At the very least, it was a PR nightmare.
CARLO Orosa (left) with Audie Gemora and Solar head Wilson Tieng, right before the cancelled screening. FACEBOOK
On the bright side (wonder of wonders), members of the mostly Filipino audience strode out of the theater smiling, laughing, even joking after the strictly invitational red carpet local premiere of “Les Miserables” at the Newport Theater of Resorts World Manila was cancelled on Wednesday night “due to technical difficulties.”
A slew of “Les Mis-fired” and “Les Mis-takes” quips and puns flooded cyberspace that same night.
ON THE RED carpet (from left): Mylene Dizon, Cherie Gil and Agot Isidro. FACEBOOK
On Thursday, actress Cherie Gil, who was at the premiere with friends Agot Isidro and Mylene Dizon, posted on Facebook a humorous take on the debacle: “Yesterday was a big fail.”
Apart from the cancellation, the actress confessed to a fashion faux pas that night: “Must remember: Never wear red [to any] premiere night … I matched not only the red carpet, but the sea of red seats in the theater. Fail!”
A photo of the three girl friends walking out of the theater was posted on Facebook.
Dizon tweeted: “Les Missed!”
Other celebrities spotted at the event: Brillante Ma. Mendoza, Leo Valdez, Bo Cerrudo, Nikki Coseteng, Liezl Martinez, Boots Anson-Roa, Pinky Amador, Cesar Montano, Miriam Quiambao, Markki Stroem, Karylle, Christian Bautista, Noel and Joel Trinidad, Victor Basa, Quark and Crystalle Henares, and Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho (yes, together) and Movie and Television Review and Classification Board Chair Eugenio “Toto” Villareal.
Mendoza jested that they should’ve played his film “Thy Womb” instead, since it had the same distributor as “Les Mis,” Solar Films.
During the long wait, muffled arguments emanated from the projection booth, with the word “technical” rising ominously above the exchange. At last, Solar head Wilson Tieng texted Rushes: “It’s not working.”
POST-cancellation dinner: Brillante Ma. Mendoza (third from right) with the “Thy Womb” team and ABS-CBN reporter Gretchen Fullido (extreme left).TWITTER
Gil said she was told that “the color grading didn’t match.” Filmmaker Raymond Red commented on Facebook the next day that the DCP data might have failed.
Whatever the reason, a few seconds after Tieng’s text, a disembodied voice broke the dreaded news.
Solar and Resorts World subsequently sent a short joint statement: “For any inconvenience caused, guests will be issued free replacement tickets to the regular screening of ‘Les Miserables’ at Newport Cinemas from Jan. 16 to 23.”
Universal Pictures has scheduled another premiere tomorrow (Monday) at SM Megamall.
Uh.
Birthday gift
Remember Sexy Starlet, who reportedly filched friends’ valuables in a party abroad? She is said to be in dire financial straits.
SS supposedly lived it up after marrying Wealthy Admirer, who soon got tired of her.
WA reportedly served SS divorce papers on her birthday.
Ouch!
False report
On Wednesday, a false report made the rounds, claiming that Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Rep. Lani Mercado had met a vehicular accident.
Rushes tracked down Rep. Lani, who promptly denied the rumor: “I’m okay. I’m taping (the GMA 7 soap opera) ‘Paroa.’”
She then called Sen. Bong and assured Rushes, after verifying her husband’s safety: “He’s also fine and on his way to the premiere of his (new GMA 7 series) ‘Indio.’”
Radyo show
For sizzling show biz news, tune in to “Kliq Showbiz.”
Join show hosts Ervin Santiago of Bandera, Jenene of Radyo Inquirer and the Inquirer Entertainment staff, as they dish out the latest chika and hottest blind items in Tinseltown, weekdays from 3 to 5 p.m. on dzIQ 990 AM.
Top of Bandera
SHARON Cuneta
The top show biz news in the Inquirer tabloid Bandera (and why we are moved, if we are moved.)
Nagdaan ang kaarawan nang walang bonggang selebrasyon; Sharon hindi binigyan ng birthday special ng TV5; Talk show biglang nawala sa ere? (Trouble, ahoy!)
