The Kababayan L.A. Appearance – The Inside Commentary
Kababayan L.A. host, Janelle So
Greetings PinoyLifers. A few weeks ago, I was asked to appear on a show called Kababayan L.A. by its host, the lovely Janelle So. She wanted to do a segment on blogging and asked me to be on the show after seeing some of the fun things I put on this site.
The show aired on September 25, 2008 but there is a bit of backstory to some of the antics I pulled during the appearance.
I wanted to see if there was a way to make my appearance on a local t.v. show a lot dumber than it needed to be. I first came up with the following drinking game rules that were posted on this site prior to taping of the show:
Take a sip or a shot if…
- Janelle asks Moonie why he doesn’t speak Tagalog
- Moonie accidentally drops an F or S bomb
- Janelle cuts off either Moonie or Jeremiah
- Janelle asks Moonie what Blogging is
- Moonie makes a pop culture reference
- Moonie gives someone a shout out (double shot if that shout out is for you)
- Pinoyfest is mentioned
- M7 Magazine or its staff is mentioned
- Moonie starts talking smack about something or someone
- Moonie works in the words “Lawn Care” in the interview
- Moonie asks Janelle an odd question
- Moonie mugs for the camera
Next, I asked readers to post requests of what they want to see me do during the interview. Here were some of the requests:
From richard move – “moonie: you MUST work a move where you point dead at the camera and declare that you are NOT a “flip”.”
From tetro – “Ultimate win if you can work in the phrase “menstrual cycle”.”
From Farmer John – “Scratch your balls”
Thanks for those suggestions guys. And now, here’s the first segment
Items to note
- At 00:49 I grab my balls because Farmer John asked me to
- At 01:35 I’m about to crack up ’cause I just grabbed my balls clean on camera
- At 02:16 I say the words “Lawn Care.” Take a shot (Drinking game rule #10)
- At 02:21 I say the words “Menstrual Cycle”. That was for you tetro. And I got the ultimate win and pride to boot!
- At 4:29 they actually show PinoyLife on the screen with the drinking game rules!
The second segment. They should have called this Moonie mugs for the camera like a mofo.
Items to Note
- At 00:18 I mug for the camera. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 00:35 I mug for the camera. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 00:45 Janelle brings up the fact Moonie can’t speak Tagalog – totally called it!. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #1)
- At 00:56 I mug for the camera. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 02:45 I talk smack about Nora Aunor. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #9)
- At 04:01 Big time mug for the camera and I point to camera. Sorry richard, it was the closest thing I could do for your request. Anyway, take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 05:44 A veiled Pinoyfest and M7 Magazine reference.
- At 06:10 Janelle almost tries to cut me off. Take half a shot (Drinking game rule #3)
- At 06:17 Rocker horns and I mug for the camera. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 06:19 I mug for the camera. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
- At 06:30 A thumbs up and mug for the camera to end the segment. Take a shot (Drinking game rule #12)
I really want to thank Janelle So for inviting me on the show and plugging PinoyLife.com. Thanks also to Jeremiah from that other site that he didn’t want to have mentioned and Albert in the Kababayan L.A. control booth. I had a blast and I hope you enjoyed the interview and all the extra shenanigans I tried to pull off for your entertainment.
Check out Janelle So’s Blog when you can and say hello and mess with the people that post on her comments secion.
Off topic…
If you’re really bored, you can go to the KSCI website and leave a note for the show’s management. Tell them you want to see more Filipino American stuff and stop booking non-Pinoy acts on Kababayan L.A. I swear, the station manager actually booked a dude that was half Korean and half Latino to play his music on Kababayan L.A. All this because the manager saw this guy playing on Venice Beach and thought he was good. In an effort to figure out a reason as to why he was playing on a show geared to Filipinos, the station manager came up with the excuse that the performer’s grandfather was a fan of the show.
Hang on… (sniff… sniff…) You guys smell something? (sniff… sniff…) Smells like BULLSHIT!
Comments
39 Responses to “The Kababayan L.A. Appearance – The Inside Commentary”
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That was quite the fun half hour. Moonie, take over the show! You can do all the poses in the outfits between commercials!
Don’t you think I mugged enough on the 2nd segment?
Can’t watch this @ work (SUXXORS!), but know that you are now a faux celebrity and the Sayo (parents’) household. Congratulations! (maybe? I think?)
Man….a shout out to lawn care. Unbelievable.
