Sometimes he rants, sometimes he smiles. Sometimes he jokes, sometimes he sighs. Sometimes he's happy, sometimes he's sad. Sometimes he's good, sometimes he's bad. Sometimes he's there, sometimes he's gone. Sometimes he stalls, sometimes he's done. But whatever Marcelle says, whatever he'd do, you can be sure, it's true! It's true!
Showing posts with label laughs and gasps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laughs and gasps. Show all posts
Wow. 2008. I mean, I don't even know where to begin here, because it was such an eventful year, to say the least.
First of all, considering I had my Masters to do, and I decided to leave Reedley at the end of the schoolyear, which was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make. Going over my lettersto my studentsin Reedley, I actually felt a tad choked up, which is probably the first time I got misty-eyed while doing this retrospective while not reading an entry that involved My Beloved. And yes, she still figured very significantly in my blog in 2008.
Let's face it: she figured in my blog significantly since 2007, and even if I hardly wrote about her from 2010 onwards, there's no denying how much she still figured. I guess that's how it really works when someone is your once in a lifetime...
But anyways. This was the year when I was, for all intents and purposes, balancing my Masters with apparent unemployment, relying on purely magic shows to make my money, which was made possible thanks to Sir Freddie of Neutral Grounds and Ms. Heidi of Big Red Balloon (Formerly Balloon Creations.). I definitely managed to make a name for myself, and I even capped off a highly successful year of magic with an awesome show helmed by Kel and Jay, Wanlu the Ventrillusionist, and of course, the lovely Giselle Sanchez...
And then I learned the value of buying longer pants...
But while yes, you have the awesome mentalism, among other things, and you even have so much going on for you, this was really a year that marked the fact that I simply could never quite just go and leave radio. Campus 99.5 came on the airwaves, and I jumped onboard!
Still, I had an especially soft spot for 2008 because in August, Rick Astley actually went to Manila. That was one of the biggest highlights ever, in my book. I met him in person, then even had some of the best seats in the house during his actual concert. Hard to complain about that, really.
Having said that, with a year of magic, music, mentalism, and My Beloved, it was definitely one of the most challenging years of my professional life, seeing as I had to pay for my own M.A. through my gigs, since I didn't have a regular paying job to speak of.
Ironically, that year may very well have been the most profitable year of my life, seeing just how many shows I ended up doing. I practically completed my Power 9 cards during 2008, give or take maybe a Mox Emerald and Pearl. Of course, I could be mixing up my timeline, but whatever.
It's come and gone, but there's so much left to be said about last Saturday's event, touted as some to be the “Underground Magic/Comedy Event Of The Year”. It was a huge success as a crowd of bloggers, magicians, otakus, and so forth came together in an event that was done for the benefit of the Giselle Sanchez Scholarship Foundation.
The Dream And The Challenge
Kel + Kawaii = Disaster
For those who don't know, I was just a very mild magic hobbyist until I was introduced by one of my best friends, Estelle, to Jay Mata. Only then did I ever go professional with my craft, so needless to say, Jay was the guy who got me to turn pro in magic and mentalism.
When Jay and I first dreamt up “Laughs And Gasps”, it was originally just going to be a free blogger event with myself, my partner Jay Mata, and of course, our good friend, Stanley Chi. It was going to be a simple showcase of talent from the three of us, and we didn't have any idea what was going to happen for us after that.
Then some friends started helping us out in their own way. Originally, Juned and Jayvee were going to organize the event on our behalf, but the heavy preparations for The PBA meant this was too much to ask of them, but Juned had a brilliant idea... why not make the event a fundraiser for a cause?
As Stanley went on to find much success with his comedy career, Kel and Jay continued to be individual successes in their magic and mentalism. Aside from a few appearances in conventions like Mangaholix, the Philippine ToyCon, and the Music And Arts Festival, as well as a huge product launch for Panasonic, for the most part, it was Kel or Jay, but hardly ever Kel and Jay. The Mangaholix feature was a step in the right direction, though.
That changed when we saw ourselves performing for the U.P. Circle Of Enterpreneurs last September 27, for their “Stritz” event (Sorry about not being able to write about that yet. I know, soooo belated.). A few days after the conclusion of the epic Ateneo-DLSU Finals in the UAAP, we ended up becoming not just a magic act, but a comedy act that night as well. We had a very receptive audience, perfect volunteers, and everything about the night just spelled success for us.
From that moment on, the Kel and Jay dynamic really came to the fore. It was no longer two magicians doing their own respective things, but a tandem effort that wouldn't be complete without the other. From the ribbing to the antics to the routines, we knew we had a winner in our hands.
It was at this point where we finally settled on upping the ante for our show, which we moved from August to September to November... while opportunities to collaborate with Stanley Chi will still be there in the future, we wanted to take a stab at something big, and we ended up getting in touch with both our special comedienne guest and the founder of the very charity we are devoting this show, to...
