Thursday, November 30, 2017
Juan Castellanos: Close Up
Daniel Azurin: Close Up
Ferdi Caglayan: Shirtless
Yves Campos: In Underwear
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
John Carlo Alcantara: In Casual Wear
Manhunt International 2017: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Best Asia Model: Hong Kong - Zhang Jian, Best Oceana Model: Australia-Zaine Pringle, Best Americas Model: Fernando de Noronha- Diego Michel Jacome Batista, Best Europe Model: Bulgaria - Georgi Valkov and Best Africa Model: South Africa - Dylan van Niekerk.
MANHUNT INTERNATIONAL 2017: THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY
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Male pageants are sprouting every year like mushrooms and each one of them tried to be different in their advocacy and in their presentation but one thing is sure everybody is moving heaven and earth to give us a spectacular show. Manhunt International 2017 is no different. The finals was made two days ago and they have a new set of winners.
And just like everyone else, like a true-blue blogger, it is but customary to discuss and ran down the many things that makes the final night worth remembering ... or worthy of a rebuke and a slap in the hand.
1. Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theater in Bangkok Thailand was dimmed at the start show. Somebody cautioned us not to worry' " maybe it was done to give us a different mood in the opening number and in the national costume parade."
The show however progressed and it is still dark and we saw candidates groping in the dark till the end.
2. In the National Costume Parade of Nations, one couldn't help but notice that the show is starting in the wrong foot.
Australia was called only to find Australia was spelled in the screen as ... AUSTRARIA! Such an -AUST-rage!
3. There were 3 hosts in the pageant, (two speak the Thai language for the benifit of the locals and the third host translate what they said in English). each one of them trying to lead us to the bridge of boredom. We look around and saw the audience busy with their I-phones and what ... somebody was already yawning when the show is just starting.
Somebody joked: "The dim light did it ..."
4. In NatCos ... Malaysia was in his pajamas, Germany was in his street clothes and Sweden, New Zealand and Puerto Rico were headed to a baseball and football games.
Indonesia however has shown us year after year, that their national costumes is something the public should look forward to. As expected ... he won the Natco contest!
5. Thailand was the last to come out in the Natcos. From the stage as all candidates did, he has to go down to the audience area and then to the back of the stage.
All candidates were already on the ramp ... and he was seen running hard to catch up.
6. The hosts continued to laugh and giggle in the stage and nobody knew what was funny and what they are laughing about.
The whole exercise becomes tedious, tiresome and monotonous.
7. Manhunt International has utilized an all English hosts before that makes the show smooth sailing. What happened this year dragged the show that dare one's patience and endurance.
It's a wake up call Alex Liu ... and an eye opener.
8. We can't believe some of the candidates in Top 16 are lacking in vigor, vitality and excitement in the swimwear competition. We mean some of these men are hungry to strut their wares in the international stage ... but their performance were lackluster.
With the attitude like that how we wish Guam or Fernando de Noronha was on their place.
9. The National Costume and the Formal Wear competition was just too slow for comfort. We saw a lot of this men in slo-mo. The camera focused on them languidly ... even capturing
the candidates lacking in spirit or interests. Thailand's classic blank stares were fully documented.
I can almost read his thoughts: "Let's get this over with ..."
10. I find Philippine bet Daniel Azurin cute, Same thing can be said with Guam's Samuel Hashimoto and Myanmar's Kaung Khant Thu.
Best smile goes to Daniel again, Gan Kai Han of Malaysia and Georgie Valkov of Bulgaria.
11. Dylan Van Niekerk of South Africa won Best African Model.
That award made uncontrollable guffaws from the audience. Why? There is only one African candidate in this batch.
12. Hongkong won the Best Asian Model, but ran out of gas to reach the Top 16.
Lesser Asian Models however like Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand Singapore, Macau, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Indonesia and Malaysia were in Top 16. So why can't anyone of them have the award and what makes Hongkong so special? A case of distributing awards to please everyone?
