Last August 25, History kicked off its very first convention, History Con 2016. When in Manila got a chance to meet some of History’s stars and have a chat with them.
READ: The Day Manila Made History: 5 Things We Loved from History Con 2016
Celebrity Car Wars
Celebrity Car Wars is History Channel’s latest reality automotive competition series. The show pits six celebrities from the region. The group includes three personalities from the Philippines: international model and TV personality, Joey Mead King, radio DJ and media personality, KC Montero, and TV host, Marc Nelson. Other celebrities from Asia that are putting the pedal to the metal include former Miss Malaysia Universe, Andrea Fonseka, actor/host, Allan Wu of Singapore, and radio DJ and TV host PK Piyawat Kempetch of Thailand. They will be competing for the ultimate bragging rights of becoming the first to enter Celebrity Car Wars’ Hall of Fame.
We at When In Manila caught up with the contestants from the Philippines: Joey, KC, and Marc. We first asked them what their reaction was when they first got the call to be part of the show.
Marc: “Do you have the right number?” that was my reaction. I am very, very excited and honored. It was really fun and a good opportunity to drive cars really fast and trash them and not actually pay for damage. I was excited about that.
Joey: I’ve done every cable channel possible. I haven’t done History yet. Haha.
KC: I was really, really, really excited. I’ve actually wanted to do a race here. For some reason I can’t get into it. So when they asked me, I was “YESSS!” And I love competing in reality game shows. The chance to drive around fast in a safe environment and trash things and not pay for them, I was like “YES!”
WhenInManila.com: Have you done any preparations for the show? Since you are going to be taught by pro drivers, is there any pressure not to screw up behind the wheel?
Marc: No, not really. The only preparation was pretty much wake up, get there and hope for the best.
Joey: I was just meditating. ~Straight line~ ~Stay on the road~ ~Remember the words of Gaby~
KC: We didn’t know we’re gonna be taught by anybody. That came as a surprise.
Marc: Every day was a surprise. We’d turn up in whichever location they give us and we have no idea what we were doing until we got there. Then, “Tadaa!” This is what we’re going to do. We had no idea. There’s no way to prepare for something you don’t know.
KC: But I did. I knew that we were gonna be racing. I didn’t know the theory about coming into corners. I wanted to learn how to turn.
WIM: What top speed have you reached in the challenges?
Marc & KC: We have no idea.
Joey: I was just amazed that I went past 80. I go 60 and that’s fast for me. Haha. 100 is like “hmpf! Oh my god!”
Marc: A lot of the challenges are on courses, so you can’t go really fast. It was about technique and making sure you don’t crash.
WIM: What can viewers expect from the show?
KC: First off all, you have to watch it or we’ll come to your house and force you to watch the show because there’s nothing on TV that’s better. Second is, it’s a really fun show and hopefully, because we had so much fun that you’d feel the fun and you’ll have fun watching it.
Marc: I think that, particularly for the people watching in the Philippines, it will give rise to opportunities of what’s available to do in the Philippines as far of driving because everything was shot here. So all the challenges that you see, with the exception of one or two, anyone can go out and do. There are certain courses you can go to, certain lessons you can take and you can do everything you see us doing.
Joey: I think it also as a great encouragement for women to also get out of their comfort zones and know that we do have all these things right here. And as they see the characters of Andrea and myself then maybe they can relate to both of us. I’ve been in the fashion industry for so long so it was nice to be unguarded and raw, not much make-up or eliminations happening or fashion talks. It was just nice to be raw and ready for whatever challenge comes.
Catch Celebrity Car Wars every Sunday at 9PM starting August 28. For more of WhenInManila.com’s interviews with History Channel stars for History Con 2016, check out our interviews here:
History Con 2016: Interviews with Stars of History Channel’s Photo Face-Off and Storage Wars
