Write, Breathe, Live

How Insulting!

Mariah Carey is rumored to be coming to the Philippines for a concert. Now a comment she made before has surfaced once again to haunt her and irritate us Filipinos.

“She’s just a brown monkey who can sing.” Say what??? I’ve never liked Mariah Carey before and I think I’ve just been given a reason to start particularly disliking her now. What right has she to call someone who’s fairer-skinned than her, like Regine Velasquez, a brown monkey?! For those who don’t know her, Regine is a singer dubbed Asia’s Songbird in the Philippines because of her clear soprano voice. She’s also fairer-skinned than most Filipino women.

Was Mariah that jealous of a Filipino’s great talent for singing that she just can’t shut her mouth? In my honest-to-goodness opinion, she’s not THAT good to attack a fellow singer just because she came from another country. What a racist! I’m not much of a Regine fan, but an insult on a fellow Filipino is just unforgivable. Mariah’s comment was so below the belt, hitting every Filipino with the implication that we are brown monkeys? How rude! I think she ought to visit the Philippines first and see how gracious and hospitable Filipinos are before she says anything. We have more manners than Mariah for starters. And lots more brains too. Hmp!

I guess she wasn’t informed that Lea Salonga, the first Kim in Miss Saigon, Epinone in Les Miserables etc., with astounding theatre performances in England and the USA, is a Filipino. Lea who has won the coveted Tony Awards among others is way, way far from being another brown monkey who can sing. Now, what acting thing has Mariah been involved with anyway? Oh yes, that movie Glitter that bombed. Aw, shucks!

I could go on and on listing each and every Filipino who has been recognized worldwide for their talents. But the space won’t probably be enough.

A friend of mine also told me that in the year 2000, she heard an awful story from a radio station. It seemed that in one of Mariah’s concerts in the USA, she asked during an interval “Are there Filipinos in the house?”. Being a cheerful and proud race, our fellowmen hooted and howled at being special-mentioned. Mariah’s answer? “Get out!” Whew, another Clair Danes in the making.

Hmmm, and now there are rumors she’ll be having a concert here. Frankly, if ever Mariah even sets one toe on Philippine soil, I would be among the first ones to say “Get out!”.

Just ranting….