13. Fernando do Noronha also won Best American Model but also failed to reach Top 16. So why deprive Brazil and Dominican Republic who were in Top 16 ... the award?
Can someone be best in your continent but failed to advance to the top where it matters?
14. Designer Ricky Abad is a regular fixture in Manhunt International. For 7 years now he designs and sponsors swimwear for the contest in exchange for a job as a judge.
Is this a case of "I'll scratch your back ... as I scratch yours?
15. One missosologist predicted this contest was a toss up between Lebanon and Philippines. If his prediction was right it will be second for Philippines and a sweet first for Lebanon.
Philippines was axed, and Lebanon languished as second runner up.
16. Sam Hashimoto and Diego Michel Jacome Batista non-exclusion in Top 16 is unforgivable.
Gaetan on the other hand doesn't smile anymore after the announcement of winners.. He knows something is wrong ...somewhere.
17. There was no Q and A. We thought all while beauty contest are made to showcase the candidates beauty, personality and potentials and that's including his intelligence.
In a hotly contested pageant like Manhunt one wonders which areas of the competition has Vietnam or Thailand's have an advantage over Lebanon? That's a valid question right?
18. Gaetan Osman of Lebanon was robbed ... according to my friend who thinks that the facial beauty be given a weight.
Placing Lebanon side by side with Vietnam or Thailand should end the contest even from the get-go.
19. He further said: Gaetan Osman losing to Vietnam ... is an anomaly.
And Gaetan Osman losing both to Vietnam and Thailand ... is double whammy!
20. Another friend said: " I am shocked with the results ... 4 Asians in Top 5? I didn't see that coming.
Nobody from America's ... Nobody from Europe and Nobody from Oceania and Africa. This is an overkill!
Overall I can say that it was an average show. The dim light from start to finish ruined the show. What is in the stage that they don't want us to see?
The National Costume Competition was a let-down. It was marred when the candidates descends from the stage one by one prolonging the agony of an overly extended segment.
The hosts also becomes a liability by putting more salt to the pageant's wounds. Miss Grand International (another Thai show) was held in Vietnam this year, but they proceeded with some success when they utilized English speaking hosts. Manhunt should follow suit.
Boy Xayaveth: In Casual Wear
Jose de Pedro: In Underwear
Hadrian Kim Bueno: In Casual Wear
Pageant FinalsManhunt International 2017
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Andry Ismaya Permadi: Shirtless
Gan Kai Han: In Underwear
Fernando Kolbeckc: Magazine Cover Model
Daniel Azurin: In Swimwear
Monday, November 27, 2017
Tul Pakorn and Max Nattapol: Actors in Two
Daniel Morres: In Underwear
Daniel Azurin: In Swimwear
Daniel Paredes: Close Up
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Tovar Suarez Anderson Jose: In Casual Wear
Gaetan Osman: In Swimwear
Yves Campos: In Casual Wear
Sam Hashimoto: In Formal Wear
Daniel Azurin: In Swimwear
Jaime Betancourt: In Swimwear
Ermin Poturac:: In Casual Wear
Pageant Finals: Mister Ocean 2017
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Gan Kai Han: In Swimwear
Daniel Azurin: Pinoy Titleholder
Kongnat Choeisuwan: In Swimwear
Victor de Freitas: Close Up
Friday, November 24, 2017
Ferdi Caglayan: In Casual Wear
Yves Campos: In Swimwear
Pietro Boselli: Bench Model:
Diego Loyzaga: Shirtless
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Reniel Villareal
Showbiz ... Obsessed With Eternal Youth
It maybe is a cliche to borrow a showbiz popular line describing a star-studded affair but I can't help it. So a mammoth fashion show ... Bench Under the Stars promising to gather more stars than there are in heaven is shaping to be TRUE. It's not a hyperbole ... and it was not an exaggeration! I saw it with my own two eyes!
