BLIND ITEM: KUNG tutuusin ay estranghero ang isang TV host-actor sa kinaaaniban niyang network ngayon. If at one point in his career ay nakapagtrabaho siya sa istasyong ito, that was many years ago, one could hardly remember kung kailan ‘yon.
Recently, nakatakdang mag-tape ang ating bida ng ilang episode for his new show with an equally new concept. Sumipot ang mga contestants for each of the three episodes na dapat ay ibabangko na ng staff, maging ang iba’t ibang batch ng audience ay present na rin sa studio.
Naitawid naman ng TV host ang unang episode na kanyang itineyp, only to make a shocking, last-minute announcement na hindi na siya makakapag-tape for the other three episodes as schedules dahil meron siyang napakahalagang lakad (hindi ko na babanggitin ang specific event na ‘yon sa buhay ng TV host) nu’ng araw na ‘yon.
Entonces, packed up ang taping. The contestants as well as the studio audience were sent home.
Nakapagtataka na sa tagal na ng male celebrity na ‘yon sa industriya, hindi niya alam na napakalaking production hitch ang kanyang ginawa, giving undue regard to the efforts of the staff, sa nag-cater na binayaran para sa tatlo pang episodes, sa abalang dulot sa pangkalahatang programa, to think na puwede namang nag-abiso ang TV host na ‘yon prior to the taping schedule.
And to think pa rin, to top it all, na isang major, major welcome ang sumalubong sa kanya to usher in his new show. ‘Di ba, “nakakaasar” ‘yon?
THE PAST WEEKS have seen, in this succession, an alleged real-life drama between female co-star and a friendship gone sour. Ang tinutukoy ko ay ang magkakaibang kaso nina Marian Rivera vs. Bela Padilla at Mariel Rodriguez vs. Toni Gonzaga.
As we all know, sa magkabilang network ang mga sangkot na pares, and how each of the two cases is/was/has been handled is, by and large, a matter of network policy.
Kung parehong pinagsalita sina Mariel at Toni tungkol sa kanilang hidwaan, the root cause of which is vague as it is “promotional,” hindi naman pinaabot ng GMA na mag-isyu pa ng kani-kaniyang official statement sina Marian at Bela.
Kanya-kanyang diskarte ang ABS-CBN at GMA in dealing with a “talent crisis.” GMA opts for a media blackout, while ABS-CBN rides high on the controversy. Mr. Bong Osorio, the well-loved head of ABS-CBN’s CorpComm, will crucify me for this, pero marami ang naniniwala that the Mariel-Toni issue is nothing more than a media hype: sila mismo ang nagkakalat ng basura upang linisin din naman.
In fairness, kung gimik man ito… winner!
IN A WORLD perceived to be inhabited by non-biodegradables (read: plastik), it is refreshing to know na marami-rami rin pala ang totoong tao, whose truthfulness is not just skin-deep. Noon pa man, bilib na ako kay Vice Ganda who, aside from his natural flair for comedy, speaks his mind.
Hindi na bago ang isyung naging isa nang swellhead si Vice Ganda, even before he embraced showbiz ay malaki na talaga ang kanyang ulo. “‘Eto nga, sa sobrang laki eh, pasabog na! Kung tutuusin nga, mas mabait ako ngayon kesa dati. Kasi ngayon, mas nag-iingat ako sa sinasabi ko, sa ikinikilos ko. Pero noon pa, mayabang na talaga ako,” sey ni VG sa presscon ng kanyang launching movie, ang remake ng Petrang Kabayo.
Kung iba-iba ‘yon, VG would have given a showbiz answer, punctuated with endless “po” and “opo” in marrying humility and Nora Aunor School of Magalang Acting.
Despite his kayabangan (na may karapatan naman, but I’d like to interpret it as his way of asserting his self-worth as an individual), mapagkumbaba namang hiningi ni Vice Ganda ang suporta ng press for his movie, “Parang awa n’yo na po, tulungan n’yo ako.”
Sincerely, VG has my love and support just as I’m happy for all the success na tinatamasa ng kanyang manager, si Ogie Diaz. For sure, sisipa at tatakbo nang matulin sa takilya ang Petrang Kabayo! Showing on October 13.
HINDI IKINAKAILA ng TV5 na ang kanilang Star Factor (hosted by Ruffa Gutierrez) is yet another artista search in the tradition of GMA’s Starstruck. Bagama’t historically, it wasn’t Starstruck that started it all (eh, paano na ang Tawag Ng Tanghalan days that produced the country’s one and only Superstar Nora Aunor?), mas dumarami lang ngayong panahong ito ang gustong mag-artista, yes, whatever it takes.
Isang napakalaking hamon para sa TV5 na mapunla at makitang magbunga ang ilulunsad nilang homegrown talents plucked from all parts of the country during their three successful auditions in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao.
Alam naman natin that TV5 has become an “alternative basket” for disgruntled balls from ABS-CBN and GMA, kaya naman nais nitong lumikha ng mga sariling bola in this increasingly competitive ballgame on TV.
Let’s give Star Factor a chance it deserves.
Pepperoni
by Ronnie Carrasco III
