KAPUSO FEVER DAZZLES LAS VEGAS!
On this cold Sunday winter morning of December 2, all roads led to the Sports Center of Las Vegas for KAPUSO FEVER, the first ever Entertainment Festival and Christmas Fair following the successful entry of GMA Pinoy TV in the world’s entertainment capital!
As early as 9:30 a.m., men, women, and children had started to line up by the entrance of the Sports Center to join the KAPUSO FEVER celebration featuring Filipina Marimar Marian Rivera and Pinoy Sergio Dingdong Dantes, the lead stars of Marimar, the phenomenal and highest-rated primetime telenovela in the Philippines today. The festival was a colourful, impressive, dazzling celebration of culture and live entertainment which drew thousands of people from across the U.S.
Guests during the half day festivities witnessed the best in Filipino entertainment while they visited the different booths, shopped at the Christmas “tiangge”, enjoyed the sumptuous Filipino food, took home the GMA Pinoy TV bag giveaways, Kapuso Abroad magazines, premium items, and won the raffle prizes like the 41 gift bags filled with Mama Sita’s sauces and mixes, the two domestic round trip tickets and two round trip tickets to Europe from the corporate partners, event sponsor, and local retailers.
Due to technical problems, the show started late but it was definitely worth the wait. The Sport Center vibrated with loud shrieks from the audience when Dingdong got up on the stage, greeted the crowd, and rendered these songs: Ricky Martin’s Living La Vida Loca and She Bangs. Several thousand fans clustered shoulder to shoulder, and endlessly cheered when Marian took center stage, danced the trademark Marimar moves and sang the theme song of Marimar.
The audience ecstatically requested Dong to kiss Marian and went rapturously crazy when the two stars obliged to their fervent requests. They kissed twice since the audience would not settle just for one. The crowd jubilantly cheered and applauded wildly as Marian and Dong exchanged banter with each other ala Marimar and Sergio and gleefully answered some questions thrown at them by the adoring crowd.
All throughout, Marian and Dong were simply bursting with energy and élan, and undoubtedly, the undisputed loveteam to beat in Philippine Television. The appearance of the two Marimar lead stars was the most anticipated and applauded portion of the show.
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By this time, the audience could care less if they waited hours just to see their favorite TV couple on stage!
Marian and Dong also shared the stage with Philippines’ Prince of R&B JayR. He gave such a soulful rendition of his first Filipino hit song “Bakit Pa Ba?” which had the crowd gaping in awe and ardent fans screaming for more!
Aside from Marian, Dong, and JayR, singer-actress and recording artist Ciara Sotto together with the cast of soon-to-be-launched Las Vegas musical “Fever”, 2007 Pinoy Pop Superstar North America champion San Francisco-based Jae Buensuceso, Los Angeles native singer-comic Joseph Gelito, Meccamee Dancers, ACTS with Ann, Christine and Timmy, Filipiniana Dance Troupe of Las Vegas, Gawad Kalinga’s Gerald Gosioco, R&B band South Border with members Butch Victoriano, Paul Benitez and Tata Balane featuring Duncan Ramos, and Introvoys with musician/drummer Paco Arespacochaga and members Jonathan Buencamino (vocals), Steve Guadiz (guitar), Chot Ulep (bass), and JJ Buencamino (keyboards), zealously took turns in entertaining the crowd.
The star-studded entertainment extravaganza and Christmas Fair was delightedly hosted by Paco, Joseph, Jae, and Ciara.
KAPUSO FEVER, a dazzling and spectacular celebration, was made more colourful by the involvement and in association with Gawad Kalinga / ANCOP and NaFFAA Southern Nevada Chapter.
KAPUSO FEVER, directed by Jet Montelibano, was presented by GMA Pinoy TV and line produced by Creative Concept International. Major sponsors were Metrobank, Avida Land, Xoom.com, and Mama Sita’s Mixes & Sauces. Minor sponsors were A&A Travel Service and Seafood City. Participating sponsors included ANA Travel, Aqua Imaging & Design Inc., LGB Jewelry, Globe Express International, Café Moda, Aloha Kitchen, and Monet Lu/Beau Monet. Media sponsors were Las Vegas Asian Journal, Philippine Times of Las Vegas, Philippine News Las Vegas Edition, Nevada Examiner, Las Vegas Valley Balita, Planet Philippines, Asian American Times, and Asian-American Peoples Journal.
See how KAPUSO FEVER came, conquered, and heated up Las Vegas making it not only world’s entertainment capital but also home of Kapuso (1 in heart), check www.joshandowitt.com for pictures. For more information, please log on to www.gmapinoytv.com.