Suplado to the Next Level: A Review on Suplado Tips Book 2 and Book Launch

Book Launch Review

After the success of the Suplado Tips, the sequel released its sequel  held its book launch last March 2012. The book launch was also successful where it was attended by avid book lovers and fans of Stanley Chi, media and bloggers. In addition, comedians Ramon Bautista and  Tado Jimenez, rappers Harlem T., Sheyhee, and Juan Lazy, band Bakeshop and mentalist Justin Pinon are also in the book launch as special guests. It was an entertaining show where Justin performed mind reading tricks, Bakeshop launched their career as a band with their singles and  some icebreakers and prizes to the fans of Suplado Tips. 

The highlight of the show is the suplado rap battle of fliptop artists Juan Lazy, Harlem T. and Sheyhee against Stanley, Ramon and Tado which made the book launch livelier and funny. 

In the end, I learned about the importance of books as an important reference although people are using E-Books and only few are reading conventional books. Lastly, learn to patronize our own products and masterpiece because according to Kit Perez, "Basta Gawang Pinoy, ASTIG!" 

Tado Jimenez, Stanley Chi and Ramon Bautista. Source: Facebook photos

Bookworm Review: Suplado Tips 2

The sequel of Suplado Tips is raised to another level of entertainment, humor and content. In the first book, the cover is simple with a wooden brown color and it is made up of gray paper for its pages. The second book has a smoother pages and cover with blue color. The content is not just more on Suplado tips and hirit but they have an additional supplements such as trivia, sarcastic subtitles, picture comics, stories or anecdotes, and illustrations from comic artists. The foreword was written by Ramon Bautista and there is a Suplado slam note in the first part of the book. The Suplado Tips are divided based on categories including daily life, watching basketball game, holidays, workplace and surfing the Internet. 

Here are the top 5 notable suplado tips in book 2 plus its supplements:

1. On class reunions and talking about their former classmates and friends who didn't attend the reunion which is a topic among people who are present in the event: Isnabin ang invitations ng class reunion para mas lalong maintriga ang mga classmates mo at pag-usapan ka pa lalo (Kung sino ang wala, siya ang madalas na pinag-uusapan)

2. On dealing with easy-go-lucky people who inviting their friend who is not planning to go on gimmicks: Kung panay ang yaya sayo ng kaibigan mo sa mga gimik at wala ka namang balak pumunta, sagutin mo ng "Busy akong tao dahil may ginagawa ako para sa kinabukasan ko!" (Nakakasira ng barkada ang pag-aaral)

3. On having a hard time on using the new stuff in Facebook: Kung madaming nagrereklamo sa bagong Facebook, hiritan mo ng "Bumalik ka na lang kaya sa Friendster!" (Palitan mo na rin ang cellphone mo, gawin mong pager para nostalgic!)

4. On dealing with officemates who are fond of criticizing others and making gossips: Kung may naninira sayo sa office, okay lang yan... Ibig sabihin, parati ka niyang iniisip! 

5. Carolling: Kung may nag-ca-carolling sa bahay niyo, patayin niyo lahat ng ilaw at sumigaw kayo ng "Walang tao dito!"

Blogger's Note: The sequel of Suplado Tips proves that Stanley Chi is one of the best humor writers in Pinoy literature nowadays. He is also shown his candor in observational comedy as well with delivering sarcastic jokes to those peculiar situations which is annoying to others. Therefore, he also advocates the use of conventional books than E-books because how did you use your computers or I-pods if there is a brownout or if there is no source of electricity. It is better to use books because it helps you to expand your vocabulary, enhance your reading skills and it is a practical and relevant source which you can keep it for many years. More power Sir Stanley!

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Top 13 Performances

The top 13 contestants of American Idol. First row: Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon, Hollie Cavanagh and Jessica Sanchez.
Second row: Heejun Han, Shannon Magrane, Deandre Brackensick, Jeremy Rosado and Skylar Laine.
Third Row: Elise Testone, Philip Phillips, Jermaine Jones and Erika Van Pelt.

After the semi-finals, the top 13 were selected by people's votes and judges choice as a wildcard contender. The theme for the performance night was the songs of Stevie Wonder, which performed by male contenders and the songs of Whitney Houston for female contestants.  Here's my review on the top 13 performance night of American Idol season 11.