To say that we were overwhelmed to find out that she was interested in doing the show with us is an understatement. I can't thank Dementia enough for helping us find the means of reaching her, and slowly but surely, we made what initially came across as a pipe dream become a possibility...
Bricks And Mortar...
Zen, zen, zen...
I was a bit brazen, but I went ahead and sent a text message to Ms. Giselle, proposing to her an event for the benefit of her scholarship foundation, and asking her if she'd be interested in taking part in it. Truth be told, that was quite ballsy of me, since it's not like Giselle knew us at all. Kel and Jay were relative unknowns, who may be a bit known in the blogging and anime community, but next to anonymous in the mainstream.
Imagine my genuine surprise when she replied via SMS that she was interested. It didn't take long before we got the ball rolling, and while initially, she wanted something super big, like performing in Mandarin Oriental or something along those lines, we settled on Vibal Publishing House, since it's Jay's family's building, and we were producing on a shoestring budget. The idea was to do that as a trial run of sorts for myself and Jay alone, then with a producer backing us, have another show, this time with Giselle.
We were genuinely taken aback when Giselle Sanchez said she'd still want to perform, and she'd help us promote the show to the best of her abilities. It was definitely amazing, to say the least, as I started running around like a headless chicken, trying to go and get people willing to help make this event happen, on such short notice.
Shortly while brainstorming in mid-October, the name for the show hit me like a ton of bricks... it was just... perfect.
Thus we called our show, “Laughs And Gasps”. We wanted people to laugh, to be shocked, but overall, to be entertained. We had what it takes, with Giselle Sanchez providing comedy that just works, and the Kel and Jay tandem adding in a mix of magic and mentalism, what could possibly go wrong, right?
Then came the setbacks... and the little miracles.
Hurdles And Blessings...
Group Hijinx!
From a financial standpoint, this event came at a huge loss to us. Break-even would've been great, but we expressly pledged that the proceeds of the show would go to the foundation, so we just took the hit. Having said that, we can't help but be grateful to Geiser Maclang for being one of our sponsors, as well as individuals such as Janette Toral and Jill, via chip-in.
There were unexpected expenses here and there, truth be told, and I guess the crash course on events management given to us by Azrael, Markpoa, and Juned definitely helped us get our act together despite setbacks that came along, including a certain surprise that cost us much more than anticipated, plus an incident where we misprioritized something that resulted in a financial loss that would've instead helped us break even at the end of the day.
Never again, I tells you.
Of course, I'd be remiss to not give much love to Gail and Marc and the rest of Sheero Media, who provided us with an awesome website. It's a work of art, and definitely something that would find itself the site of interesting developments for Kel and Jay...
Leave us not forget the video coverage and sound system provided for us by our client and good friend, Mr. Dexter Andrada and MITE Asia. That was three hours worth of video, all captured on tape, and you couldn't find a nicer guy to work with.
Our gratitude as well to The Story Circle for coming out full force to support myself and Jay, despite not being certified members. I know they've been our guinea pigs for our new routines for the past year, but they really showed a lot of appreciation for the event that night, even participating as dancers/volunteers that night, livening things up like anything.
Of course, this event had a lot of help from my brother, Francis, the self-proclaimed “Fabieoulous” member of our family of two at this point. He was our photographer for the promotions of the event, and I'm sure you've seen some of our really snazzy photos online at some point already.
Leave us not forget the massive contribution of Coy, whose video skillz made our finale just that much better... we'll get to that in a bit.
As Jay and I kept on updating a shortlist of routines we wanted to perform, crossing things out as we found something better to work with instead, we realized we had pretty much enough material for four rotating shows of this type, lasting about an hour and a half each...
It was at this point we both agreed we wanted to perform one set each that wouldn't necessarily count as magic. Jay's girlfriend was livid at the idea of him doing what he would end up doing. Very few people knew what I intended to do, and admittedly, seeing as I haven't done that in... oh, a year or so? Not to mention the fact that this was prolly going to be the only venue I know of that would allow us to pull this stuff off...
Whammies And Dummies
Old age? Eh bakit yung kaliwang tuhod ko, di magkasakit? Magkasintanda lang yang dalawang yan... (Courtesy of Azrael)
While I was promoting the show to friends, I surprisingly got an offer from Wanlu that he would perform for us for a steal, since it's for a charity event. We went and jumped at the chance right away. Kel and Jay, Giselle Sanchez, and Wanlu? We knew we had a winning formula for the night, as my experience with Wanlu's performances has always been one of sheer bliss. The man is a total entertainer, and a class act. Known as the Ventrillusionist, his combination of ventriloquism, magic, and humor really gives him quite the reputation in the magic industry.
