Impostors turn socmed into “sickmed.” Some netizens are gullible enough to fall for the great pretenders. Deception is rampant online. So Vivamax’s movie about the consequences of catfishing, “Sarap Mong Patayin” (SMP), is very timely.
Ariella Arida
The “psychomedy” directed by Darryl Yap is topbilled by Ariella Arida, Kit Thompson and Lassy Marquez. In the film, a gay guy connives with a woman to lure men, but when they pick the wrong guy, things turn deadly. It serves as a warning that we must not fake it until we make it.
Here are quotes from Ariella (A), Darryl (D), Kit (K) and Lassy (L):
D: The effect of how SMP is presented will be understood by drug addicts. If you are not a junkie, you will find it weird, and it will make you wonder. It was hard for me to write the story from the perspective of an addict because I was never into drugs. I just researched about it.
A: Funny, but I was more game than Lassy to do our kissing scene. S’ya pa ang naging choosy (laughs).
L: Before my intimate scenes with Kit, I asked his permission how far I could go. To my surprise, he had no inhibitions. He even allowed me to lick his nipples (squeals).
K: Catfishing is wrong. It’s OK to have fun online, but [we have to] chat responsibly. If someone seems too good to be true on socmed, he/she is probably untrue.
D: Catfishing is already a norm as far as fantasy is concerned. It’s easy to say not to catfish if you are good-looking. For me, as long as you don’t hurt anyone, catfishing is OK to satisfy short-term cravings.
A: If I would ever have a boyfriend who turns out to be an addict, I won’t leave him. I will help him get better. But if he refuses my help, then it’s goodbye time.
Kit Thompson
In only nine months of operations, Viva’s Vivamax (VM) has already reached one million subscribers, a milestone that makes it the Philippines’ fastest-growing streaming platform.
VM has ventured into the Middle East, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Brunei, Macau, Vietnam, Maldives, Australia and New Zealand. In December, VM expands to the United States, Northern Marianas Island-Saipan, Guam, Hawaii and Canada. This brings its global reach to 71 territories.
Just as a baby is born after nine months, VM brought to life a whole new viewing experience worldwide on its ninth month. Plus, it keeps the local show biz industry alive in the time of COVID-19. VM is seriously spreading an epidemic of fun.
Ara Mina as supportive wife
Ara Mina
Ara Mina is not planning to have a baby yet with her hubby, Dave Almarinez. She will be ready for motherhood (the second time around) when her show biz commitments and Dave’s election campaign are done. Ara vows to be by her husband’s side all throughout his campaign. She ought to have a “best supporting wife” award.
Here’s my chat with Ara:
Aren’t you wary of being a politician’s wife?
No, because I come from a political family. I have an understanding of how the political landscape is. For people who may not know, my father, Chuck Mathay, and my grandfather, the late Mel Mathay, spent years in public service, that’s why I’m aware of certain situations when it comes to politics.
Don’t you think that politics is dirtier than show biz?
I think so. Dave and I discuss about it a lot. As much as possible, we want a peaceful life, but he has a great deal of experience as a public servant.