Shannon Magrane sang "I Have Nothing" where I am expecting that she can nail the song and one of the best performances of the night. But the nerves gave the best of her on that evening. She had the powerful voice to deliver that song. However, she needs to tell the story of the song.  When I heard the studio version of her song, she did an amazing job. Score: 7.0 

Elise Testone did a wrong song choice for her amazing voice with her rendition of "I'm Your Baby Tonight" I am hoping next week that she is safe and not part of the bottom 2. Score: 8.0 

Erika Van Pelt sang "I Believe In You and Me" where she nailed the song but she didn't reach the high notes. She needs to improve her performance next time because she had that beautiful and soulful voice. Score: 7.8

Jermaine Jones proved that he deserves a second chance in his rendition of "Knocks Me Off My Feet" where his low baritone trademark matches the song. Score: 8.5

Jeremy Rosado touches the heart of the audience with his performance of "Ribbon in the Sky." It wasn't his best performance but he interprets the song in a beautiful way. Score: 8.4

I am wondering why Joshua Ledet made it to the bottom 3 guys although he had a very good performance of "I Wish." I think he made it to the bottom 3 although he did a very good job but he is similar to Jacob Lusk of season 10. Score: 8.9 

Skylar Laine said that she didn't sing a Whitney Houston song in her life. But when she performed "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", it was proven that she can sing any song not just a country but any kind of song. In other words, she is versatile. Score: 9.0

Deandre Brackensick did a reggae performance of "Master Blaster (Jammin)" where he did a soulful and groovy performance plus his clean falsettos. Score: 9.1 

Colton Dixon sang "Lately" which suits his voice and I love the transition from mellow introduction to the rock part. He is a versatile singer and he owned the song. Score: 9.5

Philip Phillips sang "Superstition" where this song is also his audition piece. He is a very good musician and singer. He got an entertaining performance with his guitar as an accompaniment but predictable song choice because other contenders sang that in previous seasons. Therefore, he is a true artist. Score: 9.8

MY TOP 3 BEST PERFORMANCES:

Heejun Han chose "All In Love Is Fair" which is a perfect song choice for him and much better performance than last week.  His voice is smooth and soft, clear and truly romantic. It proves that he is a very good singer in singing ballads, maybe next time I want to see him singing upbeat tempo songs. Score: 9.9

Hollie Cavanagh sang "All The Man That I Need" where she performed effortless but powerful. She had the clear phrasing and diction and she deserves to come back from last season. She is one of the best singers for the eleventh season. Score: 9.9

Jessica Sanchez once again received a standing ovation and positive reviews from the judges with her performance of "I Will Always Love You". She did a fantastic belting and soulful performance and that was superb. Score: 10.0

Blogger's Note:

Predictions and Elimination: Elise, Erika and Shannon made it to the bottom 3 girls while Jermaine, Jeremy and Joshua made it to the bottom 3 boys. In the end, Elise saved by the judges and Jeremy was eliminated first from the competition. On the coming weeks, I am looking forward to Heejun, Colton, Phillip, Jessica and Hollie to the top 5 and one of them will become the winner of American Idol. Therefore, I am also looking forward to the two female contenders will make it to the finale (it was happened last season 3 where Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia Barrino competed in the finals of that season). But watch out because there are also competitors who will emerge as dark horse maybe it is between Elise Testone or Skylar Laine. However, I want Hollie, Jessica and Heejun made it to the final three. Lastly, all of the contenders for the eleventh season are great and exceptional.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals (Female)

We also have the 12 girls who made it to the top 24 of the eleventh season of American Idol. They have different music styles that matches their look and packaging.

Chelsea Sorrell

Chelsea Sorrell did a great start with her performance of "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood. She had a powerful voice which is applicable in other genres such as rock and country. However, she didn't showcase her vocal prowess and this was a safe song choice. Score: 8.0 

Erika Van Pelt

With her rendition of Heart's "What About Love" Erika Van Pelt showcased her powerful vocals and very good voice quality. She hit the notes and very good song choice. Score: 9.4

Jen Hirsh

Jen Hirsh proved herself once again as one of the best singers in the competition with her performance of "One and Only" by Adele. She has the clear phrasing and soft but powerful and wide range of voice. Score: 9.6 

Brielle Von Hugel

Brielle Von Hugel sang Roy Orbison's "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" where she proved that she is a true performer with her movements and confidence on stage. She improved a lot from the previous season. Score: 9.3 

Hallie Day

Hallie Day delivered a classy rendition of "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone. One thing that I can say to her is sultry singer and woman. Score: 9.0

Skylar Laine

The country girl Skylar Laine performed "Stay With Me" with her strong vocals and country style of singing and she had a lot of energy in performing in stage. She had a strong confidence and she had the voice which is similar to Reba and the confidence in her performance which resembled to Tina Turner. She is a rockin country singer.  Score: 9.4

Baylie Brown

The comebacking contestant from season 6 Baylie Brown sang "Amazed" by Lonestar. She looks gorgeous and her voice is beautiful. She did an effort but not a good song choice for her. She reminds me of Antonella Barba but Baylie is a better singer. Score: 7.5 

Hollie Cavanagh

We also have returning contender from season 10, Hollie Cavanagh who sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. She showed huge improvement from last season (where she cut before the top 24) where she had the clear phrasing and a crystal-clear voice. It was a perfect song choice for her. Score: 9.9 

Haley Johnsen

Haley Johnsen performed "Sweet Dreams" by Eurhythmics where she had an amazing voice but the performance is not good and definitely, wrong song choice. Score: 6.0 

