What we shared and talked about: Our fave viral videos of 2011

It’s still high noon for the TV industry in the Philippines, but the boom of YouTube is starting to provide stiff competition for Filipino eyeballs. Our highly subjective choices for top viral videos of 2011 were the ones people we know were talking about and enjoyed. Beki Miss Universe Q&A Miss Universe 3rd Runner Up and Philippine bet Shamcey Supsup was the only finalist in the Miss Universe pageant in 2011 who didn’t use an interpreter. But what if she did? Model Divine Lee plays a bekimon-answering Miss Philippines in this spoof where humor was definitely not lost in translation. Lip-synched pageant Q&A’s Last year, YouTube user TheFierceDoll lip-synched Miss Philippines Venus Raj’s answer in the Q&Q portion of Miss Universe. This year, he spoofed Miss Angola Leila Lopes, the winner of this year’s Miss Universe pageant. TheFierceDoll’s facial expression whenever Ms. Angola was interrupted by an interpreter won over viewers.   But TheFierceDoll was just getting started with Ms. Angola. He later on spoofed Miss World 1st runner-up Gwendolyn Ruais, playing a cross-eyed Gwenduling in another lip-synched Q&A video. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s love lines Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is known for her prolific word slinging. But this year she unleashed her inner comic at the staid UP College of Law. Her intellectual image precedes her funny side, which makes these videos even more hilarious. OFW homecomings Coke dreamed up this feel-good video series about creating happiness, with one syrupy video about three OFWs chosen for surprise reunions with families back home. Nikki Minaj’s Super Bass renditions Nikki Minaj’s  Super Bass pounded everyone’s eardrums in the last quarter of 2011. Like other hit songs, this prompted covers, including a rendition done by GMA music artist Julie Ann San Jose, which already had close to 12 million views in early December since it was uploaded in July. Of course, lip-synching duo Moymoy Palaboy and Roadfill performed the song as well. But GMA artist Rhian Ramos owned the performance, with her fellow stars playing supporting roles in the video. Mikey Bustos Canada-based Mikey Bustos reminded Pinoys everywhere about the distinct Filipino way of speaking English via a tutorial. With a million views, this video sparked a humorous tutorial series on various Filipino cultural nuances, proof that any Pinoy can be proud of his roots wherever they are in the world. Maria Aragon It took a tweet from music icon Lady Gaga to catapult young singer Mari Aragon to fame. “Can’t stop crying watching this. This is why I make music,” wrote Lady Gaga, with a link to Aragon’s YouTube video. “She is the future,” she added. That led to Aragon’s performance with Lady Gaga on stage, and she also sang the national anthem at Manny Pacquiao’s 3rd bout with Juan Manuel Marquez. Aragon’s future has become the present. Singing Aeta kid YouTube discovery Arjohn Gilbert returned to the limelight with this video taken by a Pampanga visitor. He no longer sings female R&B songs as puberty claimed his high-note-hitting voice and replaced it with a deeper one, but his talent is still intact. Aquino-Cojuangco, what they don't want you to know Viral for higher stakes, this political video got people talking about the Cojuangco family’s wealth, as well as the violence met by some Hacienda Luisita farmers. While this is not the first video produced by Pinoy Monkey Pride, it is the most seen with almost 750,000 views. Midas’ touch It was a week filled with tense moments: the Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order on the Deparment of Justice’s watchlist order on Cong. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, effectively allowing the former president to leave the country for medical reasons, and the DOJ was not taking it sitting down. As the nation watched the political drama unfold on TV, SC spokesperson Midas Marquez reacted to a minor accident  with unintended comic relief, which was unnoticed by reporters at the press conference but shared gleefully online. Chris Lao At the height of Typhoon Pedring, UP law student Christopher Lao inadvertently submerged his car in a flooded street. But his vehicle was no amphibian, so the irate motorist ranted to a TV reporter that “I was not informed,” which became perhaps the year’s most popular quote.   A few months later, Mr. Lao was back with a vengeance with his own video. He reenacted his trademark fury in a commercial that was uploaded on YouTube, where he “informed” viewers about car insurance and auto loans.