In the Season 3 launch of Pop Cinema, showbiz news reporter MJ Felipe recalled his interview with Ed Sheeran in 2015 after the singer’s bodyguard called a Pinoy photographer, a monkey. It was for the singer’s concert at the Mall of Asia Arena.
During the online event, Felipe was joined by his co-host Bianca Gonzalez-Intal.
“One of my most memorable is with Ed Sheeran. ‘Yung time na pumunta si Ed Sheeran dito sa Philippines. ‘Yun ‘yung nagkaroon ng controversy sa airport na kung saan isa sa mga team n’ya tinawag na monkey ‘yung isa sa mga immigration officers. So, it was a big issue then.
“And then, noong nasa MOA na kami, I was about to interview Ed Sheeran, hindi ko alam kung matatanong ko ba sa kanya ‘yung issue na iyon.”
In 2015, Sheeran’s entourage made news after one of them made an offensive remark against a Pinoy photographer. The said member of Sheeran’s team apologized for what happened to immigration officers at the airport.
However, Felipe said that Sheeran was in a good mood at the time. He added that the singer volunteered to discuss the issue.
“But, ang ganda ng mood n’ya at s’ya pa ‘yung nag-volunteer na, ‘aren’t you going to ask me about the incident in the airport’? So sobra akong natuwa.”
Felipe also said he finds it challenging to read the mood of his celebrity guests when asking questions for an interview.
“Asking the questions is not hard. Ang mahirap ay ‘yung tantsahin mo ‘yung mood nila kung generous ba silang sasagot doon sa question mo.”
Felipe worked with ABS-CBN in June 2004. He gained popularity in 2009 when he joined Showbiz News Ngayon and the Bottomline.
Now, he is with Gonzalez-Intal in the online talk show Pop Cinema. Catch the latest episodes of their third season on FYE Channel via the KUMU app and Cinema One’s YouTube Channel.