my gosh, 1994, 2016 na.' I’m sure it’s going to be very exciting and what’s exciting is my daughter [Leila] will come home. I don’t know if you know that she has a blog right now, she’s a blogger…she’s been blogging how she’s coming back. So, mapapanood niya yung (she'll be able to watch) Miss Universe," he said.
{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.40740740740741% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BObJdv3l8k-/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">#Repost @leilalcasid with @repostapp ・・・ Merry Christmas friends</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ogie Alcasid (@ogiealcasid) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-12-25T02:57:58+00:00">Dec 24, 2016 at 6:57pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
Check out Ogie as Manolo in the video starting at 31:08.
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Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids
Now that he's back with ABS-CBN, Ogie said he's looking forward to one of his first projects – as judge in Your Face Sound Familiar Kids, which premiered on January 7. In the show, he is joined by Sharon Cuneta and Gary Valenciano in judging the performances of the kids, who will imitate singers and celebrities through makeup transformation and lip-syncing.
{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.536728697355535% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BO302jrD5FN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">This weekend na!</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Your Face Sounds Familiar PH (@yourfaceph) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-01-05T06:15:49+00:00">Jan 4, 2017 at 10:15pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
Asked his thoughts about kids imitating personalities, Ogie, who has also done a number of impersonations, said: "Alam [n'yo], yung panggagaya no, it’s probably the hardest thing to do. And as performers, as kids most especially, I think the most important thing is that they’re enjoying what they’re doing. Kahit ano pa man iyan, it’s an entertainment piece. As long as they are entertaining enough, and nako-communicate nila yung gusto nila i-communicate while performing, while copying, yung impact ba? I guess iyon yung pinakamahirap for me, personally. Ngayon kung magagaya mo talaga, sobrang bongga ka na talaga."
(You know, impersonating is probably the hardest thing to do. And as performers, as kids most especially, I think the most important thing is that they're enjoying what they're doing. Whatever it may be, it's an entertainment piece. As long as they are entertaining enough, and they're able to communicate what they want while performing, while copying, the impact right? I guess that's what's hard for me, personally. Now if you can imitate it well, then you're great.)
If given a chance for children to impersonate him, Ogie said he would like to see the kids do his fast songs such as "Dito sa Puso Ko."
As for what he wants kids to learn in doing the show, Ogie, who has a son Nate with Regine, said values to him are very important.
"I think the most important is values. The real proper values, you know like love of family, love of work medyo malalim (it's a bit deep)…knowing and acknowledging that there is something bigger than you, than your talent and of course we know what that is," he said.
As for humility, he explained: "That’s not really easy to teach. Ganito maging (This is how you should be) humble. Mahirap di ba (It's very hard, right) but as long as they recognize that this is fun, it’s not work."
"For kids, I think it’s important for kids to know the value of playing. A lot of kids don’t play anymore. They’re using their iPads, they’re using their game consoles and that’s a form of socialization that’s sad. Hindi tulad nung bata tayo, amoy araw tayo, tumatakbo sa ilalim ng araw, naglalaro ng sipa, ng kung ano. I think to play. This isn’t work, this is fun. It’s not going to be the end of the world if you get eliminated." (It's not like when we were kids, we smelled of sweat, running in the heat of the sun, playing sipa, and what have you.)
This season's participants are AC Bonifacio from dance group The Lucky Aces, young child actor Alonzo Muhlach, Awra Briguela of FPJ's Ang Probinsyano,The Voice Kids grand champions Lyca Gairanod and Elha Nympha, The Voice Kids finalists Justin Alva and Sam Shoaf, and finally Langit Lupa child actress Xia Vigor.
Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids is hosted by Billy Crawford. – Rappler.com