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Got the announcement. Now all I need are the plane and convention tickets. Sponsorships, anyone? And oh, can somebody take over my work while I'm gone?

Scranton Bets Big That The Office Fanatics Will Convene at Series' 'Branch'
Source: PR Newswire for Journalists
Oct. 10, 2007

SCRANTON, Pa., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NBC's Emmy-award-winning comedy series "The Office" sparks a fervent cult-like zeal in its fans that brings to mind the kind of fanaticism inspired by "Star Trek" or -- if you prefer the silver screen -- "Napoleon Dynamite." And as "trekkies" have so amply demonstrated, cults will rally around the objects of their devotion.

That's what Scranton, Pa. is betting on when it hosts the first-ever The Office Convention, the weekend of Oct. 26 through Oct. 28. (Tickets are now available via theofficeconvention.com.)

"The time has come for 'The Office' fans to unite, and the best place to do it is in Michael Scott's home -- Scranton," said Tim Holmes, The Office Convention committee member. "Think of it like a 'Star Trek' convention, but with nerds wearing Dwight Schrute glasses instead of Spock ears."

"The Office" fans will have plenty to rally around. NBC has confirmed the following cast members will be in Scranton during the convention weekend: Angela Kinsey (Angela), Melora Hardin (Jan), Leslie David Baker (Stanley), Brian Baumgartner (Kevin), Creed Bratton (Creed), Kate Flannery (Meredith), Mindy Kaling (Kelly), Oscar Nunez (Oscar), Phyllis Smith (Phyllis), Andy Buckley (David Wallace from Corporate) and Bobby Ray Shafer (Bob Vance -- Vance Refrigeration). Pieces from the series' wardrobe will also be traveling to Scranton for display.

Click here for more.

Meet Tonton and Benjo

Haha. These are funny, although I think they would be funnier if someone can help me with the translation. Haduken. Jumping Spider. Twisting Turn. Tornado Attack. Finishing Touch. Haha. Great moves.

Here's Tonton, the prince of Troy



And here's Benjo, the son of Tonton



More videos from creator Talibong1.

Just making myself happy amid continuous raining

These are freaking hilarious.



and the follow-up:



I'd nominate this classic Filipino film clip in the "worst line ever said by any actor in this planet" category:

Oh, what bittersweet night

Junette was the first to post most of these pictures in her Multiply page. Oh well. I'm posting them here, what the heck. Even if they're days late.

As I promised a few days ago in an earlier post, here are some photos taken during Venus's goodbye treat.



First, we ate at Colasa's for dinner. It was the first time for Bimbo and Sheila to eat there. The rest of us -- well, let's just say that we're already more than familiar with the restaurant's small floor area size and shabby restrooms. But Colasa's bulalo (definitely a must-have) and pork barbecue make up for those small things.



And being such sore misers we all are, we proceeded to Aruego's, that small videoke place near Kalye Juan and Heaven and Eggs. Where beer costs only P40 and song P5. Haha. Beat that, Uncle Scrooge.



Of course, one major downside if you're in Aruego's is that street peddlers frequently bug you and even destroy your beautiful moments caught by the cam by joining in your mandatory group posts. Like the one ogling at Venus (Or was it Junette?) wearing the gray Gap shirt.



Of course, Don began the videoke fest with his signature song. Janno Gibbs, watch out.



Of course, would Bimbo allow himself to be defeated by Don's powerful and jaw-dropping singing skills? F4, I think you lost your fifth member here in Manila.



But of course, the "Star of the Night" award went to Venus, who melted our hearts away with her "I-love-you-but-goodbye" songs.



Melai (left), the newest staffwriter, can't resist singing. Even resident diva Junette (right) sang her blues away that night.



A day before Venus's treat, Ma'am Melinda treated the staff with two sinfully delightful cakes. Since most of us have such weird tastes, eating the cake meant we have to buy liters of cola.



I am really not into sweets, but this one is definitely a winner. Just looking at the photo makes me salivate like an askal would.

TV news booboos

These clips are all over the Internet. Technical glitches or just plain incompetence?

Merry Miller, the novice reporter in the video below, was described in some blogs and websites as the world's worst celebrity interviewee ever. Tsk tsk. Here is the poor kid's infamous interview with actress Holly Hunter.



Miller's station, ABC explains what happened in this entry.

Just when you think Miller is the worst reporter ever, this site says, a local newscaster in Seattle named Connie Thompson makes Miller sound like the highly-respected news anchor Walter Cronkite. "Bless the person who took the time listening to hours upon hours of footage to compile a lengthy string of flubs from the easily confused reporter, who is probably sitting at home right now wondering if Donald Trump has just fired someone or if one of his building’s has burned down," the site said.

The much-maligned video:



Sorry but I can't help myself remembering that I posted here Michael Fajatin's report sometime ago. I still don't personally know Fajatin, but I am quite glad that at least I have never seen or heard him doing a similar report again.

Harry Potter dies

With the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling, out in a few hours, below is a short take on the media coverage of the much-awaited book by the US-based CBS News's "Public Eye" and posted a week ago. The headline above came from the article and not from me. Kill the writer Brian Montopoli for such a head-turning and highly emotional headline. Haha.

