The White Dude Who Loves Pinoy Culture TRAVIS KRAFT
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
4 entertainment The Asian Journal SF MAGAZINE - July 11, 2008 TRAVIS KRAFT The White Dude Who Loves Pinoy Culture By JOSEPH L. PERALTA AJPress he first time I heard about Travis Kraft, it was through a friend who had sent me a link of his video in YouTube. Busy as I was, I did not have the time to view the video although the e-mail said something like “you’ll love this white hunk who cooks adobo.” Several e-mails later, plus a few 100% white… yup, a six-footer, people, particularly Pinoys, have video. He is co-producing the video phoneT calls from another friend blue-eyed, full-blooded American taken to the video. with Madley Katarungan, Manuel (hey, Edward!) who hired Travis for a born in Iowa and raised in North “I didn’t even tell anybody Santiago and Lance Keefer. His co- modeling gig, I still hadn’t seen the Dakota who was a wrestler in about the video,” he reveals. stars include Tim Javines, Christine video and had no idea what this guy high school, graduated with a “Somehow people began finding Calacsan, Romeo Cristal, Yce Tan, was about. bachelor’s degree in Telecom- it and shared it with their friends. I Joyce Kao, Miki Hayashi and Aaron It was not until about three munications and Film from Eastern never thought it would get to be this Robinson. The DVD is the first proj- hours before I our scheduled inter- Michigan University, and is now a big thing.” ect of his company, Pool Boy Films. view that I was finally able to see it model/actor living in Hollywood, Travis says most of the reaction “This is the first time that I am (go to YouTube, enter Travis Kraft, California. to the video is positive, with some making use of my degree,” the and click on American Adobo). More than that, Travis, who even containing marriage propos- easygoing actor/model says. “I had The video is actually informa- has visited the Philippines a couple als. But he also gets the occasional worked on a Cheetah Girls video tive and funny. Of course, most of times and has done billboard negative hit where viewers think he’s before for Disney, but in this project Photos courtesy of Travis Kraft Filipinos (or Pinoys) know how to work for Jockey and Rexona, is a disrespectful to Filipino culture or I wore so many hats. After this gets cook adobo. If you have all the basic lover of many things Pinoy – the that he’s a racist. out, I will go back to making the ingredients (meat, garlic cloves, food, the culture, the islands, the “I am neither (racist nor smaller, You Tube-kind videos. And onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, people, and, yes, for all of you disrespectful),” he proudly states. somewhere down the line, I’d like vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, water), it’s women out there enjoying the “I have always been fascinated to shoot a movie and do some TV very easy to make. But the fact that single life, the girls. with Far Eastern cultures since I work.” Travis does so and talks in Filipino is So how did he get the idea for was young. I went to Asia after For now, Travis is firmly plant- what makes the video unique and the You Tube video? graduation, and I stayed in the ed in Los Angeles as he tries to lovable. “I was in the Philippines meet- Philippines the longest. I have a lot keep his Hollywood career going. Travis even makes use of words ing with an executive at GMA-7 of extended family in my adoptive Currently, he is in meetings with a that not many Filipinos born here when I saw a poster for their mother’s country. I am genuinely major studio for a movie role. His are familiar with like sangkutsahin program, Mobile Kusina,” Travis impressed with Filipino culture and resume includes the commercial (which means to sauté), and which relates to the Asian Journal. “I told I hope I can promote Filipino cul- for FX’s Dirt starring Courteney cannot be found in the average Ta- them I could be a guest at the ture to friends and other people.” Cox-Arquette, and a shoot with galog to English dictionary available program and they can ask me to And how did he learn to speak Lindsay Lohan for Harper’s Bazaar in the internet. He ends the video cook an American delicacy since I Filipino? where he donned superhero with “Ang sarap-sarap!” (which am a trained cook. Nothing came “I bought some language costumes. means very delicious) after taking out of it as the executive probably book tapes from Borders,” he He’s also planning to go back a bite from the adobo arranged in thought I was pulling her leg.” confesses. “I studied Tagalog for to the Philippines (where he is a bowl. He continues: “Back in Los about six to seven months. When actually known for his print and As I drove to meet Travis, I Angeles, I wanted to brush up on I was in the Philippines, I would go commercial work), and may visit thought to myself, what gives? Why my filmmaking skills and on one to places where people spoke the Samar and Leyte, aside from the did this guy decide to make a video Thanksgiving, I thought I’d do a language so I would be forced to usual places he frequents. Travis about cooking adobo, a decidedly cooking show in Filipino. I didn’t do so. I know I don’t have it down says he misses the Philippines. Pinoy dish? Is he half-Pinoy or part- even know what I was going to yet, and I have a funny accent, but And what does he like the Pinoy? Does he have a Pinoy wife or cook that day. It just came to me. I it’s okay.” most about the Philippines? girlfriend? shot the video myself, edited it in After the simple You Tube “What I like about the Philip- As it turns out, Travis Kraft is 30 minutes, and put it up on You video, Travis’ next project Pinoy pines is the people,” he says, “not Tube and a couple of other sites.” project is Salo Salo, a bigger bud- just the food, the places, and the By his reckoning, the video get DVD that is currently in postpro- hospitality. Also, it’s such a beauti- has had more than a million views duction and may become available ful place. I like it that Filipinos are in total, including ones that have by the end of July. proud of their friendliness. You been taken down due to copyright Travis promises that Salo know, they will give the shirt off infringement. Salo is funnier and is a unique their backs… that’s the kind of Still, he’s awed by the way take on an instructional cooking people Filipinos are.” AJ The Duel of the Divas Starmedia Entertainment presents The Main Event, another fabulous production in the offering on September 13, 2008 ( Saturday ) at the Nob Hill Masonic Civic Auditorium at 8:30 p.m. This is the unbeatable team-up of two of the greatest divas in Asia…Asia’s Songbird, Ms. Regine Velasquez and Asia’s Nightingale, Ms. Lani Misalucha. Asia’s Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a multi-awarded Filipino singer and actress is well-known for her belting prowess which has been noted for its range, power and technical ability and also for her versatility and reinvention. Asia’s Nightingale, Lani Misalucha, per- forms pop, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and operatic arias and is currently bested all other female singers in Vegas. She just got awarded as the best singer in Strip. Her vocal range is about 4 octaves! She possesses come- dic flair and can affectively impersonate well-known divas. To even add an extra punch to this back-to-back concert, Special Guest Martin Nievera will be a wonderful addition to the already stellar line-up because we all know him as the Philippines’ Concert king. Not only that, he has already done successful stints in Las Vegas at the Golden Nugget and Rio Hotel among others. Watch for this biggest showdown of the divas and we will see the supreme Continued on Page 6.