When Adlibs Go Wrong

All hell broke loose on an Indian game show when a male contestant got slapped by a woman -- and then fired back! It all went down on a show called "Dadagiri" -- the self-proclaimed meanest show on TV -- one that involves contestants who have to recreate the first day of college ... bullies and all. The woman in the video is Isha the Goddess -- her job is to insult the contestants. When she cussed out and then slapped one of the contestants, dude reached back and slapped her in the face -- HARD.

She took it like a man, he cried like a bitch -- and then the entire crew proceeded to beat his whiny ass.

MediaME Interview

Here's an interview I had for mediame. Brief though, but it was good, got good comments, raised a few eye brows, well, what the hey:-) Anyways, Thanks, Uztaz Zeid for the interview.

Gilbert Semillano is a known figure in the Kuwaiti and regional creative scene. He has been creative director at B Communications, and Pulse DDB and has now started an agency called Pencil Advertising in Kuwait.

Q1. Please give us a brief intro about yourself, your agency experience and your current company.

A:I’m a Southeast Asian creative head with lots of passion for creativity, love of life, nature and metals. I am the Chief Creative Officer and General Manager of Pencil Advertising, an all-creative, “cut-the-crap” ad agency based in Kuwait. I hate clichés, rip-offs and am really mad about ads too.

Q2. Tell us about the advertising agency scene in Kuwait at the moment. Do budgets support excellence in creativity? Is the market dominated by network agencies, are locals strong, is there space for creative hot-houses like the one you've just started?
A: The big boys still dominate the scene but the number of local agencies with much more creative ammo is growing and coming up strong.

3. Kuwait has always been a pioneering gulf state in advertising. How do you evaluate the state of creativity in Kuwait now, compared to Dubai?
A: Pioneered, got stuck and Dubai’s gone ahead, well, I guess that won’t be for long. Watch out.. Kuwait’s coming at you:-)

Q4. What are the main obstacles to creativity in Kuwait, if any.
A: There’s a lot actually, I got a long list.

Q5. Has your work been nominated for or won awards, locally and regionally?
A:The local ad agency I worked for bagged the most awarded & creative ad agency at the KAAA, also some of the work got Gold at the International Summit Awards.

6. Tell us about some of the major campaigns your agency has been
involved in and what was achieved.
A: Pencil just started months ago and the jobs are pouring in like crazy, we did some campaigns and rebranding for some of our clients and the results were overwhelming..we are working on a huge project right now
and it is going to be something fresh for 2008. You’ll be the first one to blog about it.

Q7. Have websites and blogs featuring the work of the region's creative staff enhanced the exposure of the region? What's your personal experience in this regard, as one of the most featured creatives on these sites?
A: Of course it does! Through these creative blogs and sites, we can monitor and see what’s happening around us,
keep us updated, see what’s hot and what’s not.. It also help us showcase our work, get feedback and most importantly-- learn from it.

Q8. Any closing comments you would like to add? A: They say “ Fortune Favors the Brave” I’d say, “Got To Have The B*lls First

