Video Beat EXTRA - Pinoy DREAM ACADEMY'S BAD KARMA - Part 1

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

"It's about chaos and loving it," he said. Is that Dream Academy's and the Networks problem? It begs the question does the Philippine culture enjoy sadistic treatment and chaos? That's exactly what the Pinoy Dream (Nightmare) Academy is all about. - Dream Academy's BEST SINGERS list - The Bloom Fell Off The Freshie Rose - Recommended TV Listings

Monday July 14, 2008

OH PLEASE!!! - DREAM (NIGHTMARE) ACADEMY'S APPOINT SOLONGA RESIDENT JUDGE

They say when things go wrong everything goes wrong and that's true regarding the decision making of what goes wrong with the Pinoy (Nightmare) Dream Academy program. The decision they have made deserves a place in the records of Ripley's Believe It or Not. To compound the bad karma the Dream Academy producers have decided to retain the loathsome Gerard Salonga as a resident judge meaning he will be a regular on the show.

Salonga has been the most arrogant and infuriating judge the contest has ever had. He tops the female judge that was so cruel and off the mark with her comments to last seasons contestant Iya. During his first two weeks of judging Salonga consistently made sarcastic, rude remarks to contestants who as a result are no longer on the program. Both of those affected by his nasty comments Seng and Jet have much better voices than Inaki who surprisingly remains on the show.

Salonga is touted as a music arranger who is a Berklee School of Music graduate whose claim to fame is being the brother of vocalist Lea Salonga and that he has conducted the Philippine Orchestra. Last week one of his arrangements was played on the ASAP show and it was nothing special. John Williams, Quincy Jones and Michael Warren won't lose any sleep as Salonga being a threat to their talent for arranging. He appears to be getting by primarily by clinging to his sister's success and tightly hanging on to her skirt of fame in his efforts in his attempt for his own rise to success.

Salonga's appointment by the network raises some serious questions of their lack of integrity, cronyism and nepotism. This infuriating individual has no place in judging others. He is lacks tact, maturity and is too absorbed in his own self. Our opinion is that Salonga is more concerned about himself being the show and not interested in blending in the background as a judge. It's as if given by his presence the show should be named the Gerard Salonga Show featuring the Pinoy Nightmare Dream Academy Singers. He appears as if he wants to be the American Idol's Simon Cowell's clone.

Simon Cowell is scathing but not overtly rude as is Salonga. Cowell has International acclaim as a person who can recognize talent. Salonga will never be in Cowell's class. Cowell clones do not exist in the small apparently narrow minded Philippine entertainment industry or anywhere else on any talent show in Southeast Asia that attempts to create a Cowell like imitator.

Salonga's rudeness reminds me of an experience I had with a Philippine bar maid at a hotel where I was staying in Hong Kong. After seeing her being shouted at, talked down to and embarrassed in front of customers by her Chinese boss I asked to meet her after she finished her work. When we met I asked why she took that verbal abuse and she dismissed it as "That's their (Chinese) way." The next day she returned to the Philippines.

While watching Salonga's rude behavior and the networks rewarding him by appointing him as a resident judge raised the question is rudeness the Philippine way and do they enjoy sadism and being talked down to?

An answer to that question was supplied later in the week on Friday July 11 at 10:55 AM Singapore time on Channel News Asia when a feature on a Philippine host of a wild life show that is also televised on the same network as Dream Academy noted that he lives in an area of Manila called Malate. "It's about chaos and loving it," he said.

Is that Dream Academy's and the networks problem? It begs the question does the Philippine culture enjoy sadistic treatment and chaos? That's exactly what the Pinoy Dream (Nightmare) Academy is all about. They forgot that they were selling a singing/talent contest and not a fostering a slaughterhouse.

The network repeatedly has Filipinos giving testimonials bout how they are proud to be Pinoy (Philippine). With attitudes and behaviors that are exemplified on the DA program it begs the question.... WHY?

