Hung Huynh, Geoduck, And Ramiele Malubay

For some reason I felt like checking in and seeing what was going on in the lives of Top Chef Winner Hung Huynh and Ramiele Malubay (in my blogger/stalker way) and I came across two quick things:

1. Ramiele Malubay has a new song out called "Kaya" which is in Tagalog that you can pick up on her site and from the events listing and her blog updates, she's been doing her thing traveling across the country.

2. Here's a video that Hung did for The Smithsonian Magazine on cooking Geoduck last month.



That's it.

Rich versus Wealthy: Kaba Modern, Ramiele Malubay, and JabbaWockeeZ

So hearing that Ramiele Malubay has been dismissed from American Idol it got me thinking - where does everyone go from here?

I'm glad to see all these Asian faces in the popular culture - and that alone is significant to the AA community - but I've also been wondering for a while, especially with Kaba Modern and JabbaWockeeZ- what's next for them as individuals - and in the end, how significant is it to the Asian American community or other communities of color when asking the question of how far we've really come?

Are these just little blips on the radar screen that really don't mean as much as we may think, or are they extremely significant because of the inspiration that comes along with seeing someone represent the AA community in major media, even if just for a short time?

If one person is touched by the Asian face they see on the television, could that inspire them to do something great - to cross boundaries they might not have before? Can rock and roll really save the world?

I have to admit that while I think it only helps the AA and other communities of color - and being on television can only be a boon to each person (and they're definitely great building blocks because nothing is made in a day and I love seeing the inspiration they bring) - I also can't help but think of Chris Rock and the difference between being rich and being wealthy - the difference in being an NBA player who gets paid huge sums of money, and the owner that actually pays them.

As a community - in part or in whole - I have to think that we're more rich than wealthy - and while I know you can never become wealthy without being rich first (and that it's better than sleeping on the street), I'm hoping I see the time when we're wealthy as a community - when we're not just getting paid - but we're the ones cutting the checks.

Ramiele Malubay: In My Life

Here's some video from Ramiele Malubay's Tuesday American Idol performance.



I didn't think it was that bad - and at least she didn't forget the lyrics...

Ramiele Malubay, Top 12, And Some Groping

Even though some pics of Ramiele Malubay are stirring up some discussion - and really - haven't we all groped a friend or two at some point? - it hasn't done anything to lessen her chances of becoming the next American Idol as Ramiele has landed into the top 12, avoiding being one of the four eliminated from tonight's show (Luke Menard, Kady Mally, Asia'h Epperson, and Danny Noriega).

Here's the full top 12 list:

• David Cook
  
• David Archuleta
  
• Jason Castro
  
• Carly Smithson
  
• Kristy Lee Cook
  
• Amanda Overmeyer
  
• Syesha Mercado
  
• Brooke White
  
• Chickezie
  
• David Hernandez
  
• Michael Johns
  
• Ramiele Mulaby
  

Ramiele Malubay, Top 3 Most Popular American Idol Contestants, Links & Clips

Yahoo News is reporting that Asian American Ramiele Malubay, the 20 year old Filipina who's made it to American Idol's Top 24 - is the #3 most popular contestant right now generating some of the most buzz:

Ramiele Malubay may hail from Florida, but California is taking the strongest interest in the petite powerhouse singer -- as does New Jersey, Washington, New York, and Virginia. The geographical appeal bodes well, and that's just in the United States. Philippines media has been rooting for the "Fil-Am" competitor. Most importantly, her buzz among the traditional "Idol" Search audience (ladies in their 30s) are better than number 2 Kristy Lee Cook.

If you needed some more stats on Ramiele, here is some info from her AI profile, and you can also check out her MySpace page:

Age: 20
Hometown: Miramar, FL
Favorite Quote: "If you're hated, you're doing something right."
Audition City: Miami
Musical Influences: My musical influences would be Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5, Mariah Carey, Lani Misalocha, and Regine Velasquez.

Some Video Clips Of Ramiele:

Audition Clip



Hollywood Round