Nightmare On Counter 18

This incident happened on my way back to Kuwait, I was at the NAIA, in cue at the Emirates airlines' counter, there were a lot of Pinoys travelling, mostly OFWs. A Filipina in an Emirates uniform pointed me to counter 18, where a Filipino guy in his mid 30s, clean, polite-looking guy smiling and waiting for me to have my baggage checked, so I thought okay, finally a smooth ride back home... But my peace of mind turned out to be the most stressful trip of my life. Two days ago, I arrived in Manila from Kuwait pretty excited because of the Toyota Art Edge awards as well as the Eastern Communications, I had fun at the awarding, met some very important people from the industry and most of all-Got my cash prizes! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to cash 'em in, so the money went straight to the bank :-( I remember telling my friends before leaving that i will make it up to them when I get back in December, "wala eh, nde naging pera yung tseke" (nothing I can do, the check wasn't cashed), Thanks to my wife, or else I wouldn't have made it around there with just 2 Kuwaiti Dinars in my pocket. Those couple of days went too fast, I didn't even felt it! The last time I remember was me pulling my luggage out of the rusty conveyor at the Manila airport and all of a sudden, I'm back in cue for my flight back to Kuwait. "Good Afternoon, Sir! May you please put your luggage on the scale to your right, please?" The guy on counter 18 said, I was like, "Oh, Sure"... The pointer stopped at 20ish, something like 26. Then he asked me to put it on the conveyor next to the counter, I handed out my e-ticket clipped inside my passport and waited for my boarding pass. I looked around and boy! There was a very long cue from the counter where I'm standing, my mind starts thinking about the remittances the OFWs are making every freaking year! "Excuse me, Sir!", "Mr. Semillano?" I turned around and thought the guy would hand me my passport back with the boarding pass.. "You have exceeded the limit on your baggage, sir" I'm like... "what? Excess? How much?"... I remember it clearly that I have 30kgs allowed and my baggage weighed in at 26kgs, what's the problem? Then I told the guy, "I am allowed for 30, and I have 26, yeah?" He was like.. "I am sorry sir, but the allowed is only 20kgs", My mind went "Okay, now that's not a good sign", and tried thinking of a solution for some unexpected things that might happen. "Sir, (the guy on counter 18 said) I am really sorry, I cannot allow you for that 30kgs because we are strictly giving 20kgs for passengers", It's when I felt something serious is about to happen, so I asked the guy what my options are and he said "You could either unload some from your luggage Or pay the excess to avoid being offloaded from the flight" now, that's when I confirmed something seriously wrong is going on, I asked him how much it would be if I'm going to pay for the excess, He said "OK sir, (working his fingers on the calculator as if he knew how to use it), It would cost you like 15 thousand pesos"- I almost fainted, chills run through my spine, I don't have that much money! I opened my gucci wallet and there was 3 thousand pesos and my 2 Kuwaiti Dinars! I told the guy on counter 18 that I don't have that much money, and insisted on it, He then went and asked a guy in a Barong and whispered something and came back to his calculator, looked at me and said,"Okay sir, I will give you a few kilos free, just pay the remaining 8 Thousand pesos" I said, even if you burn me now, I wouldn't fucking smell 8 thousand pesos, I said I only have 3 with me!" These words are exactly what this guy on counter 18 said, "OK SIR, HOW MUCH YOU SAID YOU HAVE? 3 THOUSAND? OK, JUST PLEASE HAND THEM OVER BUT DON'T MAKE IT TOO OBVIOUS, JUST HIDE THE MONEY INSIDE YOUR PASSPORT AND GIVE IT TO ME" So I did what he told me, helplessly, I said Fuck it, I need to go back home! Thank Goodness I have my OEC certs with me, what if I haven't applied for it here at the Phil. Embassy? I couldn't have made it back then? What a nightmare! My advise, the next time you fly to Manila, beware of these monsters in disguise that operates at the NAIA, FUCKINAY!

Kuwait Blocks Youtube

Okay, this is old news and I wasn't able to post this because i was pretty busy for the holidays. Anyway, it's worth a read:



KUWAIT: The Ministry of Communication has issued a memo to all internet service providers in Kuwait asking them to block YouTube access. The popular video website came under fire from the ministry due to content considered offensive to Muslims, a source within the industry told Kuwait Times. The Ministry pointed to content including a video of a man signing verses from the Holy Quran while playing the oud and another video showing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

A Fasttelco source confirmed receipt of the memo. "It's supposed to be blocked right now. But due to technical preparations the blocking may take until tomorrow [Monday]," said the source. The site was still accessible yesterday evening. The Ministry of Communication regularly issues memos to ISPs asking them to block certain websites, including those containing pornographic photos or ones like Skype that can be used to make international phone calls over the Internet.

YouTube is widely used in Kuwait. A search of the word 'Kuwait' turned up 59,000 videos, including everything from videos of car crashes on Fahaheel Expressway and Jessica Simpson's concert for US troops in Kuwait to protests in front of Abdullah Al-Salem hall in the run up to the 2006 parliamentary elections.

I'm not for blocking it. One should be able to choose what to watch. The YouTube itself has so many beneficial things that can help people get information and interact with each other," says Abdelatif, a Muslim living in Kuwait. "Censorship equals ignorance as far as I'm concerned. Everything is there, it's up to you to decide what to see or not.

YouTube has an option that allows users to report offensive content. It will then remove content deemed offensive.

The website has been banned or parts of its content blocked by several countries around the world. A Turkish court banned Youtube in March 2007 after Greek and Turkish users posted insulting videos on the website. Thailand banned the video sharing website a month later over content insulting the king. A Brazilian court ordered the website blocked after users posted a video of Brazilian supermodel Daniela Cicarelli having sex on a beach with banker boyfriend Renato Malzoni. The court decision was later reve
rsed and YouTube can now be accessed from Brazil.

Content offensive to Muslims and considered insulting to Islam however led Pakistan in early 2008 to ban YouTube. Both Iran and the United Arab Emirates block controversial content on the video sharing site. The UAE also censors content in photo sharing site Flickr. Blocking a website, though, has limited effect as most Internet users are savvy enough to use proxy services to access banned content.

Published Date: September 22, 2008
By Jamie Etheridge
Kuwait Times

Milli Vanilli

Does anybody remember the "running man"? Not the movie but the dance moves, popularized by a duo from Germany in the late 80's and early 90's called Milli Vanilli. Well, who would ever forget those guys Fab and Rob? Their hits "Girl You Know It's True", "Blame It On The Rain", "All Or Nothing", "Don't Forget My Number" and "Girl, I'm Gonna Miss You" were all time favorites! But after that Grammy Scandal, what happened to them? Where they are now? Here's a little something about the duo:

Milli Vanilli
A prefab group masterminded by producer Frank Farian, where he assembled a collection of studio musicians to record his fusion of European dance-pop and American Rap.

