Category Archives: The Media

Film and TV, Politics, Same-sex Marriage, The Media

ELLEN DEGENERES BACKS OUT OF HOSTING THE OSCARS

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DeGeneres, left , with spouse de Rossi
DeGeneres, left , with spouse de Rossi

Hollywood, California – Ellen DeGeneres will not host this year’s Oscars after all. The famous lesbian comedienne backed out of her hosting duties in protest of what she called “insensitivity and unfairness” on the part of the Oscar producers.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is scrambling to find a replacement in time for the scheduled show on March 2.

The irreconcilable disagreement with the Academy sprang from a personal request from DeGeneres that she include in her opening monologue an actual marriage ceremony between her and her spouse Portia de Rossi. Although they are already married, DeGeneres wanted to make a public statement in support of same-sex marriage in the country. So far, only 17 of the 50 states have legalized same-sex marriage.

“Hey, if Queen Latifah can officiate  marriages during the Grammies, why can’t I marry Portia again in front of millions of television viewers,” DeGeneres told reporters.

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For its part the Academy said that it was afraid viewers might tuneout of the Oscars if it granted DeGeneres’ request, especially in the states still opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage. DeGeneres’ response? “Who cares? Nobody lives in those states!”

International, Politics, Sports, The Media

AQUINO ADMINISTRATION’S CONFESSION: PHILIPPINE OLYMPIAN MICHAEL CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ RECEIVED ZERO, NADA, ZILCH FROM US.

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Photo Credit: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
Photo Credit: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Manila, Philippines –  Presidential spokesperson Herminio Coloma on Sunday said that the allocation of the national budget was what prevented the Philippine government from providing funds for figure skater Michael Christian Martinez who represented the country in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Martinez was the lone Filipino athlete in Sochi and the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to compete in figure skating.  He finished 19th in a field of 24 in the men’s skating finals. Many believe he will be a medal contender in 2018.

Secretary  Coloma of the Presidential Communication Operations Office said in a radio interview that the priority of the government is to improve the livelihoods of the marginalized members of the society. He said these include, but not limited to “senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, their families and cronies, as well as big landowners like the President’s family.” He added that what was left of the budget allocated to athletics is for sports, which President Benigno Aquino III believes Filipinos have the “competitive edge.” Asked to name which sports the President considered competitive edge, Coloma said, “Gambling, cockfighting and mahjong.”

In the meantime, after inspiring a nation and earning the world’s attention, Michael Christian Martinez is set to receive a $10,000 bonus from business tycoon and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan through his MVP Sports Foundation.

Coloma said, “we are a nation of laws and every citizen needs to contribute to the prosperity of our country.” Pressed by reporters on what he meant by this comment, Coloma responded, “Michael Martinez must pay taxes on the $10,000 bonus he received.

Business, Film and TV, International, Sports, The Media

OLYMPIAN MICHAEL CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ PLACED ON PHILIPPINE TAX AGENCY ‘WATCH LIST’

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Photo Credit: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
Photo Credit: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Manila, Philippines – Benjamin Franklin once said, “there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.”  The Philippines’ tax collector-in-chief is making sure the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) lives up to its name.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares has confirmed reports that she has ordered Michael Christian Martinez, the lone Filipino athlete who competed in the Sochi Winter Olympics, to be placed on the agency’s “watch list.”  Although the 17 year-old figure skater did not win any medal in the skating competitions, Henares said that Martinez’s increasing popularity in the Philippines and abroad will certainly result in multi-million peso offers from commercial companies for product endorsements and advertisements. “We just want to make sure that the BIR will not miss out on taxes due from Martinez’s potential earnings, so we will be watching very closely,” Henares said.image13.jpg

This is not the first time that the BIR has gone after high-profile cases.   It has gone after the earnings of world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as well as the prize money and recording contract income of Rose Fostanes, the Filipino caregiver in Tel Aviv who recently won the top prize in the reality TV show, X Factor Israel.

“We would have preferred Michael to win the Olympic gold medal because gold commands a very high price in the stock market right now, but there’s always that  possibility in 2018,” Henares told reporters.