It was especially heartwarming as well to hear kind words of encouragement from legends like Tito Bing Lim-It, my mentor (As well as Jay's.); sir Ony Carcamo (Wanlu's mentor.); sir Sonny Minoza (One of our personal heroes in mentalism in the Philippines.); sir David Elefant (Yet another one of our personal heroes in mentalism in the country.); Doc Ronnie (An institution, period.); Anthony Billan Co of Mindbender fame; and even Erik Mana. While Jay and I are not as active in the magic community, we were met with nothing but encouragement from those people who have gone through this long before we even dreamed it up.
Of course, we're left wondering who the Hades this guy is, and why he wanted to perform during the show, but I guess them's the breaks... heh.
Hype And Tripe
Y So Srs?
As the big night grew closer and closer, we had a lot of hype about the event. Considering how we had to do all of this on such short notice, I was mildly surprised that word got around fairly quickly. Things were going pretty well on the publicity front, albeit admittedly, we didn't really have enough time to plug the event, since we only had a little under two weeks to pull it off.
Nonetheless, people expressed interest in the event quite far and wide. You had people who even dedicated a 25-KM run all the way in Davao for the cause, among other people who were excited for the event, and the show itself was transformed into TSC's official weekly gathering, adding to the pressure on myself and Jay, since now, we'd be performing for actual magicians as well. A lot of people from the blogosphere were also quite optimistic about the event's chances, despite the admittedly short-notice and guerrilla blitz promotion we were forced to employ.
Both Ms. Giselle and Wanlu also promoted the show every chance they got, particularly when they got on television. I personally went through the radio stations I'm in good standing with, and personally promoted the event both on-air and off-air, resulting in two spots where I guested for the Brewrats... heh.
“Hello... gus2 ko makapag-aral, sana bkas ang puso na tulungan ako taga cotabato po ako.”
Touching, I'm sure, but the fact he has a cellphone does make one think twice... but hey, it's such a refreshing change of pace from all the people who wanted to be “text pals” with Giselle Sanchez... heh.
Anyways, the promotions we made did get a few people interested about the event, and we're definitely banking on being able to make this show happen again in the future, or even on a regular basis, if we would be so blessed.
Having said that, it was time to get the show on the road.
Time And Tide
Or is it, time and tied?
I had a show before this actual one, which sort of served as my dry run for Laughs And Gasps. I ran into Honey, Kathy Chua's cousin, and a good friend of mine, and I convinced her, JC, and the celebrant's mom to actually go to the event for the night. It was a pretty fun gig, mind you. I had to perform magic for kids in such short quarters, and it was then that I realized that I really was lucky I wasn't an illusionist... that was one time where I couldn't imagine an illusionist fitting all his stuff in for a full-scale show.
Having said that, the kids loved the show, and using the Blindfolded Rubik's as my finale really works wonders with them, especially with the way I finish the routine.
We started a bit late, but it was all right. We almost got a full house, and we were pretty excited with all the preparations going in. Jay and I unofficially opened the show by handing out a bag that ended up in Doc Tess's hands, and then we went backstage.
The show was opened by Giselle's band, Souled Out, and they got the crowd going with a very lively opening set, before they introduced us and we finally came out to really start the show. I believe at this point, My Beloved left the show, since she couldn't really finish the whole thing. It was sweet of her to stay on for as long as she could, though, and for even driving me to the show itself.
We got on stage, and we introduced ourselves a bit, and reminisced about how a certain politician calls himself the “Barack Obama of the Philippines”, and how this is tantamount to some arrogant magicians calling themselves “The Penn And Teller Of The Philippines”. The nerve, right?!? Soon enough, we introduced Ms. B.B.B. (Beauty, Body, and Brains), and it was time for Ms. Giselle Sanchez to take the stage!
Jokes And Folks
Beauty. Body. Brains. (Courtesy of Azrael)
The minute Giselle took to the stage, she really got the crowd on their feet. It was an amazing spectacle of music and comedy, not to mention a dance-off that was one for the ages, and a hypnosis gag involving Azrael.
To say people were really entertained would be an understatement. Even the front row, composed of a rather conservative crowd, couldn't suppress their chuckles at Giselle's humor, which wasn't exactly free of off-coloredness.
In fact, why don't we let Doc Tess's video do the talking on this one, as three bloggers, namely Azrael, Manolo, and Mark Cerbo, plus three TSC members, Nomer, Sam, and Cakit, just danced off for a chance to win a 20,000 gift certificate (valid for one day only) from Funeraria Paz!
After the dance-off, she got people rolling in the aisles with her fast-hitting comedy style. It was the classic comedy approach, really, quite a change of pace from the standard “observational comedy” stand-up style we've grown accustomed to the past few years. I especially loved the joke where she had to say “something patriotic” after every announcement when she was in NAIA.
In any case, after she emphasized that she was actually “only opening” for us (Biggest compliment of the night!), she introduced the “David Copperfield of the Philippines”, yours truly...
