Wentworth Miller sneaks pass the media arrivals at The Paley Center

Here in Los Angeles (actually Beverly Hills), The Paley Center For Media hosts various events pertaining to television shows. Last night, The Paley Cener hosted a special on "Prison Break." Fans were treated to a q&a with the actors and executive producers of the show. The talent also took arrival shots with photographers and spoke to the video crews about "Prison Break."

However, we were disappointed with Wentworth Miller. He opted not to walk the arrivals and talk to the media. Apparently, he was running late in arriving to the Paley Center. However, autograph seekers who were diligently waiting outside the center said to departing event photographers that Wentworth had actually arrived about a half an hour ago.


Amaury Nolasco


Oh well, that's the life of a event photographer, sometimes the individuals that you want show up but don't want to walk the carpet or do interviews, other times, they love to soak up the attention that comes along with being a celebrity.


Sarah Wayne Callies

However, it wasn't a total lost cause as we were graced with the arrival of the tall and lovely Sarah Wayne Callies, Hispanic Hunk Amaury Nolasco with is ever contagious smile, strong man Wade Williams, Robert Knepper with his cool Reebok shoes, and the guy who keeps it all together producer Matt Olmstead. Miss Jodi Lyn O'keefe had to back out at the last minute as she was a bit ill.


Robert Knepper can pass for Johnny Depp's dad.


Wade Williams


Executive Producer Matt Olmstead


But all in all, it was still an "Over The Shoulder" event.

Why I no longer like Taye Diggs

As I was doing some work before heading to the office today, I was watching a repeat of "Regis and Kelly." I always thought of Taye Diggs of a good actor and I'm sure that shouldn't reflect personal opinions of various things in life. However, as a proud Angeleno, I was so pissed off when Regis asked him what he thought of living in L.A. while shooting his new tv show. Of course he was proud of being a New Yorker and I do like NY myself, but he got it all wrong when he said that everyone has "too new cars and everything is pulled up." I didn't mind that too much because we are definitely a car culture. But the damn fool said something about the food trying to get a hamburger is hard in L.A. since everyone is talking about "Sushi Sushi Sushi" saying it with a effeminate voice. Hey sucker Diggs, L.A. has great burger places that puts N.Y. to shame from Fatburger, Tommy's, and In-N-Out burgers.







Diggs, you must be only hanging out in Hollywood, West Hollywood or Beverly Hills. That may put a face on L.A. but get out and experience the other parts. From the Valley to Long Beach.

Maybe Diggs should go back to NY and do Broadway shows. Hello, Hollywood gave you the biggest break you needed with "How Stella Got Her Groove." New Yorkers always has to say something bad about L.A.

"L.A will always be my lady while NY is my b**tch."

Filipinos In Hollywood

As one of the few Filipino event photographers covering red carpet events alongside my veteran red carpet photographer Sthanlee Mirador (he's featured in the book, with his photo taken by me), I thought I'd share this press release regarding Filipinos in Hollywood.

The funny thing about being Filipino is that Hollywood would sometimes be confused as to what to cast Filipinos as either Hispanic, Asian, American Indian or who knows what...

Well here's the release:

NEW BOOK TELLS THE STORY OF FILIPINOS IN HOLLYWOOD



LOS ANGELES (February 2008) – The history of Filipino Americans in the entertainment industry is finally revealed in Carina Monica Montoya’s Filipinos in Hollywood. This book will be featured in a Filipino American Library (FAL) Book Reading on Saturday, March 8 at 2:00pm at FAL (135 N. Park View St., Los Angeles). To RSVP for this free event, please contact filamlibrary@sbcglobal.net or 213-382-0488.

In FAL Book Readings, authors share their Filipino works of literature with residents of Greater Los Angeles. Admission is free and donations are accepted. Food and drinks will be provided. This event is co-sponsored by Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), Wal-Mart, and Burger King Corporation.

The memoirs of Filipinos in Hollywood span more than 80 years, dating back to the early 1920s when the first wave of immigrants who were mostly males, arrived and settled in Los Angeles. Despite the obstacles and hardships of discrimination, these early Filipino settlers had high hopes and dreams for the future. Many sought employment in Hollywood, only to be marginalized into service-related fields, becoming waiters, busboys, dishwashers, cooks, houseboys, janitors, and chauffeurs. They worked at popular restaurants, homes of the rich and famous, movie and television studios, clubs and diners. For decades, Filipinos were the least recognized and least documented Asians in Hollywood. But many emerged from the shadows to become highly recognized talents, some occupying positions in the entertainment industry that makes Hollywood what it is today -- the world's capital of entertainment and glamour.

Author Carina Monica Montoya, who was born and raised in the Hollywood area, has collected these vintage images from the early Filipino families who settled in Hollywood, the Filipino community, and Los Angeles historical organizations. These remarkable photographs capture the spirit of and challenges faced by Filipinos in America, as well as their triumphs, recognition, and success in Hollywood. For more information on Filipinos in Hollywood, please visit www.filipinosinhollywood.com.

Montoya’s interest in local history is personal; her father was one of the first young Filipino men to arrive, settle in Los Angeles and find work in Hollywood. She was thrilled by the opportunity to compile and edit this photographic history on behalf of her family, as well as for the Filipino community in Los Angeles who are all part of the history, the subject of this new book. She hopes that her work will bring back fond memories and inspire the telling of more colorful stories. Her fervor in writing this book has led her to currently undertake a second book on Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles.

Founded on October 13, 1985 by “Auntie Helen” Agcaoili Summers Brown, FAL is one of the most comprehensive repositories of Filipino and Filipino American works with a collection of more than 6,000 titles. Its mission is to actively promote the history, culture, and professional achievements of Filipinos and Filipino Americans through the book collection, leadership development, and cultural programming, thereby contributing to the achievement of a culturally dynamic, multiethnic America.

FAL is located at 135 N. Park View St., Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, CA 90026-5215. It is open Mondays-Fridays 1:00-5:00pm and by appointment. For more information, please contact the FAL Administrator, Jonathan Lorenzo, at 213-382-0488 or filamlibrary@sbcglobal.net. Also visit www.filipinoamericanlibrary.org and www.myspace.com/filamlibrary. Tax-deductible donations are accepted online. FAL is a division of the Filipino American Heritage Institute (Nonprofit Tax ID Number 95-4282571).