Filipinos just guests at this year’s TIME 100 gala

EGOT award-winning composer Bobby Lopez and wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez looking more relaxed at this year’s TIME 100 gala in New York. PHOTO BY ELTON LUGAY

NEW YORK CITY — Diane Von Furstenberg arrived feeling clueless about being honored at this year’s TIME 100 gala.

“I still don’t know why I made the list,” the 68-year-old fashion icon, who is originally from Belgium, told Manila Mail as she was escorted to the Jazz at Lincoln Center, home of the magazine’s annual gala for the world’s most influential people.

The controversial 2015 list includes global leaders Pope Francis and President Obama, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift as well as Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

According to Kang Cheol-hwan, executive director of the North Korea Strategy Center and author of Kim’s TIME 100 profile, the North Korean leader’s international exposure had raised hopes of modernization in their home country. However, with systemic repression continuing in North Korea, “those hopes have gone unfulfilled,” Kang said.

There is no Filipino on the list this year. Previous TIME 100 honorees of Filipino descent are President Benigno Aquino III; international singer Bruno Mars; Bobby Murphy, cofounder of Snapchat and Forbes’ 2015 second youngest billionaire; composer Robert Lopez; and immunologist Katherine Luzuriaga who helped find a cure for HIV infection in babies.

Lopez, last year’s honoree, and wife, Kristen Anderson, attended the event as special guests.

“We’re happy and excited to be back,” Lopez, EGOT award-winning composer of “Let It Go” (from Disney’s “Frozen”), told this reporter. “It’s a really cool party.”

The power duo said they’re a bit relaxed this year since they will get to enjoy the “toast.”

“Last year we gave a toast, and we’re enjoying the fact that this year we got to just drink the toast,” said Anderson.

Meanwhile, Amy Schumer had arrived same time as reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her husband, music mogul Kanye West.

The stand-up comedian faked a stumble in front of the couple, succeeding to ruin their red carpet moment as shown by photos of West’s annoyed look, which went viral on social media.

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