Michael Johns – ASAP 08 – The Philippines – VIDEO
Michael Johns, currently on a mini-tour in the Philippines, managed to squeeze in a guest spot on the popular Filipino TV show ASAP in between appearances at local Manila shopping malls.
I’ve got a question.
Who are those horribly out-of-tune chicks singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” with Michael? If I’m being perfectly honest, I’m a little freaked out.
Also, are the subtitles really necessary?
thank you purps. recap please?
Bonus: Check out the billboard pics on MJO.
Check out the video after the JUMP…
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38 Responses to “Michael Johns – ASAP 08 – The Philippines – VIDEO”
RAWRR. MJ sounds hot! More of this please and less of drecky Christmas songs. I know, I know, it’s for charity. Still, they could’ve picked a better song.
ETA: I agree. Let him sing the whole song. Those girls are good but they are harshing his rockstar mojo.
I rather enjoy hearing Michael singing. I can’t watch him sing….he’s an awkward performer.
Those backup singers are pretty affected.
Given MJ’s set up, I expected the gals to sound worse than they did. Group numbers like that, where each person sings a line to get their own attention, are really old fashioned, so that’s just kind of hard to watch. then, it was obvious that those girls aren’t in some group and don’t sing together, so then I thought, why are they singing together? I feel for MJ walking into that situation–another cover group number again. I’m sure he’s royally sick of it.
Questions:
1. What type of show is ASAP08? Like American Bandstand? Or is it music/variety like Ed Sullivan was?
2. What’s the story with these “mall” shows MJ is doing? His concert is in the mall? Do people pay to attend? (If so, how does the producer ensure that the people attending have paid if it’s in the open in a mall??) If they don’t pay, how does MJ get paid? The shopkeepers?
1. ASAP is a musical variety show shown every Sunday on one of the two most popular TV stations in the Philippines, ABS-CBN. It’s a sing and dance show. The most popular artists (including winners of various local and international singing competitions) in the ABS-CBN roster host and perform in the show, along with guests. There’s a little more info on MJ’s wiki link in her post. (I am not a viewer of this show, but I watch little bits of it every now and then.)
2. The Ayala Malls concerts are a regular promo event for the Ayala Malls chain. Artists previously brought in include Elliott Yamin, Taylor Hicks, Constantine Maroulis, Colbie Caillat, Vanessa Carlton, Sean Kingston. The shows are practically free. Some malls may have a certain purchase requirement (receipts are exchanged for tickets before the show), but only for fans to get seats and M&G passes. Anybody in the mall can watch the shows, as long as they get a good viewing position.
Ayala Malls pays the artists (a good amount, I heard), so whether there are 5 or 5,000 people watching, the performing artist does not have to worry (except maybe for his ego).
Mall shows are free but you have to PAY to actually get a good, comfortable seat (like near the front). Everyone else can watch but they would be standing in the back with the crowds. Elliott Yamin and Vanessa Carlton have done shows here (same venues, I hang out at those malls every weekend). I saw Vanessa Carlton.
ASAP is a show where our actors and actresses pretend they can sing and dance. Trust me, as bad as this may seem, this is actually a decent performance as far as the show goes. At least it was live, most of the time they just lipsync, and not even to their own voices but a ghost singer.
“A.S.A.P.” is the acronym for “A Sunday Afternoon Party” a variety show (sing, dance, cry on birthdays….lol)…not a fan of the show. Am not a fan also of any of these girls only because of their singing style…they each tend to belt it out all the time…much like Whitney, Celine, etc. singing style, too noisy and annoying for me JMHO……….Hence Ramiele became instantly popular when she made top 24 on Idol…(hmm I heard somewhere that Ramiele too is in the country with Danny Noriega)….yea that show is just that………a variety show……..
I’m not sure if she’s already here or if she has Danny with her but she will be a guest on an Ogie Alcasid concert sometime December. I’m guessing some local record company will sign her after that.
