The Halo Halo Podcast

Episode 608 - Turning 25 ("American Beauty" and "Cruel Intentions") & the Implications of Bahala Na

On this week’s episode, Sigi and Jezzie remain in the 1999 movie vault and focus on two movies—American Beauty and Cruel Intentions. Later they discuss the “Implications of ‘Bahala Na’”.  The pop culture recap gets down to latest with Jezzie and his attendance at two shows of Madonna’s current tour. Find out firsthand about his experience and that this marks the beginning of his own “Madonna tour”—definitely tune in to hear more about various legs of this tour as our dear co-host travels across North America in awe and fandom for his dear Madge.
Join the two co-hosts as they revisit two movies that turn 25 this year.  The first being an Academy award winning and ensemble cast that covers themes that haven’t aged well since 1999—American Beauty.The second, inspired by the book and movie, Dangerous Liaisons, set in the upper class neighbourhoods of Manhattan and being a predecessor for shows like Gossip Girl and Euphoria--Cruel Intentions.  The conversation laters shifts into the cultural capital topic of “Bahala Na” which has a deterministic idea that things will work out in the end and not to worry—more precisely, don’t care too much about the situation and circumstance. Jezzie discusses where this term originates and where it is well rooted and what kind of difficulties can be encountered when this stance is skewed. Our fixing of the week challenges our listeners to be resourceful when active acceptance of choices are unavailable.

Taste Test of ”Sixth Sense” (Episode 607.625)

On this Taste Test Episode, Jezzie open up the pop culture movie vault of 1999 and re-samples "The Sixth Sense". Serve yourself up with a matcha latté as Jezzie takes us through M. Night Shyamalan’s breakthrough hit “The Sixth Sense” –a psychological thriller starring Bruce Willis, playing child psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe and Hayley Joel Osment,  as his troubled patient Cole Seer who apparently talks to dead people. Find out how Jezzie’s revisit to this timeless, unique movie with a well documented twist brought up current themes in 2024.

Episode 607.5 - What’s on your WinAmp Warmup

On this Warm Up Ep, Jezzie and Sigi go back to the vault to 1999 and talk about their WinAmps. What music was playing on their hard drives with the HP speakers blaring in the dorms of A Lower and 6 Middle at Saugeen (Z00). Find out what tunes Sigi played when he put on the Aldo shoes, sweater vest and cargos before he headed out to the Ridout? Where did Jezzie go to hunt down exclusive Madonna remixes and who influenced him to get Celine and Tammy Wynette on his playlist?  Put on a puffy vest, dance in a mirrored tunnel and listen in!

Episode 607 - Turning 25 (Fight Club, Boys Don’t Cry and American Pie) & Rethinking Filipino Masculinity in the Diaspora

Happy New Year Halo Halo Podcast Listeners! Jezzie and Sigi go Back to the Vault this January 2024 to the year 1999 to focus on movies that turn 25 years old— Fight Club, Boys Don’t Cry and American Pie . All these films make comments on what masculinity of its time period as well as what it can mean today and the co-hosts compare notes on their views of these movies when they saw them in 1999 versus now in 2024.
Later, they discuss the rethinking of Filipino masculinity in the diaspora. Jezzie references a recent study by Bagaporo and Papadelos which studied Filipino men from the Philippines and found that masculinity was influenced by various colonial influences and shaped around three features: breadwinner; Padre de Paymilia and good-natured social persona. The fixing of the week is to remind ourselves not to be bound by these masculine scripts.

Taste Test of Hannah Waddingham’s ’Home for Christmas’ (Episode 606.625)

Write up: A new Taste Test episode that sustain the festive spirit of the holidays, Jezzie samples Hannah Waddingham-Home For Christmas now streaming on Apple TV +. Find out why Jezzie would raise a toast with a Christmas cosmopolitan for the holiday spectacle filled with familiar Christmas songs and guest appearances from the dearly beloved show, Ted Lasso.