Black And White
I scratched my head over the introduction, since even I wouldn't consider myself a “David Copperfield”, far be it for people to believe I do stage illusions. In any case, Jay and I bantered a bit, poking fun at each other, before I went off to do my now-infamous Shackles and Rope combination...
It was pretty good, especially since Jay and I managed to improv some gags along the way, when I was trying to escape from the shackles, so it was all good. The Rope routine with JC was really fun to perform, because I really managed to get a good groove for it, but I was really just pacing myself so that when Jay gets to his bit, it really floors them...
I suggest you not bend over like that... (Courtesy of Azrael)
When Jay got onstage, he really had a presence that made him seem like the authoritative one. He performed a color effect that really worked beautifully, as Ernest from TSC chose red, and while Jay's initial “prediction” was received with chuckles, when he finally revealed “red” behind the illustration board, he definitely stunned people.
Had you going for a moment there...
He then followed it up with a lie detector game. He forgot a few bits, like actually offering money to motivate the people to lie better, and the girl in the group had a hard time following directions, but at the end of it all, he got things right down to pat, and nobody was the wiser how close he was to losing his money, had he gone in that direction. Heh. Sometimes, you just take a chance, and it pays off...
Pomp And Circumstance
It wasn't long before we got to the part where Wanlu just really blew the crowd away, not long after a very interesting introduction by Jay. Wanlu really knew how to work the audience, although he had no choice but to go wholesome when he saw there were a few kids watching, so we didn't really get to see his full-scale adult show.
Despite that, it was still a great bit from him, as he turned Bessie-Moo Estelle and Carl into human puppets for his ventriloquism finale, which was an excellent follow-up to Don Dominador. He then capped off his amazing segment with one of the best illusions I've ever seen, bar none.
Anyways, catch a snippet of his amazing ventriloquist act, courtesy of Jonel!
After this point, we had an intermission, and we prepared for the next half. The Laughs were done with... now came the Gasps!
Glass And Pizazz
“Kel, do you wanna go solo from now on? I can jump...” (Courtesy of Azrael)
When the people piled on in, they realized that a subtle change in the atmosphere meant we were serious about splitting the show into “Laughs” and “Gasps”.
Jay was already wearing something... brighter, to say the least, but it actually was for a reason. While it appeared to most that both of us merely swapped color schemes, our wardrobe changes were actually meant to prepare us for the dangerous things we wanted to do for that night...
You see, Jay went on about how pain is a subjective thing, and that there is a way to suppress pain, to an extent. He then asked Ada to take his pulse, and from there, meditated. Ada was shocked to notice that Jay's pulse slowly faded away, until she couldn't even feel it anymore. Jay then shockingly stood up and proceeded to prepare himself to walk on the broken glass he laid out before beginning his meditation. People in the audience were free to verify that these were indeed broken shards of glass, and not merely sugar glass or some other prop.
What happened next? Well, you just have to see for yourself, courtesy of Doc Tess...
Yes, that was indeed Mike Abundo who stepped on Jay's back and face, and he was even more worried than I was, although he quipped to me while I was briefing me that if I “wanted to go solo”, I can ask him to just step extra hard or something. Always a cad, that guy.
Nonetheless, it takes a man with a lot of guts to actually go and walk barefoot on broken glass, and Jay definitely got huge reactions from the people that night. What they didn't see though was that Jay started bleeding after the show. Talk about a delayed reaction, and the things we do for our craft...
Hellfire And Brimstone
You know the rules, and so do I. (Courtesy of Azrael)
I haven't done poi in a year or so, and it was only through Peppy's help that the poi was prepared properly before my performance. Unfortunately, I had lousy safeties, as Jay didn't really know the first thing about putting out a kerosene-soaked kevlar-fueled fire. Nonetheless, the crowd seemed to like the performance, even though admittedly I was treading carefully with the poi, since I was using Kathy's snakes, which I've never tried before. Unlike regular poi, the kevlar was longer than the chains, so it was easier to get torched by snakes. When the music began, the audience groaned because they realized that they just got Rickrolled.
Afterwards, I took a single monkey fist poi, and wanted to do a sorta drunken-master style of spinning, but the already-wet floor, caused both by frantic attempts to put out the fire of the snakes and wetting my hair to prevent it from catching fire, kinda limited my range of motion, albeit enabling me to do the moonwalk. I was a bit alarmed when I did my wraps and I hit my face with the neck wrap, as the poi went upwards instead of around my neck. Nobody noticed it, but I had a faceful of fire at one point, but I shrugged it off, and just tried to do the between-the-legs spin, but the wet floor beat me on my first try. I got right back up, found a dry enough spot, and did it on the second try...
I was still catching my breath when we had to move on to the finale...
Collection And Selection
We called Doc Tess on stage and handed out some magazines to three ladies: Ethel, Cakit's girlfriend, Louanne, a cosplay organizer, and Shari. While the people up front frowned over our choice of reading material, I proceeded to explain what our finale was about, and what we intended to do.