Kaya sunud-sunod daw ang magagandang proyekto sa ABS-CBN; John Lloyd, Piolo, Echo talbog pa rin sa kasikatan ni Coco. (In 10 years, we may be saying the same about Coco. That’s life.)
COCO Martin
Maja, Gerald magdyowa na, nag-date sa sosyal na resort sa Albay. (Any pictures? Of the scenery, we mean.)
Hindi na makatiis sa tunay na nararamdaman, umamin; Kris umaasang magkakadyowa ngayong 2013. (Uh.)
Mariel, Binoe nag-honeymoon sa Europe, magkaanak na kaya? (Inevitable result ba ’yun?)
Muling ipinagtanggol ang ina sa mga “kaaway”: Hindi naman po masamang tao ang nanay ko!— Sarah (No one said that … only that she’s overprotective.)
Derek magaling makisama kahit sa maliliit na empleyado ng TV5. (Cute na, nice pa?)
Hindi type ni Kris ang BF niyang basketball player; Vice: Meron siyang gusto para sa akin, pero di naman kami pwede!; Wala rin daw siyang balak pakasalan ang dyowa. (Bakit sila mag-dyowa kung hindi naman type? Vigorous head scratching here.)
Baron natakot sa media, tumakas sa press con ng “Kidlat”? (Wrong move. Ano ba, bro?!)
Bigla silang iniwan sa ere, mas close na ngayon kay Donaire; Pacman, Jinkee madaling mauto, inokray ng mga kaibigang “linta.” (Fair-weather friends.)
Sarah buntis kaya lumayas ng Pinas, si Richard ang ama? (Ah, to tweet from a safe distance!)
Dante Mendoza nabiktima ng budol-budol gang sa Internet. (Almost lang.)
Virgin pa si Meg Imperial? ‘No comment po!’ (That usually means …)
GERALD Anderson and Maja Salvador: Now dating. JUDE BAUTISTA
Zaijian Jaranilla muling bibida sa “Wansapanataym.” (Good things come to good kids.)
Fans ni Angel nagwala sa galit dahil sa blind item ng Startalk. (Asar-talo!)
Marupok ako, madali talaga akong ma-seduce ng mga babae!—Richard (That’s an excuse?)
Daniel vs Enrique: Huling bakbakan para kay Kathryn! (Parang sabong!)
KIM CHIU has lost a beau and a pal.
Nawasak ang pagkakaibigan dahil kay Gerald; Kim tinraydor ni Maja: “Kinain niya lahat ng mga sinabi niya!; Bahala na siya! Kilala niya kung sino si Gerald!” (Burp.)
Sa lahat ng naging boyfriend niya, kay Senator lang siya nagpakatotoo; Heart kay Chiz: “Sana forever na kami! Ayoko na ng iba!” (Forever is a long time.)
May gagawing malaking pasabog sa kanyang birthday; Richard pakakasalan na si Sarah Lahbati; Handa nang maging tatay? (Walang handang maging tatay.)
Heart bumili ng bracelet sa Greenhills para iregalo kay Gloria Romero. (Uh, ang sweet?)
Ipinagtanggol ang tunay nilang “relasyon” ni Gerald; Maja: “Alam ni Kim ang mga nangyayari!”; Resbak ni Kim: “Walang totoong kaibigan sa showbiz!” (Kim, girl: No truer words were spoken. )
Three Kapuso sexy actress tinuhog ni Bong sa “Indio.” (Sounds kinky.)
Bastos daw, malandi at traydor sa kaibigan; Maja walang kasalanan kay Kim, isa rin siyang biktima! (Will this never end? All is fair in love and war.)
Richard kay Sarah Lahbati: Love nandito lang ako sa likod mo! (Let’s see.)
Para patunayang hindi talaga siya nagpalaki ng dibdib; Angeline pumayag ipahawak ang boobs kina Sam at Paulo; pero umaming nagtuturok ng gluta para maging mestisa (Another victim of the whitening craze … sigh. But don’t let the boys hold your breasts! That’s just … wrong.)
Ayaw pa ring magpatalo sa GMA 7, laban kung laban; ako ang dapat magdemanda, hindi pa nila ako nababayaran!— Sarah Lahbati. (Pass the popcorn. Now.)
Kris nalungkot, di nakita si Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Big problem, huh?)