Top basketball leagues in the Philippines both professional and collegiate, have slated a one-day special charity event for the victims of typhoon Ondoy.

Spearheaded by the country’s major basketball organizations like the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippine Basketball League (PBL), Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), Liga Pilipinas, University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the fund-raising affair is dubbed as Pinoy Basketball: Kakampi Nyo!

It will be held on Monday (October 5) at the Araneta Coliseum. And there will be two charity games featuring all-star selections from top teams belonging to the participating leagues.

*5pm – 1st game
UAAP/NCAA Selection vs LIGA/PBL Selection
*7pm – 2nd game
PBA Powerade National Team vs Smart Gilas National Team

The PBA-backed national team was our contingent to the recent Tianjin Asian championships; and was also our bet for the world championships in Turkey for 2010. While the Smart Gilas national team is a developmental squad that will vie for the 2011 Asian Games; hopefully eyeing a possible slot in the 2012 Olympics.

Aside from the proceeds of the game, the basketball community (fans, players, coaches, etc) is also encouraged to donate useable footwear for the benefit of the typhoon victims. As a matter of fact, entrance to the upper levels is free but donating your old “but still usable” rubber shoes or slippers will be greatly appreciated.

TICKET PRICES:
Ringside/Patron – P200
Lower Box – P100
Upper A – P50
Upper B & Bleacher – FREE

What’s a flash mob?

It’s when a large group of people suddenly assemble in a public place and perform an unusual action for a brief time. And to the surprise of Oprah and numerous viewers, one such performance was executed during the recent kickoff for the 24th season of Oprah’s show.

With a group of about 21,000 people, the choreographed dance was done to the song “I Gotta Feeling” as performed by the Black Eyed Peas on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile .

It all started with just one girl doing a rather “bouncy” dance routine in front of the huge crowd. Then gradually, just like a viral infection — the dance bug spread across to the rest of the crowd.

The event was produced by Michael Gracey who was also responsible for a famous similar flash mob dance at a Liverpool train station.

So how did they do it?

It seems that long before the show started, professional dancers collaborated and taught a very good sampling of the crowd the moves for the dance. They tried to make the participants as diverse as they really can. There were people from all walks of life, from 65-year-old women to 16-year old high school kids.

For a video on how they actually made it all work, you can watch this video from Oprah’s site.

When Paula Abdul hinted as early as last year that she was leaving the top rating reality show American Idol, numerous possible replacements ran through my mind. But I have to admit, this particular possibility never entered my mind.

And now, presenting the newest judge for American Idol…

Yup. It’s true. Top daytime host Ellen DeGeneres is going to jump into the evening primetime slot and be the 4th judge for AI. She will be completing the judging cast for the singing reality show together with Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.

It’s not that I don’t believe Ellen will be a good judge. It just never occurred to me that AI will be getting a judge outside of the music industry. This is a surprising decision indeed from the producers of the show.

Fans would definitely miss not seeing Abdul on the panel. But for sure Ellen is going to bring a fresh new perspective. The producers are targeting this will be enough to sustain or further lift viewership for the upcoming 9th season of the show.

I guess it is true, you never know what’s going to happen in reality TV.