The Filipino Friends Blog

Arnel Pineda shares his inspiring life story with Oprah Winfrey

WOW, i never knew that the new lead singer for Journey was a filipino!! I need to check out some videos of him singing…I’m really impressed with all th talents out there and bringing it back to the Philippines to help those who can’t/couldn’t…if we could just get as many as like Arnel… we will overcome!  Of course, this story is credited to ABS-CBN – by Rachelle Siazon and for the image too! 🙂 This should have been published in March, but I forgot to do it… so here is the story of this amazing guy that is making it big with Journey as their lead singer! You have to take a listen to believe it! 🙂  You can search in YOUTUBE for Arnel and watch it! He’s totally amazing! 🙂

Journey’s lead vocalist Arnel Pineda not only impressed Oprah Winfrey with his amazing talent, but also with his inspiring story to success. The Queen of Talk couldn’t believe that the guy who used to sing to his friends for a living had worked his way to the international music scene through sheer luck and a tenor voice that recreated the soul of the American ‘80s rock band. “When you opened your mouth on this stage we went all like, ‘Jeeesus!’ I mean, wow,” said Oprah to Arnel during Journey’s guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show last October 5.

His fellow band members also confirmed how lucky they were to find someone as good as Arnel. Lead guitarist Neil Schon even recalled the first time he came across an amateur video of Arnel with his previous band The Zoo on YouTube two years ago. “That’s why he was really good. It was only a little HD camera at the back of the Hard Rock Cafe in Manila and he sounded amazing!”

They even felt what bass guitarist Ross Valary called “GBS” or goose bumps surplus when they all checked out the YouTube video. The fact that arnel spoke English further made him the perfect candidate to be their new lead singer back then. “It was frightening just to see that voice come out that little guy! Hahaha! It’s just so strong. And the best part of it was to see how humble the man was, just how humble a human being, [he’s got a] beautiful heart,” added drummer Dean Castronovo.

Truer words were never spoken because Arnel immediately donated $25,000 to Sagip Kapamilya for typhoon victims a few days before he came home from their recently-concluded concert tour in the US. Soon after he arrived in Manila last October 7, he signed up for an all-star benefit concert at Music Museum on October 10, plus another one with the international pop artist Katy Perry at SM Mall of Asia concert grounds on November 15. While his own Quezon City residence was affected by the mass flooding, Arnel had no second thoughts about aiding other typhoon victims.

While Journey is on a seven-month break, Arnel is determined to launch the pet project of his A.P. foundation, which would mainly cater to street children just like what he once was. It follows the concept of “kariton street education,” popularized by CNN Hero finalist Efren Peñaflorida. “Tatawagin ko yung project na street school. Magdadala ako ng teachers around Roxas Boulevard or sa Payatas para bigyan ng education ang mga bata. Biglang buhos ang grasya sa akin so in my own little way sana maibalik ko yung blessings na yun sa mga mahihirap lalo na dun sa mga bata,” he said in an interview with Showbiz News Ngayon.

Arnel also wants to inspire more people with his biopic Don’t Stop Believing: Every Man’s Journey directed by the critically-acclaimed Ramon Diaz who was behind the controversial docu-film of ex-first lady Imelda Marcos back in 2004. “Yes sinundan ako. Nung una medyo nailang ako lalo na yung mga kasama ko kasi ngayon lang nila ginawa yun e even after 40 years in the business. Yung tipong every word na sinasabi nila nakukuha nung mic at camera. Pero eventually nasanay na din sila. Dun mo makikita kung ano yung mood namin kapag talagang pagod na pagod kami. Let’s cross our fingers na sana makapasok ito sa Cannes Film Festival,” he stated.

Who is this Adam Carolla!

