Some of the biggest names in the Filipino entertainment industry have joined the three-minute TV advertisement for leading presidential aspirant Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Belonging to the two top commercial TV stations Channel 7 (Kapuso) and Channel 2 (Kapamilya), the bandwagon of celebrities includes ABS-CBN talents Sharon Cuneta, Boy Abunda, Anne Curtis, Bea Alonzo, Bianca Gonzalez, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Mariel Rodriguez and Kris Aquino, Noynoy’s younger sister; GMA 7 stars Regine Velasquez, Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera and Ogie Alcasid.
Regine Velasquez, known as Asia’s Songbird, sang the theme “Hindi ka Nag-iisa (You’re Not Alone).” Big-name basketball players, led by Kris’ husband James Yap, also participated in the TV ad.

Noynoy’s sis Kris, who has been actively involved in the campaign, said she’s proud to have both the networks’ stars in the ad to show that they dedicated their services because they believe in him. She said all of the celebrities who appeared in the ad did so for free. Kris added that the second part of the political ad will come out soon with more celebrity supporters.

However, ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head Bong Osorio said the stars who were in the ad did not represent the stand of the network, but the stars’ personal choice --which they did out of their own volition. “Any support that you give to a political candidate is something you do based on your own choice. Because that’s freedom. It’s part of your freedom to choose whoever you want to support regardless if you are Kapuso or Kapamilya,” he said. “We give equal time to everyone,” he added.

The German capital city of Berlin was literally rocked by the MTV Awards show and mini-concerts in the heart of the city, during pre-anniversary celebrations marking the 20th year since the demise of the Berlin wall on November 9, 1989, in a peaceful revolution that tore down the wall separating East and West Berlin, bringing about their unification.
At the Brandenburg Gate, a landmark blocked off to West Berliners before the tearing down of the wall, Irish rockers U2 warmed up the 10,000-strong audience in an arena in eastern Berlin with songs like “One,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Magnificent” and the Bob Marley classic “Get Up, Stand Up,” with U2 doing special lyrics for the occasion. With its 10,000 tickets to the free concert snapped up in just three hours, the US concert was MTV’s main offering at the Brandenburg Gate, which was lit up with the words “Freedom” and “One.”

Elsewhere in the city, performers in other MTV mini-concerts included Beyonce, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Jay-Z, Leona Lewis, Shakira and German band Tokio Hotel.

At the MTV Awards itself with main presenter Katy Perry, scantily clad in her opening performance for a “sexy, sexy show,” paid homage to “Cabaret,” the 1972 movie set in 1930s Berlin starring Liza Minnelli. Helping her out with handing the awards was “Knight Rider” and “Baywatch” star David “The Hoff” Hasselhoff, who had performed in front of half a million people at the Brandenburg Gate on December 31, 1989. It was only the second time the awards were held in Berlin, and observers say it was part of efforts by the music industry to jump on the back of the Wall anniversary to boost flagging sales.

Among the MTV Awardees were U2 for Best Live Act; Lady Gaga, Best New Act; Tokio Hotel (whose twin brother stars were born in East Germany two months before the Wall fell), Best Group; US rapper Eminem, Best Male; punk rockers Green Day, Best Rock act; Turkish rappers maNga, Best European Act; Jay-Z (who also rapped with U2 for “Sunday Bloody Sunday”) Best Urban performer; and Beyonce, Best Song for “Halo,” Best Female act and Best Video.