Soon enough, after a magazine was picked, we attempted to select a page to work with, but the first page we picked didn't exactly yield the expected results...
Whoops! We wanted actual words, not... what was I saying again? (Courtesy of Azrael)
The second attempt was better, though, and what I didn't know was that despite all our psychological bullying, there was still a slight chance that Doc Tess wasn't going to end up with what we wanted all along... she could've gone with “slated” or “complicated”, but she instead ended up with “selection”, which was precisely what we wanted.
Kel: So you chose a magazine, you chose a page, you had it torn into small pieces, and you chose one of those pieces, and then you chose a word. Was this fair?
Doc Tess: Yes.
Kel: No! It's not fair! It's inevitable!
Was your word, “selection”? (Courtesy of Azrael)
Not only did we end up showing that we predicted the word, written behind a whiteboard in full view of the audience before the show even began, but we even proved that the magazine really contained the word!
Clearly predicted! (Courtesy of Azrael)
But Jay wasn't to be outdone, since he wanted to make it clear to everyone what was going on. He actually showed to everyone that throughout the night, he planted little messages here and there to get the point across, and Coy shot all these juicy bits and played them back for everyone to understand that practically every word we said, was carefully chosen to psychologically force someone to have no choice but to choose FHM, to choose page 103, to choose five pieces of paper to remove from the pile, and to choose the word “selection”, from a staggering range of thousands of words across three magazines.
At this point, we ended the show on a high note.
Props And Slops
The feedback about the show has mostly been encouraging, and a sequel with a similar formula is nigh forthcoming in the middle of next year. Nonetheless, it was a great honor to perform for the people who were there that night, and I was especially grateful to Haido for the really awesome carrot cake they gave me and Jay that definitely lifted our spirits even further.
I can't thank enough the people who went last Saturday. They made the show a success, and they definitely helped out the beneficiaries of the foundation in their own way.
Obviously, there will always be room for improvement for a future show, but you can rest assured that we're working on it as we speak.
And now, a few words about the show, and well, Kel and Jay, in general...
“The Penn and Teller of the Philippines!”
- Sonny Minoza, leading Philippine mentalist
“Congratulations to Kel and Jay! More power to the both of you!”
- Bing Lim-It, our mentor, and shop owner, Abrakadabra, Shoppesville
“Kel and Jay are the most awesome performers ever! Especially Kel, he's just a phenomenon!”
- Francis Fabie, Kel's (very biased) brother
“Sino nga sila ulit?”
- Giselle Sanchez, singer, actress, and comedienne
“Ewan ko rin, Giselle.” - Wanlu, the Ventrillusionist
“Who the hell are these hacks calling themselves the 'Penn and Teller of the Philippines?!?'”
- Penn Jillette, one half of the Las Vegas-headliner duo Penn And Teller
“...........”
- Raymond Teller, the quiet half of the Las Vegas-headliner duo Penn And Teller
“Hey, guys, you're not going to use my name to promote my show, right? 'Cause seriously, if you do, I'll sue!”
.:Laughs And Gasps On Philippine Daily Inquirer!:.
From what I heard, the press release for "Laughs And Gasps" is out today in Philippine Daily Inquirer. Do check it out, and check out the show on Saturday!
... coming tomorrow. Or Friday. Depends when I'm not super busy.
And yeah, I could be shilling the show and how great it would be right now, but I'm sure the lack of hyperlinks to anything at all in this post might tip you off how serious I am as I write this. That's good. I don't want you to lose sight of that fact.
.:I Am Going To Be Zen...:.
... Because at the end of the day, people know who I truly am, and what I stand for. People know and understand that Laughs And Gasps is a charity event for the benefit of the Giselle Sanchez Foundation, so if anyone takes umbrage to me doing everything I can to make this event a success, not for my own gain but for a foundation's benefit (One that gives out quality education to all those it can reach.), then I cannot help but feel sorry that this is how you view my efforts.
I have been a hard worker in the magic industry: I've given my heart and my all, and for the biggest show of my career thus far, I'm dedicating a show, along with my partner, Jay Mata, to a cause we believe is worth fighting for. When you look at the logistics of this event, if you were in my shoes, wouldn't you be hurt when your efforts are belittled, or worse, misunderstood?
I am by no means the best magician in the industry: I will not make such a boast, when I hold so many of those in the industry in such high esteem. I am merely a person who wishes, that through his talents, he may be able to contribute and give something back to people in the way he knows how best. For this night, I want to entertain people like I always do, but at the same time, I want them to pay forward the enjoyment I give them so that others could find cause for smiles, not just for a night, but hopefully for a lifetime.