Episode 606.5 - Christmas Magic Mike Warmup with Filipinos of Montréal

On this Warm Up of The Halo Halo Podcast, Sigi and Jezzie are joined by Eric and Shari from the Filipinos of Montreal. Sigi poses an epic karaoke question, what is your Christmas Karaoke song? this sparks discussion of classic staples from Wham, Bieber, David Archuleta and that "Gremlins" is definitely a holiday movie. Listen in on as they list their holiday repertoire!
Maligayang Pasko and Happy Holidays from The  Halo Halo Podcast and Filipinos of Montreal!
To find out more about the Filipinos of Montreal , follow them on insta @filipinosofmontreal

Episode 606 - Festive Traditions with Filipinos of Montreal and the Kindness of Filipinos

On this Holiday Episode of The Halo Halo Podcast, Sigi and Jezzie are joined by second time guests---Eric and Shari from the Filipinos of Montreal. Listen in on the four of them share their Filipino Festive Traditions during the holiday. But before they dive into the glazed ham, Korean chicken and Noche Buena of it all, the crew discusses their "Prison Dancer" musical experience. Recounting the highlights which included supporting their friends Norm (Hookaps) and Dom (Shakespeare) and being on Team Cherish with Evernote on repeat. They all agreed it was so special to see amazing Filipino Canadian representation on the stage and cannot wait to travel to NYC if this hit is Broadway bound.
As Jezzie shares with  Sigi and the guests in on his family traditions filled with themes, videos and a Lady Gaga wig, they collectively agree how a plethora of food and the gathering of families remain a constant among their families. Further, they focus on what kindness and kapwa means to them and to our culture as Filipinos.
Join in on the fun with the crew as they talk about what lies on their holiday buffet tables and the usefulness of an “chocolate open house” for Ninong and Niniangs.
Maligayang Pasko and Happy Holidays from The  Halo Halo Podcast and Filipinos of Montreal!
To find out more about the Filipinos of Montreal , follow them on insta @filipinosofmontreal

Taste Test of ”The Marvels” (Episode 605.625)

On this Taste Test Sigi ventures back into the MCU and samples "The Marvels." Armed with an avocado toast and a sharp wit he shares his thoughts on this instalment of the MCU. He gets right down to it and highlights the fun—Iman Vellani, the three leads working as a team and Nick Fury approaching his Danny Glover era. From a crazy musical number, to hairball raising technique by an intergalactic crew of cats, join the co-hosts as they dig into this popcorn fared flick.

Episode 605.5 - Adult Christmas Wishlist Warmup

On this warm up, Sigi and Jezzie pull out their Christmas lists for 2023. Who wants the Legos Avengers Tower? Who wants to be in Madge’s pit in Atlanta? Tune in and find out.

Episode 605 - Prison Dancer--The Musical & The Hopefulness of Filipinos

The perfect way to start off our episodes for the month of December is by taking in a musical. Your Halo Halo Podcast co-hosts Jezzie and Sigi had the pleasure of watching  Prison Dancer: The Musical--now playing through December 2 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The musical, created by Romeo Candido and Carmen Leilani De Jesus and directed by Nina Lee Aquino is inspired by a 2007 viral You Tube video where 1500 inmates from a prison in Cebu danced to Thriller. Blown away by the music and lyrics by Romeo Candido, Jezzie found underlying messages in the spectacle including, “Dancing gives life”; “Taking responsibility for your life”; and “Asking for what you need.” Dynamic performances from the cast including the “love teams” : Lola (Julio Fuentes) and Shakespeare (Dominique Brillantes); and Christian (Daren Dyhengco) and Cherish (Diana Del Rosario) has the co-hosts floored and clamouring for more. Later, Jezzie outlines the message, “Hope can exist anywhere,” ties into this week’s culture capital topic and that hope is “recognizing that there are many ways to accomplish one’s goals and not giving up as a result.”
If you are in Ottawa, go and see Prison Dancer: The Musical. From the music, dancing, tales of love, hope and having no “regerts”—get your tickets before it is too late!