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I found this article in Facebook and I read it and found that I was quite angry… WHO the HELL is this guy? But then, again…as I keep on reading, I found that yes, he does have the right to say his opinion as such.. but the only thing that I found that is wrong is that Filipino assumptions – doesn’t he understand that around the globe, the work force that is working in every core of the world that there is a filipino man/woman working? Even in the highest rank that you can imagine!!  I say to this Adam Carolla, who I have NEVER heard of before… wake up….*&^%(….  🙂  I am reposting this from the Fil-Am site and written by Gel Santos Relos – I encourage all of you to go this link and put in your comments and read some that has been written.  Thanks for reading! and let’s spread this out to ALL of the Filipino Community worldwide!

by Gel Santos Relos

My inbox has been flooded with rants from our kababayans complaining about nasty commentary against Manny Pacquiao (again!) and the whole Filipino people from a certain Adam Carolla! Through his internet podcast, he lambasted  our very own Manny Pacquiao for not subjecting himself to blood test according to Floyd Mayweather’s terms and conditions, alluding guilt on the part of the Pacman. Fired up and unstoppable,he continued on with his rant saying Manny Pacquiao was an “idiot”, “illiterate” “brain damaged” and ridiculed the Filipinos for being so proud of him, for giving him a hero’s welcome whenever he comes home from his victorious fights, for even considering voting for him when he runs for Congress.

Then Carolla made a conclusion about us, Filipinos, saying we do not have anything else going for us because everything is about Manny Pacquiao…and then he remembered about sex tours! He gave this unsolicited advice: that we should   “have a f#!*in’ life as a country!”. As this barrage of  attacks against Pacquiao and the Filipinos was being heard on his podcast online, he would show images of Pacquiao, the Philippines in slum areas, Filipinos’ hero’s welcome to Pacquiao, Filipinos watching Pacquiao fight, prostitutes and sexy girls, etc.

Who is this Adam Carolla again? He is “an American radio personality, television host, comedian and actor”. The only thing going on for him at the moment is his being host of the “Adam Carolla Podcast” on the internet, as he already lost his job as radio and tv host in mainstream media. He is doing quite well in the podcasting business, and has in fact inked a new deal with CBS for a streaming internet based radio station. But you know podcasts—you monetize on your gig based on the number of “hits” and downloads.

This Adam Carolla’s performance on his podcast is reflective of his being a comedian, an entertainer! Comedians need  to have a lot of emotions, and drama, and conflict and colorful exaggerated words, sometimes to the point of irreverence, especially here in the United States. They  spare no one—not the President, not the Queen, not even the Pope! In the ratings and hits game of today’s traditional and new media business, it is but inevitable that most shows talk about famous personalities so people will tune in. And they also need to go further to gain competitive edge: “bad news”/ controversial issues sell!

That is why I believe this Carolla is a wise guy with a great business acumen! He has chosen the best person to talk about—Manny Pacquiao—the world’s best pound for pound boxer, to give his podcast  higher ratings, more hits and downloads! And yes, he did it with such irreverence to stir up the passion of millions of people all over the world and make his podcast even more viral.

Of course we acknowledge Mr. Carolla  has all the right to express his opinion about Pacquiao’s not agreeing to the blood test according to Mayweather’s terms and demands, or that Filipinos should not vote for Pacquiao for whatever reasons—he is after all, invoking the first amendment which includes  the freedom of speech, freedom of the press. But he has chosen to do it in such a sensationalized vile way and even made sweeping generalizations about us, the Filipino people!

I am just more amused than upset listening to his rant. This guy is so envious of  Manny Pacquiao with all the attention, admiration, victory and millions of dollars our “Pambansang Kamao” is getting! He must be musing—what does this brown Filipino guy, 5’6½ short by American standards, 147 pound  native of Bukidnon, General Santos and Saranggani in the rural Philippines without a  college degree have,  that he or all the  boxers the Pacman has defeated do not have? How can this Filipino be so successful, a real honest to goodness boxing legend that even respected sportscasters and legitimate writers  simply adore and rave about?