NOTES:

When last seasons Dream Academy chose the top six singers three girls and three boys. They didn't choose the best overall top six singers regardless of sex. Based on that 3 + 3 decision here are our choices of the six best voices on the program.

Our decisions are based on the quality and potential of their voice and not their performance, how pretty the girls and boys are nor their popularity.

THE BEST VOICES

GIRLS

1. Laarni 23 - strongest voice and quality - a bit lazy with a resistant attitude that can be attributed to her being on her own since she was. She is largely misunderstood but has great potential.

2. Liezel 23 - She was voted the best performer for the first three weeks of the competition. She was more relaxed and had good stage presence. Her voice is not as strong as Laarni's but she utilized it better and makes good song choices.

3. (Tie) Chris 21 & Apple 18 - Chris been beaten down buy the judges for several weeks and undeservedly so. She looks great and sings with some power, projects well. Her shortcomings are her lack of stage experience and nervousness particularly with the DA assignation squad of judges.

Apple has more power and a bigger voice. She's totally raw but has tremendous potential and a moody attitude.

Notable: Sheng who was unmercifully berated by Salonga has the most commercial voice and style. She has a good tone for her soulful style and projects well. Her elimination was the biggest travesty of those eliminated or quit. She would be rated 3rd if she had remained in the competition.

BOYS

1. Miguel 18 - best quality voice and stays in tune - He's as good or better right now as many of the regulars on the ASAP show.

2. Christian 25 - The small person has a Michael Jackson quality to his voice and stays in tune. He could be a unique recording artist for the Philippines.

3. Bugoy 18 - Strange but interesting scratchy voice. A combination of a weak Lou Rawls mixed with a weak Joe Cocker. He's ard to describe since he has his own sound andthat makes his voice interesting. He has a good ear for harmony. It would be interesting to hear him sing Brian McKnights "Back At One."

Notable exceptions: Two of the singers who quit due to stress Jet and Ross were capable of being in the top three. Jet was rejected from the beginning by the competitors and mentors. The constant berating by the mentors and backstabbing from the other competitors put pressure on him causing him to think too much creating nervousness and he made numerous mistakes. Ross has a nice tone to his voice and with training could have been an excellent singer.

For those interested enough to check it out go to: http://s2b.pinoydreamacademy.ph

The show is televised in the TFC (The Filipino Channel) on the ABS-CBN Network

Part 1 ... - Pinoy DREAM ACADEMY OUT OF CONTROL

The Bloom Fell Off The Rose

What happened to a contest for teens that did not live up to it's former standards when these words were spoken: "Our society now has a bad problem with drugs and domestic violence. In order to solve these problems you have to start with the family but sometimes they don't understand. That's where we come in. It's not going to solve the problems of the world but at least we started something. We teach being a good teen at home by being a good son or daughter. At school (we teach) being a good student, in society to be a good friend. This is the concept we teach." COMING - The Bloom Fell Off The Rose

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time and date in your area.

MONDAY

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:00 PM - NBA FAST BREAK - ESPN

10:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - TRIBE - DISCOVERY CHANNEL

10:00 PM - THE APPRENTICE - Star World

10:00 AM - TRIBE - DISCOVERY CHANNEL

12 NOON - THE APPRENTICE - Star World

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

10:00 PM - PRISON BREAK - Star World

FRIDAY

12:00 NOON - PRISON BREAK - Star World

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

4:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

6:00 PM - PRISON BREAK - Star World

SATURDAY

8:00 AM - PRISON BREAK - Star World

1:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

6:00 PM - PRISON BREAK - Star World

7:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

10:00 PM - TRIBE - DISCOVERY CHANNEL

9:30 PM - DREAM ACADEMY - TFC (ABS-CBN) The Philippine Network

12:00 NOON - DREAM ACADEMY - TFC (ABS-CBN) The Philippine Network

1:30 PM - ASAP - TFC (ABS-CBN) The Philippine Network

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

8:30 PM - HI NET WORTH - (financial magazine show) - CNBC

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

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