Bench Fever

To BEnch or not to BEnch,
That is the question.

And I have the answer!

Last Friday, June 30, I found myself following the throng of people en route to MRT (my 5th time ever to ride the MRT) to catch the 6:30PM train leaving Taft. My destination: Araneta Coliseum. Purpose: To watch the biannual (or biennial) Bench Underwear & Denim Fashion Show. This year's show was aptly titled Bench Fever, with the show paying homage to the 70s era: right from the retro set and catwalk, to the roller-blading guys in colorful wigs that started the show, and the special performance of Sister Sledge and The Villlage People capping the night off. The night was super fun and again, the producers and models didn't fail to tease and wow the audience with the right mix of sexiness and creative glamour only the guys from Bench can muster.

The show started a tad less dramatic this time compared to the past two shows i've been to. Last, last year's show started with Wendell Ramos doing an ala-Vitruvian Man, only backwards. This year, the guys who were initially wearing jeans tore their pants up in one sleek move to reveal great buns and other what-have-yous. But that was short-lived since they immediately turned off the lights much to the audience's dismay (I told you they knew how to tease the audience!Ü). Also, the last show (two years ago) was more on the amazing side because of the acrobats that they had as guests, who would go dangling from the ceiling in a long sheet of white cloth and do stuff only you can dream of doing. This year's show, however, was more on the upbeat side, with the retro music more than making up for the lack of amazing factor that the previous show had. I was actually very much enthralled by the music (I always thought that I was born in the wrong era) and the colorful setting that there were a number of times I wanted to get up and join the models strutting their stuff in the catwalk. Good thing I was able to control myself and be content with taking in the view which was very pleasing to they eyes. HAHA!

The biggest surprise of the night (for me at least) was John Estrada grooving and working the catwalk. Oh man, is this guy sexy or what?!?!!! I was actually surprised to see him given that he's not been visible in the showbiz scene lately and was definitely awstrucked by his über sexy bod and the way he grooved and moved to the 70s music playing in the background. He was pitted alongside Keanna, but that's a different story. I'd rather stick to John and say my ooohs and aaahs about him and his great physique. The two of them indeed knew how to tease the audience in their red underwear...I won't explain how they worked the audience coz it's PG-18 territory (you know what I mean) so let's just leave it at that. Bottomline is, John Estrada is gwapo and sexy, I never thought of him as that before, and that, for me, was the biggest revelation of the night.

Great expectations were met that very retro Friday night. These Bench fashion shows are definitely something that i'll always look forward to. They never cease to amaze me! And of course, it doesn't hurt that Jay-R was (again Ü) part of the show (OK, i'll stop now and leave it at that.Ü). This year's show included a handful of designers who conceptualized a theme showcasing different kinds of Bench underwear that were embellished according to their theme. Themes this year included Pucci prints, Stripes, Superheroes, Victorian, and a few others that I can no longer remember. The selected designers included Rajo Laurel, Celine Lopez, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, among others. New additions to the show (as models) are former PBB housemates Sam Milby, Cassandra Ponti, Zanjoe, Kim and Gerald. Raymond Gutierrez was there as well and strutted the catwalk alongside his twin brother Richard (from my vantage point, you can definitely see the difference between these two siblings). Alicia Meyer was there too (I never knew her face was actually very endearing and sweet), and Joey Marquez (I wonder how they said their HI's and HELLO's backstage???) with his daughter (dunno her name) who looked a lot like Alicia! Talk about coincidence, huh? Lastly, Ai-Ai de las Alas, with a Disco ball on top of her head, flirted with the hunky male models in briefs much to the audience's delight. And of course, Bench's first family, Richard & Lucy Gomez ended the show as always.Ü

I definitely enjoyed this year's Bench Underwear & Denim Fashion Show. I sure hope that i'll get passes again in the next one. And before I end this article, i'd like to say thanks to the following peeps: My Aunt; My sis Vivian & My nieces: Rysha and Ryanna; Dio (for lending me her MRT card Ü); and last but definitely not the least: My Mom and Dad. That's all! See ya in the next blog!

Other Articles on Bench Fever:

Love Thongs by RJ Ledesma
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/LIFESTYLE200607079708.htm

Breaking the Fever by RJ Ledesma
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/LIFESTYLE200607079709.htm

It's Raining Men by Danton Remoto
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/LIFESTYLE200607079710.htm