I will not tolerate anyone who assumes this is merely an opportunity to grandstand or to capitalize on. When we have thousands upon thousands of children in the Philippines giving up on schooling because of economic difficulties, I'm sure you can understand why I would want to throw my hat into something like this, and count on people's inner goodness to know that this is a cause worth fighting for.
Someday in your life, I hope you find a truly great cause worth fighting for, and fight for it with all your might. I may not be the world's greatest philanthropist, but I am a person who believes that I can make a difference. And I hope that as people who are reading this now, you believe that you can, too.
This isn't for Kel and Jay. Neither is this for Wanlu, or even Giselle Sanchez. This is for the kids.
To get everything you need to know about Laughs And Gasps, just check out KelnJay.com. Yeba!
.:The Kapamilya Fair!:.
It was Jay's anniversary that day, but he still went. I hope he pulled out all the stops to make it up to his girlfriend afterwards. Heh.
Anyways, Kel and Jay were seen last Saturday at the Kapamilya Fair in World Trade Center, performing just a simple teaser for their magic and mentalism act, which they will showcase in full force this coming Saturday, at Laughs And Gasps.
It was funny en route to the venue, really. We had to pass through Sta. Mesa, and Jay had to take a turn into one of the motels there, which made me look at him *really* uncomfortably, until he made it clear that it was a shortcut. Heh. As we rushed to get to the venue, we were preparing a few things that we would be showing to the crowds to really grab their attention.
So we met up with Giselle Sanchez, and it was pretty cool, since she was going to talk to them about business, and when she went up there, she did it with a lot of humor and pizazz, and even hyped our act up as “magic na pang-mayaman”, telling the crowd that a “mentalist” is a really posh way of saying “magician”, which amused the crowd and by the time we appeared onstage, we were just playing it off.
We went up there and poked fun at each other, and then segued straight into my Shanghai Shackles routine, which got a lot of laughs. The crowd was really amused by my quick but intriguing display of escapology, and by the end of it, we had the audience in stitches.
Jay followed this up by stopping his heart, and a doctor actually went up onstage to verify that he managed to pull it off. The audience was too stunned to react, until Jay managed to get up, still visibly shaken, and take a bow.
All in all, not a bad effort to promote the show, really. I think the crowd was really entertained, and if all goes well, we've piqued their curiosity enough for them to want to see more.
.:Unang Hirit:.
We got a last-minute call from Unang Hirit yesterday to guest on their program as a pair of mentalists, and I was immensely grateful that for some reason, we were the only mentalists they managed to find on such short notice. This meant that we had a perfect opportunity to promote our show, and Kel and Jay as a tandem, rather than just individuals who both did mentalism. We had that chance before on NBN-4, but now, it was going to be live and on GMA-7, no less.
Jay and I were fetched by the network's service, and we arrived in the studio way earlier than the appointed 6:30AM. Unfortunately, last-minute scriptwriting meant that we were to expect ourselves on TV at 7:00 in the morning, at the earliest, and we even ended up going on air at around 8:00. Nonetheless, it was all good, as we were introduced to the two people who would interview us, Suzy and Lyn Ching. My Beloved was texting me off the bat that it was probably a dream come true for me since I used to have a crush on Lyn Ching.
Having said that, the interview was very brief, mainly about what mentalism is, and how it works, vis-a-vis standard, rudimentary magic. Jay did most of the talking, but when we were asked to demonstrate, I opened with Liquid Metal. The people in the studio were fairly impressed, and Jay only added to the tempo with his Osterlind Breakthrough Cards demonstration. In under eight minutes, we gave them a good handle on what mentalism was about, and even managed to really showcase some of the strongest points of the art form in a hard-hitting, fast-paced manner.
This was a very eventful way to start off the week, no doubt. With our show coming up this Saturday, a TV appearance like this definitely yielded us a lot of good.
We'll put the video up when we manage to upload it to YouTube already...
Hey, guys! Jay and I will be at World Trade Center today, doing a bit of performing and promoting at the ABS-CBN Grand Kapamilya Fair. Ms. Giselle Sanchez will of course be there, and you can be sure that it's going to be a ton of fun.
.:Laughs Ang Gasps Is Coming!:.
You know it's just one week away... Laughs And Gasps is a night of magic, mentalism, music, and mirth. From the one-of-a-kind ventriloquist act of Wanlu, to the wit and beauty of Ms. Giselle Sanchez, to the crazy surprises up the sleeves of Kel and Jay, you can be sure that this is 250 bucks well spent.
Proceeds of the show will go to the Giselle Sanchez Foundation, a foundation established to give scholarships to brilliant but underprivileged students.
The venue is pretty easy to find: it's the Vibal Publishing House rooftop, at Araneta Avenue. It's beside a Shell gas station, and is pretty near the intersection with Quezon Avenue. Yes, it's sorta near Pegasus. Here's a map.
And of course, some shenanigans we were up to during the photo shoot...
And, the final poster...
