The Filipino fan who uploaded the viral video of the Broadway star Lea Salonga politely refusing fans who are asking for photos while inside her dressing room backstage has taken down the video, but said that he had no regrets or did not think he had to apologize to the actress-singer for uploading it.
Speaking to the show of broadcaster couple Julius Babao and Christine Bersola-Babao, the uploader, a salon owner and theater lover Cristopher Carpila shared how he and his group of other fans only wanted a remembrance with the Broadway star during the production of her theater show "Her Lies Love."
"Siyempre tayong mga Pilipino, ‘pag may show… gusto natin para may remembrance tayo, makapag-pictures tayo…” Carpila told Julius and Tintin when asked why he and his friends went on backstage.
“Nung labasan na… nagtanong kami sa isang personnel kung saan naming pwedeng makita si Ms. Lea. So ininstruct n’ya po kami na pumunta sa exit door, which is saan lumalabas ‘yung mga artista kapag talagang magsa-sign ng mga autograph or pauwi na, so pumunta po kami doon. Ito po ‘yung sa pinakalabas ng theater," he continued.
After waiting for quite some time, Carpila said they asked a production staff where they can see Lea, to which the staff said pointed to her dressing room.
“Tinanong niya po anong pangalan namin. So pagkatanong ng pangalan namin, pumasok na siya sa loob. After a while, bumalik siya and then tinanong ulit ang pangalan namin. Hindi po namin alam kung anong ginawa niya, kung may kinonfirm or whatever, then lumabas siya nang pangatlong beses… sabi niya, ‘You can go inside na'," he said.
Carpila claimed that he and his companions were allegedly assisted by the said staff to Salonga’s dressing room where there was a line outside meant for “photo ops and chika-chika.”
“Wala po kaming na-name drop na kahit sino noong time na ‘yun… at pagdating ng moment namin, parang ready na kaming lahat,” he said. “Tapos noong nakita namin siya, alam niyo ‘yung kandila na parang nalusaw? Parang hindi namin ine-expect but of course, nirerespeto po namin si Ms. Lea.”
“Baka that time pagod po siya or whatever. Naiintindihan po namin ‘yun kaya kung mapapansin niyo po, noong nag-instruct siya sa amin na doon, doon, sinunod pa rin namin siya,” he said.
When their turn came to see Lea, Christopher said their group couldn’t contain their excitement.
“Hindi po namin ine-expect na with a little time po sana mapagbigyan naman tutal andoon na po kami,” Carpila recalled. “But of course, nirerespeto po namin si Ms. Lea. Baka that time pagod po s’ya or whatever. Naiintindihan po namin ‘yun kaya kung mapapansin n’yo po, nu’ng nag-instruct s’ya sa amin na doon, doon, doon, sinunod pa rin namin s’ya…"
Julius alleged that the cause of the squabble could be miscommunication between the theater's production staff and the Broadway singer.
" it puzzles me that pinayagan kayo pumasok sa loob but Lea was saying, mayroon dapat guest list. ‘Di ba kapag papasok ka sa loob, titignan muna ‘yung guest list na ‘yun para malaman kung nandun ka? So kung wala ka sa list na ‘yun, ‘di ka maaaring pumasok. So nakakapagtaka bakit nangyari ‘yung ganito," the host stated.
However, Cristopher said that even before the dressing room incident, he and his friends already tried to approach Salonga when he saw her at the center dance floor. But security personnel prevented them from coming near when Lea said, “I don’t know them.”
Carpila also clarified that one of his companions made an "honest mistake" when the latter claimed that she knew “Here Lies Love” co-producer G Tongi.
“Honest mistake lang po ‘yan kasi na-rattle na po siya. Kumbaga, na-shock po siya dahil sa bungad sa’min ni Ms. Lea,” he said, adding that one of his companions knew someone who’s apparently an acquaintance of G Tongi.
In the same interview, Cristopher affirmed Julius and Tintin, saying that their group was still grateful for having accomplished taking pictures with the Tony Award winner: “Very thankful pa rin kami. Sa mga nangyari nga, napagbigyan pa rin kami.”
Julius then asked, “Kung okay naman, nag-effort din naman si Lea para matuloy itong pictorial na ‘to, bakit kinailangan mong i-upload ‘yung video?”
“Actually, wala akong interes or naisip na makapanira ng kapwa or masiraan si Ms. Lea dahil alam n’yo naman, nakakahiya naman kung gan’on at sino ba naman ako? Kaya lang siguro, tao lang naman tayo,” he explained.
He admitted, though, that although thankful to Lea for having given him the photo opportunity, he still was hurt by how their group was initially treated, which is why he uploaded the video.
“Tayong mga Pilipino ‘pag nakakaramdam ng konting sakit ng dibdib, nakakapagpost tayo, nakakapagsalita tayo ng mga bagay na hindi natin alam ang mga nagiging consequences. So ayun po siguro ‘yung nangyari sa akin. Dahil sa disappointment lang,” he said.
"Nirerespeto ko po silang lahat. Hindi ako nagsisisi na pinost ko s’ya. Kasi nga lumuwag ‘yung dibdib ko. Nailabas ko ‘yung disappointment ko, ‘yung sama ng loob na nasa dibdib ko, nailabas ko na siya," he continued.
Cristopher also has message to his bashers, saying: "Alam ko may pinanggagalingan din ‘yung mga sinasabi nila sa akin, ‘yung pang-babash nila, so iniintindi ko na lang po at hindi na lang pinapatulan para po everybody happy."
“Kasi hindi ‘yun ang ineexpect namin from a Lea Salonga," he continued. "Pare-parehas po kaming Filipino. Nasa ibang bansa po kami. Tayo namang mga Filipino ‘pag nasa ibang bansa tayong mga Filipino, ‘yung embrace naman natin tayong mga Filipino. Ewan ko kung entitled po ang tawag d’un. Sana hindi naman po…”
Shortly after her video went viral, Lea stated on her Twitter account that fans pay for the concert and that it ends there.
According to her, the money that fans spend for a theater or concert ticket does not entitle them to all-access, and they only pay for the performer's art.
