(I found Christine one Saturday as I was surfing YouTube. I've been an avid fan since then. I wrote this article for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and it was published last Sunday. Read on and find out why she's so much fun!)
Step aside Rex Navarette.
A 20something first-generation Filipina-American nurse, born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia has placed the experience of growing up Pinay in America on the world wide web via YouTube, a popular, free video-sharing Web site which lets users upload, view, and share video clips. “Happy Slip” has become one of the most popular videos on YouTube. In a span of three months, each segment garners a hundred thousand plus hits each time a new segment is posted by its pretty and wacky creative director cum actress-producer.
“I’ve been acting and imitating family members ever since I was young, my mom said I should be like Carol Burnett,” Christine shares, “I knew that I always wanted to be an actress, but thought I should have a skill to support that dream. So I studied to be an LPN (little Pinay nurse). I didn’t want to lose sight of a dream, but at the same time I didn’t want to depend on my acting craft to feed me.” Christine and another sibling currently live in New York City fulfilling their dream in the arts. Her sister is active in poetry reading and with Kundiman, a non-profit organization committed to t he discovery and cultivation of emerging Asian-American poets. Christine is signed up with an advertising agency that sends her out on commercial auditons. However, this young nurse who believes that humor is the best medicine, dishes out her own brand of healing laughter on a weekly basis through Happy Slip which had its maiden airing on YouTube only last September 2006 but has garnered quite a diverse following composed mainly of first-generation immigrant offspring based all over the world, primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. In an exclusive interview with the Inquirer, Christine tells us all about the beginnings and inspiration for Happy Slip.
What prompted you to start a video blog like Happy Slip?
I'm always looking for a creative outlet and had thought of one day doing a one woman show... As I discovered that people could have their own "channel" on YouTube - I thought "Well, here is a way to have my own show whenever I have the time for it, and the world is the audience!"
Are the family situations, dialogues really drawn from real-life? What do your parents and other relatives say when they see your portrayal of them?
Yes, I pull moments that are from the past and might change some of the details surrounding the funny moment. But so far, the family videos are based on "classic" moments from the family. They laugh just like everybody else when they see these imitations. In fact, during family get together (especially during the holidays) there is always a point in the night where everyone is bored. My mom ends up coming up to me and begging me "Come on! Imitate me!! " as well as everyone else cheering me on to imitate different family members.
How Filipino are you? Do you still speak the language? How much Pinoy influence did you have growing up?
My parents did not speak Tagalog to us because they were afraid we would be confused in school. That decision has haunted us our whole lives because we wish we could speak the language, and we only understand some of the language. We always had our big extended family around while growing up plus our church family that had many Filipinos as well. So I do speak and understand it but only a little.
What are your dreams for Happy Slip? How do you see Happy Slip ayear from now?
Why I picked the name Happy Slip is not only because it is a funny phrase from the past... - but it reflects what I'd like people to feelwhen they watch these videos. As if they "slip into happiness" whilewatching - cheerful fun moments to just laugh and enjoy. My dream isthat people would have a smile on their face when watching theselittle productions and that it would brighten up their day. As far asa year from now, I'm open to working on other projects that come as aresult of Happy Slip, but still continuing to do these happy little video productions.
Any plans of doing a one-woman show among the Fil-Am communitythere? How about coming over here?
I won't say "never" to that, but I guess it would just depend on how much time it would involve. The nice thing about video, is you put all your time and energy into a project once- but people all over the world can repeatedly watch it! I quite like doing the videos because I love to edit on the computer as well. They allow me to do everything I love to do!
What message do you hope to spread through Happy Slip? You are sucha bundle of talent and placing it on You Tube is making the world
aware of the Fil-Am experience, of growing up Pinay in America.
I would like people to see that you can be creative, funny,entertaining, AND family friendly all at the same time and have theworld as your audience. It's nice to see that we are in an era that you don't have to wait for the bigstudios to give you a chance to shine. You can create your ownopportunity, your own vehicle and dictate what you want to do and how you want to do it!
Did you expect to get such a wide audience from Happy Slip?
No, I thought it may provide a few laughs, but did not I expect toget so much email from all over the world with people saying that theycould directly relate to my family!
Anything you would like to share with the readers?