The esemble lacked "image", so a pair of aspiring models/break dancers, Pilatus and Morvan were brought in to front the outfit.

They did not actually sing the material, merely lip-syncing the songs.

Girl You Know It's True was their lead-off single and it became an instant hit, peaking at #2. The next three follow-ons, Baby Don't Forget My Number, Girl I'm Gonna Miss You and Blame It on the Rain all hit #1.

They won a Grammy in 1990. And then the unthinkable happened... Pilatus and Morvan, now giddy with success (and wired on cocaine) wanted to actually sing on the next record and Farian blew the lid off the whole deal.

A fracas ensued, they were stripped of their Grammy's and unceremoniously dumped into the dustbin of pop-culture.

Arista records deleted their record from it's catalog (the biggest selling delete bin item on record) after a class action suit was filed by disgruntled album purchasers.

Farian attempted to reform the duo in 1991 as "The Real Milli Vanilli releasing Moment of Truth which promptly stiffed.

Pilatus called reporters and police to his hotel room in Los Angeles where he was threatening to kill himself.

The duo reformed again as Rob and Fab in 1993 and again, the record tanked, selling a mere 2,000 copies despite an appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show.

Pilatus hit the skids in earnest, entering various drug rehabs and having a string of run-ins with the law for charges such as assault. He was found dead in a Frankfurt hotel room in 1998.

Fabrice Morvan lives in New York and continues to pursue a solo career.

Performing (Lypsnc) "Girl You Know It's True" and Winning their Grammy.

The "Real" Milli Vanilli performing "Keep On Running" (live).

Lakbayan - Up Close

This is my entry to the First Toyota Art Edge Digital Art Competition entitled, "LAKBAYAN" (Lakbay sa Bayan, Lakbay ng Bayan) This won the Grand Prize with a cash prize of PhP200,000.00, With the theme, "Toyota Driving Tomorrow-20 Years of Toyota in the Philippines", This topped the 500+ entries by artists from different parts of the country, Judged by an elite group, composed of some of the country's prominent name in the industry:

Final Judges:
- Pandy Aviado, Visual artist and former Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Coordinating Center for the Visual Arts
- Ruel Virtucio, Dean of the iAcademy
- Jaykee Evangelista, Senior Art Director for Top Gear magazine

Shortlisting judges:
- Ross Capili, Visual artist, photographer
- Drew Europeo, Web designer and visual artist
- Nico Puertollano, Graphic designer, multimedia artist and film director
- Cesar Hernando, Visual artist, Digital Film Director and UP College of Fine Arts faculty member

- Dentsu Executive Art Director, Rowell See

The judges were chaired by Mr. Dopy Doplon, graphic designer, coffee table book artist.

It took me 3 days to complete this winning piece. All done in Photoshop CS and some vectors from Macromedia Freehand X with the help of Wacom Intuos 3. The picture is a collage of color splashes that makes a map of the Philippines and with the colors that symbolizes the rich culture of the Filipinos. As you move through the islands you could see different landmarks that represents the beautiful places in the archipelago, and different dialects that expressed the urge of traveling with silhouettes of people in different moods, Underneath the map is a set of letters that makes the name... Toyota. (Check out the other entries at Toyota's Site.)

Toyota Art Edge Awarding

After a long and tiring flight from Kuwait, I finally made it to Manila, My Sis in law picked me up and I popped a bottle of Jack D's with Albert. 9 am, I head off to Makati to Eastern Telecoms office for the prize money and met with their Ad and Promo officer, Sheila Dimaya but unfortunately, the check won't be available for collection till the next day so we hang out in Glorietta to kill time for the 3pm awarding at the Shangri-La, The art edge event was pretty cool, Once you sign their guest book, they'll hand you over your prize money, The winning entries were individually mounted on white panel walls at the entrance of the Quezon ballroom, at the center was the top three winners. The program started with Toyota's Gotto San and followed by the awarding of the art edge and journalism finalists. The later part was the top 3 of the art edge competition and Journalism awards winners. Here's some snaps:

Me with my Winning Piece entitled, Lakbayan.


With me here is Pearl, my Niece.


A view of the stage

Interview with Auto Gear.

With Jinno Rufino of Abs-Cbn.

Auto Review Philippines.