We have a few other pictures to share with you, but that'll suffice for now. Heh. :P
Subic is a place I rarely go to, admittedly. The few times I've been there, though are nothing short of enjoyable, given how my agenda in Subic has normally either been a leadership seminar or shopping. Subic is great because it's a place where people are more disciplined than usual, the people are very Westernized, and thanks to the work put in by now-Senator Gordon, it's quite a departure from the tourist attractions you generally find from the rest of the Philippines. In that, Subic stands out.
Now, having said that, I must admit that despite having done a lot of shows in Manila over the past couple of years of my professional career as a magician and mentalist, I've only had a handful of provincial shows so far, and prior to this one, none of them was ever in Subic. Excited over the prospect of going to Subic after about five years since I've last been there, I gamely accepted the booking to perform on November 1 for the Lighthouse Marina Resort. Of course, all pictures I will be using were ganked from them. :)
What's in this bag?
I got there after a short travel (Well, significantly shorter travel than my last show in La Union, I guess... heh.), and got ready. I was welcomed by the resident manager, Argee, and the OIC for marketing, Zed. They looked incredibly happy to see me, and they pointed me to their silverware and how “difficult” it would be for me to bend them with my mind.
ZOMG! Did I just perform the infamous rope trick for a kids' show... again?!?
Anyways, I prepared myself to do my standard children's routines, but at the last minute, I decided to switch things up and actually do some magic I normally do for adults, and let the not-so-kiddie humor just fly over the kids' heads. It actually worked, and laughs and gasps were had by all the people in the room, be they kids or parents or even grandparents...
... Except the rope trick. That had to be the kiddified version. I don't think I can get away with that this time. =P
I went two sets, and even hosted the Fruit Salad game, that had the kids really going. From my reputation-maker of metal bending, I also ended up performing one of my signature effects, the O.R.B.S. Rubik's Cube effect, and of course, I let four kids levitate another kid, using only themselves, and a chair. It was, as always, a pack small, play big effort for myself.
It's the blindfolded Rubik's Cube of doom!
The people at the Lighthouse were very hospitable, and their Lengua is to die for. I may not be a food blogger, but I know good food when I taste it. Considering how Subic isn't all that far from Manila, the Lighthouse Marina is a nice getaway spot from all the hurly-burly in the city when you just want to relax, unwind, and have the time of your life.
As the official Subic residence of the Ms. Earth 2008 candidates, Zed even wanted to invite me for the previous night to stay over at the hotel! Considering how it was a chance to meet the other candidates of Ms. Earth 2008, it was a very generous offer, but I had to decline since it was the Blogger's Halloween Party that night.
After the Monster's Ball, we were treated to a Halloween-themed buffet, as I talked shop with Zed and Argee. In the background was the Halloween episode of “Day Off”, the show I used to work in, and the Lighthouse Marina was one of the sponsors for that night. At this point, they asked me to try and bend their silverware, and they were stunned to discover that yes, it can be done...
But of course!
It was definitely an awesome run, and I'd be more than happy to find myself back in Subic soon. Much thanks to the Subic Lighthouse Marina for their hospitality and the opportunity to work with them! If you ever find yourself wondering what to do for a quick getaway, treat yourself to Lighthouse Marina in Subic. You can be sure to have an amazing time, whether you're out for rest and relaxation, or shopping, or plain excitement.
That being said, if you want to see my next big show, why don't you check out the info we have so far about Laughs And Gasps? Hope to catch you there, because you know we're going to pull out all the stops on that night!
Several people have been hyping up Laughs And Gasps online lately, and on behalf of Jay, I just wanted to thank them for doing so... we still have some ground to cover for this event, but we are definitely getting there! Just the last sponsorship hump... heh. I'll continually update this post as more people talk about the event...
If you have written about Laughs And Gasps, please let me know!
Markpoa: Not only did Markpoa help out by talking about the show on his blog and on Filcosplay, he actually rewrote one of our press releases, and it's now our standard blurb!
The New Worlds Alliance: Much thanks to the NWA for featuring this event on their site! I've always been indirectly connected to the NWA thanks to Ranulf and Highlander Philippines, so I am definitely grateful to them for this.
Jonas Diego: Thanks, and the "yummy" comment didn't fly over my head, either. Heh. Good times, good times. :P
Nate Marx: One of the few people who refer to me as their "mentor", Nate's excellent writeup left me gobsmacked. The man has a way with words!
Jester: Not only does he hype the big show, he also takes the time out to throw some kind words my way regarding my Axe Dark Temptation escapades... heh.
Azrael: Thanks, Az! Awesome write-up, and I'm glad you're gonna be there, straight from hanging out at Komikon. :P
Christa: One of the coolest people you'll ever meet. Thanks for writing about the event, and hope you can make it!