Performing on one the most popular shows in the Philippines that airs on one of the two major TV networks in the country, with three local singers, each with a huge fanbase of their own–I’d hate to think doing all that here would automatically qualify any foreign celeb as D-list. I’m Filipino BTW;)
Actually, most upcoming foreign acts that play Manila score that sort of gig. (Even some established acts have done that. If I recall correctly, even a few NBA stars–since bball is also big here–have guested on such shows when their sked permits.) And yes, they’re often compelled to perform with local singers. Exceptions would be really HUUUUGE mainstream acts on world tours like Beyonce who just fly in and out of the country to perform. And indie or harder rock acts, like Metallica, Beck, Plus/Minus, Beastie Boys, Incubus (a few artists that played Manila without hitting the noontime show circuit).
Anyway, appearing on noontime shows like ASAP is either a good gauge of public interest, or an opportunity for promotion of an artist’s main event plus extra mileage. It’ll likely get the guy featured in short interview clips on entertainment segments of news and talk shows of the same network. So I think Michael’s post-Idol career is hardly in trouble yet.
It’s interesting to read an outsider’s take on this cultural oddity of ours, BTW. Some of our best rock bands with cred, even the legendary ones, have been also ‘compelled’ to appear on noontime shows at one point in their careers. The bands that start out indie then make it big and are signed to major labels, and end up being made to promote themselves this way by their labels. Some resist the cheesefests (and mockingly tank their performances on these shows–I think the Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, and Kamikaze have done that when they were younger). Others just go with it and stay pros throughout the ‘ordeal.’ A brilliant Pinoy power pop band called Itchyworms even made an entire CD on these shows as theme, called “Noontime Show.” I guess it’s based on their experience of having to go that promo route as well.
Sorry to stray, just thought I’d share some more context for the clip. Personally, I’m always a fan of Michael’s voice. He’s my fave and I look forward to catching one gig here. I wish he sang something else on ASAP because I’ve always thought Queen covers are inherently cheesy, so that didn’t help his cause there. Heh. But what makes up for it, and I love him more for it actually, is, as people pointed out, he was evidently such a good sport instead of a snob (which would’ve been ironic coming from an AI alum). I like that he even threw in a compliment for one of the local singers. I bet Filipinos will embrace him for that.
Interesting post, rural juror. Personally, though, I’ve never had the inclination to watch any of these shows. I cringe at the thought of sitting through hours of these cheesefests. Also, from the few snippets of past shows I’ve come across while flipping channels, the banter of the hosts and guests that appear on these variety shows, is just terrible. Singers who perform on these shows don’t even bother to memorize the lyrics to songs they sing (and end up reading from giant idiot boards in the audience)! Oh, well. I guess I’m not part of their target audience. That said, perhaps if David Cook were to make an appearance when he comes over, I might make an exception! Ha-ha-ha!!!
By the way, thanks for the clip, MJ! Would never have seen it were it not posted here. Michael did great on that stage! I’m sure he was received warmly at the network. Hope he enjoyed the experience.
MJ’s guest appearance on ASAP is actually very interesting. I don’t remember any of the other Ayala-invited artists, AI alum or not, appearing on a TV show like MJ did. Usually, it’s just radio for them and perhaps a couple of news bit features or brief, taped interviews for some TV show that not too many people watch. ASAP, on the other hand, cheesetastic and sucktastic as it may be, is a pretty big show. Some big showbiz person/people must like Michael.
I also read that MJ was at last night’s afterparty (at the Alchemy) for Chris Brown and Rihanna, who did a back-to-back concert at the Fort Open Field (to about 70,000 people, I heard).
Mj is great but the girls – aww but they were cute. I actually love Charice, Miss Purplesmile introduced me to her long ago, check her out – only 15 years old and compared to Miley Cyrus at 15? eek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CVloLBxcMQ
Perhaps Michael will start a trend
I have to thank all the Filipino fans for giving us some insight to this show and this tour. I am so surprised at how many fans Michael has in the Philippines. You guys rock. This is the first time I’ve followed any American Idolist for so long and so closely, much less an overseas gig..lol. so its all very interesting to me as well.
In any case I am very happy for Michael he is given this opportunity..haha more Michael for us MJ fans…