I maintain a half-inch, semi-skinhead hairstyle, or should I say, head-style. I used to sport a much hairier head before, but since I shifted to the semi-skinhead cut, I decided to stick to it since then. I find having a less hairy head more comfortable. It’s more practically cooler, not only for its fad value. The only taxing part is that you have to visit your barber regularly just to maintain the right trim. As an accent to the style, I decided to maintain a goatie too. Not a lush, just a fair clump of small hairs perched on my chin.

Due to my regular visits, my Barber and I had developed a kind of ritualistic conversation everytime I step inside the barber shop and sat on his Barber’s chair. He would first greet me with a smile and the usual hi-how-are-you-sir-and-the-missus kind of greetings and I reply with the usual answer. Afterwards in an almost theatrical way he would prepare his barber’s wares; scissors, comb, beard trimmers, etc… Then he would ask me a question which he already know my answer, “the usual cut, sir?” But what i find amusing and at the same time startling is that he always asks me while showing his beard trimmers, if I would like to have my little goatie beard trimmed. He already knew my answer would be a “no,” for the nth time.

I don’t know if it is a second nature for a barber to ask his customer if he wants his beard trimmed or shaven. Everytime he lifts the beard trimmers, I would just smile and tell him no, thank you, before he can ask again. But alas, perhaps the only reason why he keeps on asking me is that he thinks my goatie doesn’t fit my style. Maybe he was just too polite to say that it looked bad on me.

The next time I visit my barber and before he lifts the beard trimmers, I have to ask him that. Or perhaps, if by chance, he knows Sweeney Todd.

Just like in the Movies

There is one show that I missed watching on the local TV channels - The Strange Brew (ang show na may tama) which starred Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, Angel “Erning” Romero, Ramon Bautista, Jun Sabayton and directed by R. A. Rivera.

It was a down-to-earth, crudely indecent, irreverently hilarious yet educational and a good reality checker show. Its unconventional format gave the show its unique mark and signature in our TV industry that is driven and dominated by commercialism and escapism.

Strange Brew tackles the most ordinary of topics about everyday ordinary things and people. In this show, the man/woman/people behind the balut, the candy factory, the LRT/MRT, La Loma Cemetery, toll gate, etc…are given face and life as who they are and what they do. They don’t appear as objects to be poked and ridiculed just to solicit laughter, like those we see everyday ad nauseam on TV Game shows like Wowowee. These ordinary people are interviewed with questions about the what’s and how-to’s of their work, wares or products. They’re also asked questions like, “if your life is going to be made a movie, who’s the actor you would like to protray you?” In spite of being taken aback by the question, yet all of them had a ready answer for it, as if it is a very common question for them.

The Strange Brew’s brand of comedy is plain and simple. Other than being smart and intelligent, its sense of humour will surely get the approval of one happy dobbie brother. Watching an episode of Strange Brew is one heluva educational laughing trip, sans the doobie of course. I can single out the episode with Kefeir Ocampo, the taong grasa - ang pinakamatalinong tao sa UP, and it simply ROCKS.

Strange Brew was first shown at UNTV, a less known local TV Channel, in 2001. The show immediately gain a loyal following from among the youth, particularly the isaw-eating-rugged -looking-activist-type horde and not the classy-english-spokening-burgis-konyotik few. Despite the show’s obvious handicap in terms of exposure and casting, as it was fronted practically by unkowns at that time, yet all existing mainstream local comedy show pales in comparisson with it in form and content, even until now. For some arcane reasons, Strange Brew suddenly went off-air. One of those Jesus Fans Club TV show took its slot.

I miss Strange Brew. “Erning, ihanda mo ang oto,”. “Tama!”

Click here to view some STRANGE BREW flicks

Just like in the Movies

I have already seen this Maritess vs. Superfriends comedy flick way back in 2002. Thanks to Youtube, now I can post and run it here on my blog.

Here’s the flick’s introduction from its producer’s website:

Did you ever wonder why whenever you’d watch “The Superfriends” on a Saturday morning way back in the day, that the Hall of Justice was kept so nice and clean? Well, it was because of their Filipina maid who you never saw.

We’ve all heard about the plight of all the Overseas Filipino Workers leaving the Philippines in the thousands just to find jobs good enough to send money back to their families in the islands. Many of them still suffer disgraceful working and living conditions beyond our comprehension, oftentimes silently.

Even our own Superfriends can treat these domestic laborers very much in the same manner and this is one of their stories…

PS: If you want to know how a hamster is packed, click here.

Just like in the Movies, Other Stories

I wish to have copies of these in my collection.

Create your own Movie List @ HotFreeLayouts!

Just like in the Movies

When I have this urge to watch a movie but ran out of new DVD (80% of our DVD collection are good quality DVDs we bought from good ole’ Jolly Roger) films and I’m too lazy to go to a movie house, the cable idiot box always comes handy.

I only have to settle on the couch and pick a good movie to watch from Cinemax, HBO or Star Movies. Although these channels usually have a selection of boring movies but once in a while you get to chance upon good ones.

Yesterday I got to watch SNATCH. It’s a film by Guy Ritchie, the same Guy who made Lock, Stock and 2 smoking barrels. And Yes, Virginia, he is the husband of Madonna.

SNATCH is an absobloodylutely one good crazy movie. It’s full of fucking bloody english humour, wits and shites. I had watched this movie before but it’s just good to repeat it wuns mor. I bet your bollocks to a barn dance you’d find this film better than watching a football match where a stupid Wayne Rooney gets another lousy red card.

SNATCH is not the usual hollywood-makes-u-feel-good-America-saved-the-day movie. It’s completely a Brit movie about Stealin’ Stones and Breakin’ Bones filmed entirely in London. As Avi in the movie said, “Yes, London. You know: fish, chips, cup ‘o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fucking Poppins… LONDON.”

So c’mon lads, grab a SNATCH and enjoy the shag…I mean show. Wipe dha silly grin off yar face, bugger!

Goody gumdrops. Fetch us a cup of tea, will ya?

Just like in the Movies