Come and visit me at http://www.happyslip.com/ and help spread theword!
A 20something first-generation Filipina-American nurse, born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia has placed the experience of growing up Pinay in America on the world wide web via YouTube, a popular, free video-sharing Web site which lets users upload, view, and share video clips. “Happy Slip” has become one of the most popular videos on YouTube. In a span of three months, each segment garners a hundred thousand plus hits each time a new segment is posted by its pretty and wacky creative director cum actress-producer.
“I’ve been acting and imitating family members ever since I was young, my mom said I should be like Carol Burnett,” Christine shares, “I knew that I always wanted to be an actress, but thought I should have a skill to support that dream. So I studied to be an LPN (little Pinay nurse). I didn’t want to lose sight of a dream, but at the same time I didn’t want to depend on my acting craft to feed me.” Christine and another sibling currently live in New York City fulfilling their dream in the arts. Her sister is active in poetry reading and with Kundiman, a non-profit organization committed to t he discovery and cultivation of emerging Asian-American poets. Christine is signed up with an advertising agency that sends her out on commercial auditons. However, this young nurse who believes that humor is the best medicine, dishes out her own brand of healing laughter on a weekly basis through Happy Slip which had its maiden airing on YouTube only last September 2006 but has garnered quite a diverse following composed mainly of first-generation immigrant offspring based all over the world, primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. In an exclusive interview with the Inquirer, Christine tells us all about the beginnings and inspiration for Happy Slip.
What prompted you to start a video blog like Happy Slip?
I'm always looking for a creative outlet and had thought of one day doing a one woman show... As I discovered that people could have their own "channel" on YouTube - I thought "Well, here is a way to have my own show whenever I have the time for it, and the world is the audience!"
Are the family situations, dialogues really drawn from real-life? What do your parents and other relatives say when they see your portrayal of them?
Yes, I pull moments that are from the past and might change some of the details surrounding the funny moment. But so far, the family videos are based on "classic" moments from the family. They laugh just like everybody else when they see these imitations. In fact, during family get together (especially during the holidays) there is always a point in the night where everyone is bored. My mom ends up coming up to me and begging me "Come on! Imitate me!! " as well as everyone else cheering me on to imitate different family members.
How Filipino are you? Do you still speak the language? How much Pinoy influence did you have growing up?
My parents did not speak Tagalog to us because they were afraid we would be confused in school. That decision has haunted us our whole lives because we wish we could speak the language, and we only understand some of the language. We always had our big extended family around while growing up plus our church family that had many Filipinos as well. So I do speak and understand it but only a little.
What are your dreams for Happy Slip? How do you see Happy Slip ayear from now?
Why I picked the name Happy Slip is not only because it is a funny phrase from the past... - but it reflects what I'd like people to feelwhen they watch these videos. As if they "slip into happiness" whilewatching - cheerful fun moments to just laugh and enjoy. My dream isthat people would have a smile on their face when watching theselittle productions and that it would brighten up their day. As far asa year from now, I'm open to working on other projects that come as aresult of Happy Slip, but still continuing to do these happy little video productions.
Any plans of doing a one-woman show among the Fil-Am communitythere? How about coming over here?
I won't say "never" to that, but I guess it would just depend on how much time it would involve. The nice thing about video, is you put all your time and energy into a project once- but people all over the world can repeatedly watch it! I quite like doing the videos because I love to edit on the computer as well. They allow me to do everything I love to do!
What message do you hope to spread through Happy Slip? You are sucha bundle of talent and placing it on You Tube is making the world
aware of the Fil-Am experience, of growing up Pinay in America.
I would like people to see that you can be creative, funny,entertaining, AND family friendly all at the same time and have theworld as your audience. It's nice to see that we are in an era that you don't have to wait for the bigstudios to give you a chance to shine. You can create your ownopportunity, your own vehicle and dictate what you want to do and how you want to do it!
Did you expect to get such a wide audience from Happy Slip?
No, I thought it may provide a few laughs, but did not I expect toget so much email from all over the world with people saying that theycould directly relate to my family!
Anything you would like to share with the readers?
Come and visit me at http://www.happyslip.com/ and help spread theword!
This article was published in the Global Pinoy Section of the PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER on December 10, 2006