Hilarious! Callin’ out Nora Aunor on TV. Dat’s just gangsta bro! As Romey would say, your interview was “Classic”. Good job Moon. Proud of you.
nice michael “the way you make me feel” jackson moves.
and if i were a woman, my cycle would be wrecked by now and i’d be wondering if i were prego. well, at least my lawn looks nice. ah, the smell of BANDINI!
btw, it annoys me that more recent-immigrant filipinos still codify “filipino americans” as some kind of foreign race, as if we’re totally disconnected and separate from the “real” tagalog-speaking filipinos from ‘pinas.
such myopia! such ignorance! makes me wanna bust a terrible spoken word piece about sprite and why i’m not the pan [but i won't!]!
btw, it annoys me that more recent-immigrant filipinos still codify “filipino americans” as some kind of foreign race, as if we’re totally disconnected and separate from the “real” tagalog-speaking filipinos from ‘pinas.
Judging from Ms. So’s definition, “Pinoy” and “Filipino-American” are NOT interchangeable terms.
There is also the unspoken paradox of immigrant Filipinos that feel a sense of smugness or superiority within the support structure of the community (i.e. the businesses and media that cater to them), but also a sense of vulnerability of not fitting into the American mainstream as much as they thought they would. And mainly because Filipino Americans can interact with the mainstream much better than they can, there’s a large amount of resentment/envy stemming from that.
But hey, that’s just my very opinionated opinion.
Hey richard, if you email me a terrible written piece about Sprite and why you’re not the pan, I’d post it on Pinoylife. I think the “Comment crew” would really enjoy it. I know I would.
Wow you are a fat loser. You should be hiding behind a computer. Maybe the show should bring you back for their Halloween episode if they want to scare off viewers.
From the fat loser
Sorry you feel that way Larry but thanks for watching both clips in their entirety and feeling compelled enough to comment on my site, thus making you my bitch. I’ll go back to hiding behind my computer… with your mom under it
The Basco family has seen the face of Moonie. It has begun.
Oh Larry, you are such a crab mentality!
leisure suit larry has crabs and mental issues? ewww. maybe he should be in hiding ‘coz next to moonie he must be way creepier than all halloween
Larry, ‘Tol,
Nasaan na nga ba si Moe at si Curly?
YOU’RE KILLING ME, LARRY!!!
HAHAHAHAHA that shit was funny…had me dyin the whole time!
Overall a decent interview, but at the same time a bit childish. Though you were certainly eloquent in your interview, it’s really a shame that your composure was that of a high school teenager, with all the juvenile “shoutouts” to your friends. It was also kind of mean how you responded to the “we” part of the Pacquiao question – granted there was truth in your response. I believe it could’ve been handled with a bit more tact. Sorry, Moonie, I’m still a fan of this site though.
Razzmatazz: Dude, each of the show’s bumper graphics show nothing but Janelle in various and sundry hairstyles, wardrobe and poses as if she’s the only person on Earth (or that the Earth is populated with Janelle’s clones)…And we’re supposed to use “eloquence” and “tact?” What planet are you from, again?
Opinionated: What do Janelle’s graphics have to do with my comment? It is HER show, and whether you like the show’s graphics or not is irrelevant to my comments about MOONIE. Look at any other talk show around, don’t they also showcase the host? Because this is a blog, i will express MY opinion: simply that Moonie could’ve presented himself a bit more professionally. Instead, his antics make me question the sincerity of his statements. In fact, YOUR comment backs up my claim that he wasn’t as tactful as I stated, so thanks for that.
Hi. Um, Razz, I’ll be the first one to admit I was going for juvenile and childish with some of the stuff I did. I have no hard feelings about what you wrote ’cause you’re right. But everything I said on the interview was what I meant. I just tried to work in a few dares and drinking game rules for kicks.
AVOPD, sometimes I wonder if your day job has you too far on edge. Please try not to piss off people that actually like coming here.
Good interview man. I’m still regretting not asking for the bday shout out though.
I woulda bought you a Hecho En Mexico shirt to wear =)
Dude… I finally saw this. I really would have watched sooner, but I don’t have broadband at home (Egads!). Effin hilarious.
It’s pains me to watch Kababayan LA. Speaking as a Filipina and as a woman, whenever I watch Janelle So, I cannot help but feel embarrassed for her. If you ever saw my family gathered around the TV watching her show, you would swear we were watching a sitcom. It rivals the Simpsons.
Moonie, as of today you are officially my hero.
