What now, Miss U?
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach
Some months ago, we expressed the considered opinion that the 2017 Miss Universe beauty pageant finals shouldn’t be held here. Last week, we were gratified to see that more individuals and groups are seconding the motion, for a variety of reasons.
Our specific take on the question and issue focused on our negative view of pageant host Steve Harvey and his participation in last year’s “Miss Universe” rites.
His monumental gaffe of initially announcing the wrong name as the new Miss Universe was clueless, goofy and unprofessional—and well nigh unforgivable.
But, even if he didn’t make that shocking blunder, he still came off in our view as an inappropriate host for an international beauty pageant.
Yes, he’s popular, but he relies too much on his aw-shucks comedy style to tickle viewers’ fancy, and lacks the stature, polished persona and commanding presence needed to give the “royal” tribute to beauty the dazzling and larger-than-life hosting dimension it requires.
We’ve been informed that he has a contract with the pageant’s organizer, but his less than competent and even just reliable performance last year is still a deal-breaker in our view.
The new naysayers cite a host of other reasons why the pageant shouldn’t be held here next year, most of them related to the less than enlightened, downright sexist and politically incorrect utterances and actuations of some government leaders.
The issue has hit the front page of national dailies, and other groups have been weighing in on the issue, so further escalation is likely before it’s definitively acted on.
Before it’s too late
Another “nixing” note is aimed at the managers, handlers and “stage parents” of some child stars who deserve to star in new TV-film productions, before it’s too late.
Jana Agoncillo, Alonzo Muhlach, Xia and Simon Pineda have already established themselves as precocious standouts, but their follow-up solo starrers have yet to see the light of TV or movie day.
Their handlers should act now, while the standout talents are still kids. “Indie” showcases can be economically produced these days, so what’s holding things up?
Just one more year of procrastination and inaction could dash the stellar hopes of some gifted child performers.
They would then be forced to make it as “tween” performers—a tougher feat to pull off due to the sheer number of competing hopefuls. So, act now.
Finally, we’re also feeling downbeat about two “promising” young TV comics whose shows we’ve cited in the past.
Now that they’ve become more popular, they’ve loaded their programs with “sponsored features” and commercial and product tie-ups—a moneymaking move that’s making their shows no longer fun to watch.
Yes, we know that there are bills to be paid and profits to be made, but don’t be so greedily obvious about it, OK?
New comedians are deemed promising not just because they’re talented, but also due to the freshness of their appeal.
The minute they come off as exploitative product-pluggers out to make a fast buck, their shows cease to be fun and fresh—and once-supportive viewers stop watching. A word to the real wiseguys.
