In one of the better intentational articles about the #AlDub phenomenon in the Philippines, the Singapore Straits Times headlines  “Old Style Love Story has Modern Philippines in a Tizzy.” .  The high point of the article includes some excellent observations:

Sociologists and marketers are now poring over this pop culture phenomenon to find out what […]

Jerrold Tarog’s epic historical film Heneral Luna, which will represent the Philippines in the Academy Awards Best Foreign Film Category, has been reviewed in the New York Times by Ken Jaworski. The review is mixed but ultimately favorable. Here it is:

I’m only a little embarrassed at liking “Heneral Luna,” an audaciously manipulative movie that’s […]

The latest international media outlet to pick up the story the Philippine #AlDub phenomenon is Bloomberg News. As international coverage goes, this is NOT the most exciting coverage I’ve seen. (That would be an understatement.) But the mere fact of its existence is another indicator that the Philippine phenomenon is rising to the level of […]

Kudos to Fil-American artists Jeff Huntington for his beautiful Jose Rizal collage. Ironically — the best place to view this particular piece is on a eToday, a Russian website, where he is identified as a “45-year-old contemporary artist with a special recognizable style. Jeff loves Italian food and comfortable shoes …” You can see […]

As some of you know, I served at the U.S. Embassy in Manila from 1986-1989. Have to say I’m tickled to see the Embassy getting into the act and joining in the #AlDub fun. They posted this video of staffers doing pabebe waves and have gotten 210,000 shares on FB.

Good for them. A little […]

I’ve been searching for some cogent entertainment industry analysis of the AlDub phenomenon and in a Eureka moment, I’ve found it.  It’s an article by Veronica Uy, senior editor of Interaksyon — and it’s an article that is built upon two interviews, one with advertising executive Vincent Pozon, and one with former GMA writer Elmer […]

More evidence that “AlDub” is making waves internationally — the venerable BBC has just published a lengthy article entitled: ‘AlDub’: A social media phenomenon about love and lip-synching

Here’s what it says:

It is a surreal and wildly popular show which has smashed global social media records. But few outside the Philippines have […]

Well, while we’re on the topic of AlDub and Filipino pop culture. . . as a foreigner with a longtime relationship with the Philippines,  I still struggle a bit keeping up what’s going on in Manila,  and so just as I was getting comfortable with Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards  and all that’s going on with them — […]