Thank you, Lorely. And please thank your family for me. You do add to the ratings just by watching the show. And I am very happy I am able to provide amusement, intentionally or unintentionally. I am happy that the show enables your family to spend time together watching and laughing at me. At the end of the day, ratings are what matter to LA18; and whether people are watching to be informed or simply to criticize and laugh like you say you and your family do, “Kababayan LA” remains the first and only locally-produced daily show for and about Filipinos
It makes me proud to watch Kababayan LA. As a Filipina and a woman trying to make it in a foreign land, it gives me a sense of pride watching Jannelle So and what she has accomplished. Watching her on TV with my family actually helps fill the void of homesickness as she brings to life the Filipino community in all its glory.
It pains me to hear (and read) Pinoys (and Pinays!) make a mockery out of their fellow countrymen. (Akalain mo yun, kapuwa kababayan pa ang manlalait?!?) The show is not about Jannelle So. It’s about the Filipinos, hence it’s called “Kababayan LA”.
This is so reminiscent of the Japanese-era Filipinos with brown bags or bayongs covering their faces, pointing at other Filipinos. Tsk… tsk… Kaya di talaga tayo umasenso-asenso eh. Hirap talaga pag tinamaan na ng sakit na “crabs” ang Pinoy.
Go on Jannelle, there are others out there supporting you. Along with the other Filipinos (who matter) all over the world, help us put the Philippines back into the map. I hope I live through that day to see it happening.
It “pains” me too that ‘the first and only locally-produced daily show for and about Filipinos’ is a lackluster gimmick. Our fellow kababayans should not be so quick to praise such a sophomoric effort in local media. Why do we, as a community always celebrate the ordinary and mundane? Let us raise our expectations and standards of our community! Why do we need a local television show that runs infomercials all day to instigate pride amongst our people?
Well said, Nicki!
Judging from past conversations I’ve had with viewers of the show and simply from this thread alone, it’s apparent that there are numbers of affected viewers.
Ivy, yes we as a Filipinos owe it to our Manongs to uphold a level of respect for our fellow countrymen. I believe the real issue here is respect. Contrary to that are the insults that spill from Janelle’s mouth so thoughtlessly.
With all due respect, Janelle, my suggestion is for you to script out your interviews (if you don’t already) and perhaps have and editor or better yet someone unbiased review it. Then, you might get a clear understanding of why so many people feel the way they do about Kababayan L.A.
I’m not knocking the show. I support the goals of Kababayan L.A. I just believe that it’s in need of an improvement.
Kababayan L.A. is an effort to bring Filipinos together but the flaws in the show are inadvertently setting people apart.
I agree! The show needs improvement. But given the resources Janel has with which she produces the daily show, I have to admit there’s nothing more she can do. I read in the newspaper once that it’s practically a one-woman show. She herself handles the research, concepts, invitation to guests, and all that. Do you guys know how many people make up a team behind an ideal daily talk or magazine show like Janel’s?
The crticisims on the show are valid. But we can’t just sit and laugh at the poor lady doing her best to represent for us. If we think she’s doing something wrong, suggest to her. Call her attention. Should we just laugh at a fellow kababayan and announce to everyone that we are laughing at the show? Or that it “pains” us to watch the show? Or that it’s an ambarrassment to the community? Does that make us better Filipinos?
Judging from this thread, we care enough about the show to post our comments on this blog – positive or negative. But why stop at that? Email the show. Tell LA18 management how you feel. If you think Janel needs a scriptwriter or an editor, tell her boss so they can release funds to hire more people to help her with the show.
I think we care to post our comments about the show on this blog because #1 This is the internet and we have the right to free speech and freedom of expression and personal opinion. #2 Pinoylife is the only website I have found the encourages healthy debate among our community. Moonie Lanton has the bravery to address issues in pop culture and spotlight on public figures that create discussion publicly. I commend his pioneering in being able to stand up against status quo. And he has given us the ability to speak our minds and voice our opinions, good or bad. I think in crticizing a “fellow kababayan” it does not make you less of a Pilipino. Do we not do that in the homeland, our native Philippines all the time?? Di ba we make comments about Manny Paquiao running for office, or KC Concepcion’s attempts to sing into a microphone. Are we less Pilipino? Turn on your TV at night and you will see Jay Leno making a joke about the Presidential candidates. Does that make him less of an American? Does that make the studio audience less of Americans for laughing at his jokes? We criticize because we want change and we want improvement. And this show very much needs improvement. #3 Personally, I feel Mrs. Janele So does not adequately represnt me, a Pilipino living now in LA. Her comments and opinions are often rude and based on her personal opinions and not fact. I think she is unaware she offends some of the guests on her show and some comments she makes her seem uneducated. Fort example, defending Nora Aunor and her drug use (Good rebuttal, Moonie! Shabu use is a serious epidemic and crime in our homeland and it effects so many of our fellow countrymen. It was poor choice for Janele to dismiss it and thank you for pointing it out to her! But I don’t know if she was able to understand you or the seriousness of it) I think it really is not about Pilipinos in LA. Why is there a showbiz segment about Nicole Kidman and Britnay Speares? Why are there non-Pilipinos who are guests on the show? I think if the show was renamed “The Janele So Show” us Pilipinos would feel differently and criticize it less. Maybe we might even like her one-woman show efforts. Because if she does everything, like writing, research (does she really do any research??) and invitations to guests, then it clearly means the show is by and about her. It would be similar to Ellen D. or Oprah. I would like the show more if it was named that way.
