Sikat na Fil-Am Drag Queen na si MANILA LUZON, dumating na sa bansa para sa ‘Drag Den Philippines’

DUMATING sa bansa ang sikat na Filipino-American drag queen na si Manila Luzon.

Nandito si Manila Luzon para sa gagawin niyang Filipino drag race contest na Drag Den Philippines.

Pinost niya via Instagram on Sunday na naka-red outfit siya habang naka-pose sa balcony ng kanyang hotel room.

Sa Twitter naman ay pinaalam ni Manila Luzon na nasa Pilipinas na siya: “She’s here! Humanda na kayo, mga sis. Manila Luzon is back in the Philippines. Yez! Dragdagulan na!” 

Noong nakaraang August ay nagsimula ng auditions para sa Drag Den Philippines para sa mga pabolosang beki na mahilig mag-drag o ang magdamit at mag-ayos babae. And mananalo ay tatawaging ‘Philippine Drag Supreme’.

Sumikat si Manila Luzon dahil sa pagsali niya sa 3rd season ng reality competition program na RuPaul’s Drag Race. Nakasama rin siya sa first and fourth seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.

Ang tunay niyang pangalan ay Karl Philip Michael Westerberg. Pinay ang kanyang mother at American ang kanyang father na taga-Minnesota. Lumaki siya sa Los Angeles at kasalukuyang nakatira sa New York.

Noong June 2019, tinanghal si Manila Luzon na 19th most powerful drag queens in America.

***

MAY natapos na palang duet sina Lea Salonga at Gary Valenciano na dedicated sa mga frontliners na ang titulo ay ‘Heroes’.

Ang original composition na ito ng National Artist for Music na si Ryan Cayabyab at ni Jose Javier Reyes at ilu-launch sa Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Foundation to show solidarity and boost the morale of medical frontliners.

Noong 2020 sinulat ni Reyes ang lyrics sa gitna ng pandemya kunsaan maraming frontliners ang buwis-buhay para matulungan ang maraming maysakit na COVID-19.

Naging special song ito para kay Reyes dahil marami sa kanyang mga kaibigan ay pumanaw dahil sa COVID-19.

     “It was not meant for any special occasion. I just felt it. I just had to write it down as a form of therapy. I sent the lyrics to Ryan since we’ve always worked well together. Sabi ko please set them to music if you can at the right time.

“Nakakaiyak ang sitwasyon ng mga frontliners. They should be the ones who should be celebrated! They are our real heroes,” diin ni Direk Joey.

Si Jonathan Manalo ang co-producer ng song project which will benefit the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

Ang TOYM ay tatanggap ng donations to the PGH’s Panatag na Kanlungan na susuporta sa maraming doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and other volunteers and front liners at the forefront of fighting this pandemic.

Every P1,000 donated will entitle donors to a special commemorative face mask.

Ang music video ng Heroes nina Lea, Gary at Mr. C ay nakunan earlier this year sa kani-kanilang home studios.

***

PUMANAW na ang Friends star na James Michael Tyler, o mas kilala bilang si Gunther, dahil sa sakit na prostate cancer and he was 59.

Sa official Instagram page ng Friends, nagpaabot ng kanilang pakikiramay ang Warner Bros. Television dahil sa pagpanaw ni Gunther na naging importanteng character ng Friends.

“Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans,” ayon sa post.

Nagpaalam din ang isang Friends star na si Maggie Wheeler a.k.a. Janice: “So Grateful to have known this kind and gentle man. James Michael Tyler will be dearly missed. My thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”

Huling napanood si Tyler sa HBO Max’s Friends: The Reunion noong May. Nagpasalamat ito sa ten years na naging pamilya niya ang cast and crew ng Friends.

“It was the most memorable 10 years of my life, honestly. I could not have imagined just a better experience. All of these guys were fantastic. It was just a joy to work with them. It felt very, very special.”

Noong June ay ni-reveal ni Tyler na na-diagnose siya with advanced prostate cancer noong September 2018.

(RUEL MENDOZA)