Panic at Gate Number 3

I was in front of gate number 3 at the Kuwait airport waiting to board my flight to Manila via Dubai when all of a sudden I heard people screaming and saw a large crowd running away from the gate near where I was sitting, I turned around and saw an airbus 330 with it's wings up in flames! Oh My God! It was a passenger plane refuelling and for some reason the hose connected to it was burning and fire rushes to its right wing, Good thing the Kuwaiti fire fighters were able to stop the fire and a possible explosion! Too bad, I wasn't able to pull out my cam for a once in a lifetime snap :-(

Toyota Art Edge Winners by Manila Times

When I was in Manila last thursday for the awarding of the Art Edge Winners at the Shangri-La, Makati, I was interviewed by a representative from Manila Times, Perry Gil S. Mallari. Well, here it is:

Cutting edge computer art
Digital art competition announces winners
By Perry Gil S. Mallari, Reporter

With the availability and popularity of image creation and manipulation software in the last 10 years creating art using a computer was no longer a novelty among artists. The era of digital art is here and unless you’re an artist living under a rock, you have felt in one way or another the influence of computers in the process of art production. But while technology can hasten the production of art, it’s no substitute for genuine talent.

It is good to know that Pinoy artists are abreast with technology and they have already proven their mettle in the field of digital arts. As a case in point, top CGI (computer generated imagery) movie producers Disney and Pixar have a slew of Filipino artists in their employ.

Just recently, local artists who opted to trade their pencils and brushes to mouse and graphic tablets were given a chance to showcase their talents via the digital art contest Art Edge sponsored by Toyota Motors Philippines Corporation (TMP). The theme of the contest was “Driving Tomorrow —20 Years of Toyota in the Philippines.” Toyota chose to celebrate the anniversary of its two decades of operation in the country with an art competition. It explained that the move signified the company’s belief that progressive techno-logy has to be balanced with the development of other aspects of life, society and the environment.

Of the 500 artworks that were submitted from May to June this year, 23 made it to the finals and three were chosen as the overall best works of the competition.

Gilbert Semilliano of Laguna bagged the first place with a cash award of P200, 000 while Kristofferson Paunil of Cebu got the second place with prize money of P150,000. Third placer Mark Angelo Argarin of Valenzuela took home a P100,000 cash reward. The other 20 finalists were given a P25,000 consolation prizes each.

The panel of judges was comprised of representatives from Toyota as well as top industry practitioners in the realm of graphic arts among them were TopGear advertising agency senior art director Jaykee Evangelista, renowned artist Pandy Aviado and Ruel Virtucio, the chief executive officer of iAcademy, currently the top computer graphic art school in the country. All the entries were judged using the following criteria: 15 percent for originality, 30 percent for visual impact and appeal, 40 percent for relevance to the theme and 15 percent for technical content and composition.

(check out the actual post in this link)

Eastern Communications Digital Art Competition

Okay, Here's another Digital Art competition I joined after Toyota's Art Edge, It's the Eastern Communications 130th Anniversary, Check this out, got the info off a forum, The submission's on September 6 and Awarding is on September 10th. Pretty quick for a competition though, but that doesn't stop me and my friends at the office from rushing a couple of artworks, Lol! We went through the usual "KAMIKAZE DEADLINE", It's like working on a campaign overnight and present it the next day kinda thing. Anywho, My friend Danny told me on the morning of the 10th that his entry's been shortlisted, Woo Hoo! That's a sure 10k PhP in the pocket, and a chance to make it to the 100K prize! So I kinda ask myself, what about mine? I called up Pinky and told her about it and she called Manila to get the numbers of Eastern's contact person, Ms. Belle Lacson. So I called her up and Voila! She told me that I'm in the final 13th, Yee Hah! She asked me if I have someone to represent me to the awarding (that same day at 7pm Manila time). I sent Pearlie, my niece over to Dusit Hotel in Makati for the awarding ceremony. She said it was a grand nite, Ms. Zsa Zsa Padilla was there as the main performer, There were a lot of big shots and the show was hosted by Kat Alano. What an amazing night for my niece and a great successful event! Many thanks goes to the Judges, Eastern Communications, Their staff and Pearlie! To all the winners and participants, Congratulations! You guys Rock!

Oh, by the way I won 2nd place with my entry entitled: FLOURISHED FRONTIERS.
Here's some snaps from the competition, enjoy!


Pearlie receiving the cash prize and trophy on stage with Ms. Jocelyn Dy Juanco - VP of Sales and Customer Service and Ms. Kat Alano - Ex MTV VJ & ex WoWoWee Host


The 10 Finalists with their Trophies & Certificates on stage.

Some of the winning entries (Sorry for the white spot on the artworks caused by the camera's flash)



My First Entry Entitled : "BEYOND"
(16" X 11" Digital, Photoshop CS, Macromedia Freehand, Mac G5, Wacom Intuos 3)



My Second and Winning Entry Entitled : "FLOURISHED FRONTIERS"
(16" X 11" Digital, Photoshop CS, Macromedia Freehand, Mac G5, Wacom Intuos 3)