Shannon Magrane

Shannon Magrane sang an inspirational song from Kathy Troccoli entitled "Go Light Your World" which showcased her vocal prowess. She's got the look and the packaging (especially her pretty face and height). Overall, she's got the the exceptional singing talent at the age of 16. Score: 9.8

Jessica Sanchez

Jessica Sanchez wowed the judges and the audience with her rendition of "Love You I Do" by Jennifer Hudson. She is the one to beat among the girls in this competition because at her young age of 16, she's got the powerful voice, soulful vibe, strong showmanship, stage confidence and the musicality. Definitely, she is one of the best American Idol contestants ever. Score: 10.0

Elise Testone

Elise Testone closed the performance night with her rendition of "One and Only" by Adele. She's got the musicality where she played the piano and an amazing voice. She is truly a professional and versatile singer. Score: 9.7


In the end, Jessica, Hollie, Shannon, Elise and Skylar made it to the top 5 highest votes among the female semi-finalists and made it to the top 10, while Erika, Jen and Brielle were chosen by the judges for wildcard round where Erika was selected for top 13.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals (Male)

Right after the nerve-racking regional auditions, the intense Hollywood week and the spectacular Las Vegas round, the top 24 were already selected for the eleventh season of American Idol. Last week, the boys were able to compete first for the slot in the final 13. 

Reed Grimm

First up, we have Reed Grimm  with his performance of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" where he had a jazzy rendition of the song, Reed is truly a genius where he knows how to use the drums while singing (proven in his Hollywood Week performance of "Georgia In My Mind") and he is one of the best singers of the season. He had the quirky personality and moves, strong showmanship and musicality as well with his unique voice. Score: 9.8

Adam Brock

We also have Adam Brock with his rendition of "Think" by Aretha Franklin. He did a brave attempt to sing that diva song with his soulful voice which can be owned by a African American singer jazz or soul singer. He had a powerful voice, that is why he called as "White Chocolate" by Steven Tyler. Score: 8.4

Deandre Brackensick

Then we also have the comeback contestant from season 10, DeAndre Brackensick with his version of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Reasons". He is also have a soulful voice and clear phrasing of word. The best part of his performance is the very smooth transitions in terms of hitting the falsettos. Score: 9.5

Colton Dixon

With his performance of Paramore's "Decode" Colton Dixon showed his strong showmanship on state as an indie rocker. He started his performance while playing the piano and he lose on that instrument and he knows how to move the stage as a rocker. Score: 9.6 

Jeremy Rosado

Jeremy Rosado delivered a heartfelt rendition of "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles. He had the clear diction and he knows how to connect with the audience with this song choice, a perfect song choice and a beautiful performance. Score: 9.9 

Aaron Marcellus

Aaron Marcellus received a standing ovation with his performance of "Never Can Say Goodbye" by Jackson 5. He had a beautiful and wide range of vocals especially the last note was truly phenomenal. Score: 8.9

Chase Likens

Chase Likens made the girls cried with a country song "Storm Warning" where he got the looks, packaging and a good voice. But he lacked of screen time in this season. Score: 8.2 

Creighton Fraker

Creighton Fraker did a soulful and heartfelt performance of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" where he reminds me of Justin Timberlake. Score: 8.4 

Phil Phillips

Phil Phillips shown his originality in his cover of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" where he performed with a rock acoustic version. He is one of the distinct voices in American Idol and he truly owned the song by making his own arrangement. He is one of the most likable contestants so far. Score: 9.9

Eben Franckewitz

The youngest contender this season was Eben Franckewitz who captivated the judges with his angelic voice and cute looks. He performed "Set Fire To The Rain" by Adele. He had a very beautiful voice and he can make it to the top but he didn't stand out during that time because of his song choice. However, he showed a strong confidence and he sings like a pro. Score: 8.6

Heejun Han

The lovable and funny Korean American Heejun Han who became an early favorite in this season performed "Angels" by Robbie Williams. He had a soulful voice, clear phrasing and he is truly a likeable person because of his sense of humor and looks. His voice is smooth but not powerful. Therefore, he should sing different genres of music in order for him to win this season. Score: 9.2 

Joshua Ledet

Joshua Ledet performed Jennifer Hudson's "You Pulled Me Through." He had that soulful R&B/gospel vibe in his voice. He reminds me of Jacob Lusk of season 11. Another outstanding performance where he is also making a female song into a male version.  Score: 10.0 

Jermaine Jones

The gentle giant Jermaine Jones definitely deserves to come back with his deep soulful baritone in his rendition of "Dance With My Father" Score: 8.6


In the end, Jermaine, Heejun, Joshua, Colton and Phil made it to the final 13 as the top 5 highest votes among the boys while Reed, Jeremy and Deandre selected by the judges for the wildcard performance where Jeremy and Deandre were selected.


Blogger's Note: The top 7 guys who made it were truly deserving but I am expecting that Reed Grimm will make it to the top 13. I am looking forward for him to have a recording contract soon because he is a truly a musical genius and a quirky musician.