Shari: Shari is one of the first people I performed magic for. She also scared the Hades out of us when she feigned injury after the infamous swords through head incident in MOA earlier this year... boy, I owe her one. ;)
Jane Chua: I know you're going to beat some people up at URCC on Saturday night, but thanks for taking the time out to help us plug this event! Hehe.
Doc Tess: Doc Tess has been one of the people who has always supported my endeavors when I got into magic. In the blogosphere, it's hard to find someone more appreciative of my magic than her. It's funny, though, because she appreciates magic for its... *other* uses. :P
Jonel: Much thanks for this one! You might say this came as a welcome surprise. :)
Click The City: It's awesome to find our event here... heh.
Wanlu: The Ventrillusionist himself is hyping the event, and he has an excellent comedy skit for adults with his ventriloquist act!
Giselle Sanchez: Of course, Ms. Giselle herself would blog about this event and hype it up, all the same. It still feels surreal knowing we're performing with her on November 22...
And just so you know, we have managed to add another attraction for the night, as the famous Ventrillusionist Wanlu has so graciously taken us up on our offer for him to be a part of this night. He will be there, and yes, he will perform his famous ventriloquism routine!
See you on November 22, guys!
.:We Still Need Chippers!:.
Every bit counts, and just know that this is for a cause! Chip in today!
We know that people like you can certainly make a difference. Laughs And Gasps is happening for the benefit of the Giselle Sanchez Foundation. Help us make it a success!
Yo, Christa! happy birthday! 20's a good age to be...
.:The Shoot...:.
Thanks to my brother, Francis, Jay Mata and I, of course with our special guest, Ms. Giselle Sanchez, had an amazing photo shoot tonight at DPI in Astoria. Needless to say, we had a fun time, and Ms. Giselle was nothing but gracious to have taken the time out from her busy schedule to be there for us for this photo shoot. Wait 'til you see the pictures. They're a riot!
.:November 22: Laughs And Gasps, Wikipilipinas Headquarters Rooftop, 7PM!:.
This is it. The night we've been building up to, it's Laughs And Gasps: an amazing night featuring the magic and mentalism of Kel and Jay, and the music and comedic wit of our very special guest, Ms. Giselle Sanchez!
We are hoping to catch you there this November 22, at the Wikipilipinas Headquarters Rooftop, for a night of magic, mentalism, music, and comedy. This is Laughs And Gasps: a special night for the benefit of the Giselle Sanchez foundation, a charitable institution established to give educational aid to brilliant but underprivileged girls, because everyone deserves a chance at quality education. For a mere 250 pesos, you are treated to an amazing show, and you even help out the foundation in this noble endeavor.
Having said that, you could help us even further, if you could help us defray our costs of production. All performers have waived their talent fees for this benefit show, but we've found ourselves shelling out for a lot of other costs that go hand in hand with producing an event of this magnitude.
We are expecting participants coming mostly from the Blogging Community, the Cosplay Community, the Magic Community, the Media Industry, and of course, friends of Ms. Giselle Sanchez from the Entertainment Industry. With a wide range of guests and a mostly-radio based media promotion with our media partners, such as JAM 88.3 and WAVE 89.1, your company will certainly stand to benefit much from being a part of this event. The fact that Ms. Sanchez has personally taken to promoting the event on her TV guestings can't hurt, either.
As such, we are opening our doors to people who want to help make this event a success by sponsoring the event. We offer three different packages for this:
1. Major Sponsorship: 100,000
- Lockout option for other potential sponsors. There will only be one (1) major sponsor.
- Option to set up a booth during the event, and up to four (4) standees for signage.
- Option for a raffle or giveaway of your products as additional promotion.
- Corporate logos will be present in all tickets, posters, and other promotional materials for the event (Including online promotions.).
- Company will be mentioned at least ten (10) times over the course of the event.
- Company will be mentioned during promotional efforts such as radio or TV guestings.
- Company will be given ten (10) complimentary tickets for the event.
- You may avail of Kel and Jay's services as a magican/mentalism tandem for one (1) event for your company. Kel and Jay will waive their talent fee for this event.
2. Minor Sponsorship: 30,000
- Only three (3) minor sponsorships will be accepted.
- Option to set up to two (2) standees for signage during the event.
- Option for a raffle or giveaway of your products as additional promotion.
- Corporate logos will be present in all tickets, posters, and other promotional materials for the event (Including online promotions.).
- Company will be mentioned at least five (5) times over the course of the event.
- Company will be mentioned during promotional efforts such as radio or TV guestings.
- Company will be given five (5) complimentary tickets for the event.
3. Donor: 5,000
- Donor's name will appear on the event poster.
- Donor will be personally thanked over the course of the event.
- Donor will be given two (2) complimentary tickets for the event.
Help us make this happen. Help laughs and gasps be a huge success! If you have any questions, feel free to reach me via email, mistervader@gmail.com, especially if you wanna know how to help us. See you there!