The empire of the beautiful and the famous has successfully gathered in one massive stage a bevy of showbiz, sports and modelling personalities and by virtue of its popularity and fan's patronage ... not being included in the list can be misconstrued by one as a demotion, or your star starts to flicker and your losing steam, or your career is teetering in a balance and heading towards an abysmal downfall. Simply said, your exclusion meant ... you didn't reach the Bench bar. (Of course those stars and models with contracts with Folded and Hung, Guitar, Cinderella, Boardwalk and other name brands are exempted)
Indeed your non-inclusion is a big kick in a butt. Your ego and self worth were wounded. You want to be alone ... and in the moment of deep introspection and self assessment was a rude awakening ... a realization that you were not as popular or as young you used to be. You felt ignored ... and snubbed. You started asking questions and you wonder how long are you going to put up with this and how long are you going to live a life fearing what you will see in the mirror the next day. Anxiety makes you feel that way, and figuring out what to do with your life after a modelling or acting career is doubly frightening.
This is showbiz reality. Everybody loves whoever that is YOUNG and PUBESCENT ..., and you are living in an industry obsessed with eternal youth. You used to be the star in similar fashion campaign before. Everybody chants your name, you were included in the list of the creme de la creme, until you found out one day ... your fashion colleagues gradually dropped you like a hot potato ... your modelling assignments are dwindling and your phone that used to irritate you because of its incessant ringing is now DEAD.
The situation is not only confined in showbiz and modelling. Even in hospitals, how often have you heard about nurses being forced to resign because of age. And how many teachers have you heard taking their swan song in exchange of some younger and perky wannabees?
I am writing this piece because I know of one model who is in similar situation. Asked why he didn't joined the show and he answered: "I guess they don't need me anymore ..." One should prepare for this dreadful day, because if you don't depression may sit in. One should not wallow on the fact that having a job as a model or an actor meant it is forever. Get another job you can fall back to ... and when push comes to shove ... the other job will catch you like a cushion when you fall.
Meanwhile the showbiz stars who come to grace the show are still the apple of the eyes ... and all things nice to Master Ben Chan. They are the following: Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Enrique Gil, Inigo Pascual Julia Barretto, Kim Chiu, Julia Montes, Coleen Garcia,Dominic Roque, Diego Loyzaga, Anjo Damiles, Ruru Madrid, Derrick Monasterio, Enzo Pineda, Rocco Nacino, Tom Rodriguez, Lovi Poe, Solenn Heussaff, Kathniel, Richard Gutierrez, Paulo Avelino, Albie Casino, Marco Gumabao, Addy Raj, David Licauco, Kiko Estrada, Ahron Villena, Bruno Gabriel,Mark Mugen, Bianca King,Beauty Gonzales,Max Collins,Pancho Magno, Ken Chan, Kim Domingo, Andrea Torres, Maine Mendoza, Miho Nishida,Gabbi Garcia, Ash Ortega, Sanya Lopez, athletes like MMA fighter Mark Streigl and of course the Philippine Volcanoes stars Joe Dawson and Evan Spargo.
Models, beauty queens and kings also come in strong force: Mustafa Galal Elizali, Pietro Boselli, Ivo Buckta, Trevor Signorino, John Spainhour, LA Aguinaldo, Wynwyn Marquez, Bea Rose Santiago, Maxine Medina, Ara Arida, MJ Lastimosa, Joanna Eden, Gwen Ruais, Cynthia Thomalia,Ali Forbes.Andrea Biondo, Paul Guarnes, Mark Andrew Baron, Verge Llego, Wilfred Placencia,Allen Molina, Albert Gonzales and Clint Karklins. There are still a truckload of male and female models not mentioned, they are the unsung heroes of the show. Without them, the huge ramp will look bare so don't discount their contributions. If you know them feel free to write and we can include their names in the write-up.
Everybody was the toast of the town ... so keep on working hard and polish your craft. And don't forget my advice to get a fall back job ... and from Man Central and Pageant Junkie ... here's wishing to see everybody in the next Bench Shows and fashion campaigns.