WONDERFUL FORAY UNTO THE MIND PLAYGROUNDS OF KIDS

By: Iris P. Concepcion

It is very interesting to note that in these times of virtual interactions, we see kindred spirits in obscure places doing their thing amid the hustle and bustle of latent, often funny, consumerism.

Philippine Star has launched a series of literary discussions off the editorial boardrooms and out into the malls. They prove to be huge hits if only for the free coffee and donuts that you can mouthfully devour as you see the wordsmiths verbalizing their craft, even when parodying earthlings not themselves.

It is eerie. It is horrific even. These writers act superbly in live performances than the renowned actors themselves. I already wrote somewhere here Krip Yuson's remarkable portrayal as a primetime anchor (articulate and not so dense).

Earlier, I watched Jessica Zafra (her hair resembles mines in distraught times of cholera and the outbreak of centipede measles) grill Star writers and have them regale about their favorite books. Truth be told, I did not get much of what the spewed titles were. The sound system was quite bad. The tone of voices were familiar though.

The venue is at the ground floor of a mall, in front of a spacious comfort room.

Quark Henares (thank God, he is what he is in any given surrounding: goofy in shirt) was showing off his favorite book illustrations similar to the pictures I took above. Beware, the airplane and the colored matching clothing were done by a six year old (quite my braggart underling). Scott Garceau of the paella cuisine hybrid, brought his thick books. He was the most articulate of the lot and the most poised.

Erwin Romulo was acting like a politician where I normally see him in dung form off Divisoria, sleeping in his beat-up vehicle. Celine Lopez gained a timbre lower than her usual dipthong and she was immaculately pretty like a doll. This girl can talk sense, believe me. Kathy Moran was tightlipped and hilarious in that seemingly busy way as events coordinator. Igan D' Bayan talked nonsense as usual, parodying a dead skull.

Beneath all these, of course, you see their works outside, in spectacular renditions of the previously rejected. These writers are imparting that reading is important as maximizing business space. Inno Sotto, another reactor, spoke about getting ideas from a hairpin or something that it sticks out like a nagging mole in his creativity. The genesis though is they all read. They may look like bums in other life forms but they love reading. I surmise they get their high from witty slogans in catsup bottles.

Look at the exhibits above. That pizza is a book about pizzas actually. The shoe thing was a free rendition of an ad for a longtime women's wear store. The one with robot is for an eyeglass brand. Yes, Virginia they rendered the creativity for free. One rugrat singlehandedly halved the costing of these productions (with much superior effect) that is why he is now pretending to be deaf.

This writer's better other splashed his shoe installation beside another brand and there is symmetry, or divine intervention, in the creative match-up.

The funniest was Wilson Lee Flores and a gay reactor who sprung out of nowhere reciting the merits of his Parisian page. Flores talked in a sing-song manner. Beside the silkworm book and the invasion of German Army in that array of discussion, he proved better than Chiquito in his otherwise "malaman" take on words, on top of writers loving David Sedares.

I have always maintained my thesis that to be truly funny, one must be well-read and well-versed. To act dumb competently, one must be exceptionally smart.

This is a group that seems to be having fun writing and working and reading and doing cookbooks and drawing eyes and sponge bobs. They wished more books are displayed and in various forms too. They had silently prayed for these things to happen.

I think they are gaining some ground now. They could write about offbeat things without censure or without being laughed at.

That airplane sketch (done beside a laundry nookie) stands a chance to be magnified in those billboards of gigantic faces.

Yes, they are worthy to get paid.