Andre Brouillette, a Waiakea High School alum and aspiring actor who’s a current cast member of “Pinoy Big Brother,” has found love with a housemate.
Brouillette, whose family lives in Kurtistown, and Lou Yanong, an aspiring Filipina actress, engaged in a tequila-fueled kiss on the Philippines version of the longtime hit U.S. reality television program. Now known as “the kiss,” it had TV tongues wagging and keyboard warriors logging overtime in the Pacific island nation.
And after leaving inquiring minds hanging for the better part of a month, Brouillette in late March finally popped a question on live TV that left Yanong speechless and breathless.
“I love you,” he said. “Which leads me to this question. Lou, will you be my girlfriend?”
After a lump-in-the-throat pause, Yanong replied, “Of course. I love you, too.”
In the spirit of Brangelina, Bennifer and Kimye, Brouillette and Yanong are now a celebrity power couple with their own portmanteau: “LouDre.”
Both Brouillette and Yanong have made the show’s “Big Four,” and have a chance at winning the show’s ultimate prize, which includes a house and lot, car and cash.
But before that occurs, the Big Four is on a monthlong nationwide promotional tour, with fans buying tickets to see and hang out with them.
“They’re going places to perform,” Brouillette’s mother, Elvie Brouillette, said last week. “They’re doing promotion, TV interviews. And after all this, they have to go back to the house again. All the winners have to go back again to (the) Pinoy Big Brother House to compete in the final challenge.”
Asked about the performance part, Elvie Brouillette, who sells jewelry she designs and makes herself at the Hilo Farmers Market, said the Big Four are “singing and dancing.”
“Actually, I was so surprised, because he never sang. Maybe when he showers,” she said. “But right now, they’re dancing and singing. … He’s not a singer, but you can tell he’s trying his best to sing. But he’s good at dancing.”
Elvie Brouillette and her husband, Daniel, a tour guide, have already visited their son during the promotional tour and are returning for another visit. They found themselves celebrities of a sort, as well.
“It was very overwhelming, because Andre was already famous in the Philippines,” she said. “And, like, me and Danny, people notice us anywhere we go. They recognize us as Andre’s parents. It’s like we’re also famous as Andre’s parents.”
Andre Brouillette’s sister, Liana — a year younger, and trim, fit and photogenic like her older brother — is going to the Philippines with her parents.
“They’re waiting for her already,” Elvie Brouillette, who was born in the Philippines, said, laughing.
Andre Brouillette turned 22 on May 5, and his fan club, known as “Andresters,” threw him a birthday bash.
“The birthday party was a surprise,” Elvie Brouillette said. “Because he has such a large fan club, a lot of gifts. One person gave four pairs of shoes and one is $500, iPhone, laptop and a barbecue pit.”
Daily episodes of “Pinoy Big Brother,” a half-hour in length, are uploaded to YouTube, where they can be viewed online, worldwide, along with other promotional videos for the program.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
