Tired of Waiting for Former Glee Star to Out Herself, Netizens Create Charice Pempengco Jokes Instead

Two Filipino women are at the centre of controversy in the Philippines, mainly because of their looks. One has a dark skin tone, the other could be mistaken for a boy.

Both soon-to-be Senator Nancy Binay and former Glee star Charice Pempengco are the main topics of jokes and speculations in Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites over their recent actions: Nancy for running for a national public post despite her alleged lack of qualification and Charice for drastically changing her fashion sense and haircut.

To worsen Charice's situation, her transformation from feminine to masculine made her an open target for criticism, bolstering previous speculations that she is undergoing an identity crisis.

But even before her change in image, she had been a favourite subject of creative minds, including comparing her with scary movie characters like this doll.

When she was dolled up to look like Barbie, there were talks that the image was heavily Photoshopped.

More comparisons were made when she dyed her hair and had it cut short. Some people saw instead Maverick, a Filipino comedian, instead of Charice, the international singer.

The result was even worse when she had those golden locks curled, making her crown of glory instead look like a bowl of Chinese noodles.

And it led to this meme from Senyora Santibanez, a fictional character from a Mexican soap opera.

(Translation: Facundo, I want to eat Chinese noodles, go shave the head of Charice)

The comparison didn't stop when she had her hair dyed back to black because people thought she was either fellow YouTube sensation Psy from South Korea

Or popular teen matinee idol Daniel Padilla.

Several Filipino celebrities came to Charice's defense regarding the drastic changes in her physical appearance, including speculations about her being a lesbian, worsened by rumours that she allegedly eloped with a female singer who was a contestant in a local singing competition where she sat as a juror and mentor.

Fellow singer Sarah Geronimo whose love life has also been fodder for gossip columns said, "We have to respect her, not because she is Charice Pempengco but because she is a human being. Everyone should respect one another, enough (of bashing). We must leave Charice in peace."

Another Filipino singer who has also gone international, Arnel Pineda, said in Filipino, "I don't know exactly her reasons for her image change. But as an artist like her, I understand her changes. What she wants to look like, I respect that."

Fans of Charice, called Chasters, also came to her defense.

The day that the former Glee star will finally speak will be a big one that Charice fans and bashers alike are waiting for.