Harry Potter dies
Source: CBS News's Public Eye
Posted by Brian Montopoli

Just kidding.

Or maybe not. I really have no idea. My best guess is he meets up with the kid from High School Musical and they go off to dance and fight dragons.

Anyway, here's a question: How will media outlets report on the last Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which comes out next week? As a colleague's wife (sort of) said: "If they tell me the ending before I've finished the book, I'll never watch them again."

But it's NEWS, people! NEWS! So how do you cover it? That decision is somewhat simplified by the fact that almost no one has read the book – media outlets couldn't spoil it even if they wanted to. "We're trying to find out as much as we can, but there's really only so much we can find out," says producer Erica Zolberg, who is doing a story on Pottermania for tomorrow night's "Evening News." (For the record, Zolberg says she wouldn't spoil the end even if she knew it.)

The angle of tomorrow's story, then, isn't going to be what's in the book, but how the publishers and their partners are keeping that information quiet. Zolberg spoke to Jim Dale, the voice of the Potter audiobooks and one of the few people who has gotten his hands on the book, as well as the webmasters of two of the big Harry Potter Web sites. Everyone, it turns out, is following the "no spoilers" policy to the letter.

Read more here.

The country's answer to Citizen Kane and other great films

So finally, someone was able to get a clip of Mark Lapid's classic quote. I learned there was a clip -- and some spin-off clips -- from Caffeine Sparks.



Aside from the two spin-off videos Caffeine Sparks posted, here are more hilarious reactions posted in Youtube:





The best I've seen so far:



Here's the full trailer of the movie, courtesy of Youtube user Deyey:

More airtime for Mitoy! Bring back Chuchay!

One of our guilty pleasures in the office is watching Eat Bulaga. So, while we're eating our lunch, we watch the silly and wacky antics of Eat Bulaga's hosts. It doesn't hurt to watch a ridiculously funny show when you watch ANC, CNN, and the countless news programs all day, no?

My favorite portion of the show is the "Bulagaan", that long-standing segment of Eat Bulaga. I remember when Diane, our Fil-German intern a few months back, was still in the office. She asked why we like "Bulagaan" and watch it all the time when the hosts' antics are more or less the same every day. I found myself and Lara speechless for a moment there. Truly, how do you explain the "Bulagaan" phenomenon?

Anyway, although I still like it when it's Vic Sotto and Jose's turn, my daily digest of "Bulagaan" now would not be complete without Mitoy. Mitoy, I am your newest fan.

More airtime for Mitoy! Bring back Chuchay!



In this video, Mitoy and Chuchay appear near at the end. Just be patient in loading the clip. I tell you -- it will be worth the wait.



By the way, this is my first post after upgrading this blog. I hope I won't experience any problems with the blog-moving -- heard some bad experiences from others who earlier upgraded their blogs.

What happens if Harry Potter Book 7 is laden with product placements?

Some Filipino films have this tendency to put in commercial products in their scenes, especially if the stars in those films endorse such products. I've seen such films where the stars buy, eat, or use the products they are endorsing in real life. Is this some kind of a deal between the star and the product's company, perhaps, a deal that involves millions?

What happens if J.K. Rowling decides to cash in as much as possible with her last book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? An except, according to the Adfreak blog, would go something like this:

Chapter 2: Harry Meets His Roommates in Ft. Lauderdale

“So, like, have you ever hung out down here for spring break before?” Daphne seductively slurped a Caffeine-Free Diet Sprite, her lips doing calisthenics along the rim of the can.

Harry adjusted his Foster Grants. “My first time,” he said.

Daphne giggled, snapping her Doublemint gum in time to the music blaring from Bose speakers in the hall. The song was “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce, available at Virgin Megastores everywhere.

As Harry adjusted the cuffs of his Polo shirt and shuffled his Puma-shod feet, a dark figure appeared in a burst of smoke.

The skulking form reached out with Rolex-adorned appendages that looked more like claws than human hands.

Harry intoned: “Powers that be, protect this abode. You’ll harm us not as yonder toad!”

“Ribbit!” said the warty creature as it hopped across a copy of Blender magazine.

Daphne shrieked. “That was my fiance from Utica!”

“But ... he appeared in a plume of smoke!”

“So he likes to party. Don’t be such a narc!”

Daphne cradled the toad in her hands. “Trey wasn’t a wizard. He didn’t even have a job since he got caught stuffing his pants with McDonald’s Egg McMuffins.”

Harry’s head ached and his throat felt dry. “You wouldn’t have some Anacin or a Diet Coke, by any chance?”

Daphne gently kissed the creature’s back. “We’d been dating for six hours, ever since he drove up this morning in his dad’s Toyota Camry. It was the first serious relationship I ever had.”

“Look, I can remove the spell, change him back...”

Daphne curled up on the floor, a broad smile on her Lancome-lacquered face as she licked the toad’s bumpy head. She cooed, “Whose my widdle green American Idol?”

Behind the mirror, Sony video cameras recorded the scene for the wizards back at the Fox Television Network to air after all new episodes of House on Tuesday nights.

(Photo from Adfreak blog)