And he made a sweeping commentary about us, Filipinos, including the way we eat chicken to the bones, and said that we do not have anything else going for us other than Manny Pacquiao! I  just thought needed to focus on these few criticisms  about us (which we could take with a grain of salt),  because he couldn’t possibly handle the big picture!

He just couldn’t fathom how a third world country like ours—with 7,107 islands, situated on the fault line and along the typhoon belt,  whipped by disasters one after the other, used and abused by conquistadors and empires and dictators—-could still nurture us Filipinos, who have proven time and time again to be one of the most resilient people in the world, with the unique ability to smile and be happy in the middle of challenges and adversity. He could have been baffled by how we have demonstrated such strong spirit of unity in our “bayanihan” in the way we  help one another in times of need, and in our shining exampIe  of our  bloodless people power revolution that has inspired the whole world.

I could imagine Carolla having sleepless nights as he analyzes how despite how “poor” the Philippines is, She could still offer to the world the best boxer  in Manny Pacquiao; the best stage actress as honored by Tony Awards in Lea Salonga;  the world class vocalists in the Journey Band  front man Arnel Pineda and David Foster’s protégé Charice Pempengco; the best dancers of Filipino descent  in Dancing with the Stars champion Cheryl Burke, America’s Best Dance Crew champions The Jabbawockeez  and the Super Crew; world renowned  fashion designers in Josie Natori, Monique Lhuillier, Oliver Tolentino, etc.

The genius of the Filipino people in the persons of Eduardo San Juan  invented the “moon buggy” used by Neil Armstrong when he first explored the moon in 1969; Agapito Flores the fluorescent lamp; Roberto del Rosario the karaoke;  Dr. Fe del Mundo’s studies led to the invention of the incubator and jaundice relieving device; Gregorio Zara invented the videophone; and I could go on and on until Carolla’s brain hurts he might have to be taken to the hospital for a check-up!

And when he is there, he would be under the care of the best Filipino doctors who have earned post graduate training in the most reputable medical institutions in the United States. He would experience first hand the compassionate way our Filipino nurses and caregivers have been taking care of America for so many  years.

But he should be fine—he would even be invited to so many feasts and one day  have the pleasure of tasting the Filipino adobo, lumpia, pancit, sinigang ,and yes— let us serve him the tinola with pakpak that he can “simot” to the bone, let him savour the grilled the “adidas”, “PLDT,” “helmet”, and crispy “puwet ng manok“, he would think he is in heaven! He would in fact be awed by the frugality and resourcefulness of the Filipinos—walang nasasayang sa Pinoy—and would understand how we are able to survive all the tests that come our way! And who knows—Carolla might meet and be friends with the ever-forgiving Filipinos and then he would humbly concede how genuinely warm ,funny, smart, sweet and loving we really are as a people!

I understand your concern, kababayans! You say this guy has unjustly characterized us Filipinos. Well…an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! As he spreads these nasty things about us, let us resist the temptation of sharing his links which would only result  to more hits and more money in his pocket! Instead, let us channel our rage and passion to something more productive. He uses the internet and the new media against us, then why don’t we collectively use these too for our advantage? Let us all upload, blog, post, share information and comments about what is good about us. Let us be resourceful in discovering and re-discovering our strengths, all the great things we have contributed to this world, all the gifts we have shared with mankind. Let us make it viral. Let us flood google with all the links to our affirmation and celebration of how great the Filipinos are!

May kasabihan po tayo—“Ang punong pinupukol ay yung hitik sa bunga lamang!” . That is true for us in this case, mga kababayan! That is the reason why this man is hitting Manny Pacquiao and us, Filipinos! Don’t you get it? The world is seeing and watching us now!  Rejoice, Filipinos!  We have arrived!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONATHON!!

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Happy Birthday Jonathon William Patrick May – born this day and he is 16 Years old!  Since we’re far away, we wanted to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jonathon and hope you have a wonderful day!

We miss all of you, and hopefully we will be seeing you soon!

Love from Kathy, Dad and Adam 🙂 😀