Akong opinion lang……
Wow. I go on vacation for a week and this place starts blowing up. Thanks everyone for your comments. I should be posting some new pointless stuff in a few days.
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest Kababayan L.A. fan ’cause I’m at work when it’s on. The show has a limited budget and it has to deal with some questionable decision making by the station management regarding its format and content. Janelle takes a lot of heat from folks. Some of it is warranted and some of it is just people hating for the sake of hating, but after meeting her several times, I can honestly say that she really wants to deliver a quality show but has to deal with station politics. Yes, even for a piece of crap station like KSCI, politics exist. She does have things she needs to work on so, by all means, be critical but be constructive as well. She does read this blog and all the email she gets from the station.
Thanks again for visiting the site everyone. Agree or disagree, it’s always good to see people thinking and talking about being Filipino and also expressing intelligent opinions about how we are represented in today’s media. Great posts!
Moonie….you are so bravery!
A one-woman show, you say?
[thinks about it...]
AW HELLZ YEAH!!!
Sorry but, any credibility about a true critiquing of the show is lost with this Moonie guy making an utter fool of himself while being interviewed. As a guest, you had a golden opportunity to lend voice to your opinion and instead you chose it as a venue for inside pranks for a few of your friends. How old are you, really? You owe the hostess an apology. At the end of the day, you’re the fool but, once again, all Filipinos bare the brunt of your stupid childishness. Gago ka!
I for one am proud of you Moonie…you are my hero! Jesus Christ why are people getting all pissy about what you did on the show…I thought it was fuckin funny as hell. Why can’t someone go on tv and have fun, it’s not like he was talking to the president, Larry King, a news station…the topic wasn’t serious or life changing. People needa calm the fuck down and take the shit for what it was…fun. He was having fun on the show…dunno about the other guy tho, he seemed up tight. To those of you who got offended by what he did on the show…so what, if you don’t like it don’t watch or you get your ass on the show.
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I think this TV Show is great. The problem is with the hostess. She’s too pale faced and chinese-looking to represent the majority of what filipinos look like. She’s trying too hard to make Filipinos part of the Chinese race….they are not. Many “Filipino-American” identify with “Island” cultures of thier provinces and Hawaii AND practice have an affinity with Latin Americans when it comes to religious and culture influences IN the U.S.. Were distincitvely filipino that is a mosaic of Asian-American-Hispanic influence but only celebrates Asian…She’s out of touch.
Replace Janel -sorry no offense- with Filipinas that look like Elita Loresca, Michelle Malkin, Veronica DelaCruz, or former Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio and does NOT speak Tagalog. Ilokanos, Cebuanos and 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Filipinos cannot connect. Please! REPLACE JANEL !!! She maybe Filipino, but she’s Chinese! Get her out!
Until they replace Janel with someone who “looks” Filipino, I will never watch this show. Many Filipino-Americans feel the same way. The renowned Filipino-Americans and celebrities DO NOT LOOK like Janel. She is Chinese!!!!
Why do you think this show never took off? Good format, wrong looking host. Sorry Janel…
Janel, did you know there are thousands of historical documents that are in the archives of Mexico City? These were written by Spanish speaking Filipinos during colonization and are preserved there for Filipino scholars to read. We share a common thread with Mexico, but you take a trip to KOREA? How the hell do Filipino-Americans connect with that? Is it because you’re Chinese and were not born in the U.S.? Please, give your post to Michelle Maklin or Veronica DelaCruz. I’d be more proud if they represented us and not you! But, thank you for all your efforts….