Readers, viewers express contrary opinions

SOHO. Doesn’t lack defenders in tiff with her “vice-cious” disparager.

A flurry of viewers’ reactions, responses and follow-ups with additional food for thought characterizes our Feedback section this week, with contrary views expressed on the AiAi, Vice Ganda and other issues and imbroglios.

This shows that some members of the country’s viewing and listening audience are no longer passive and clueless recipients of whatever show biz people dish out, but have learned how to separate the grain from the chaff and focus on matters that aren’t just giddily “colorful,” but actually count:

On the Vice Ganda-Jessica Soho square-off, many readers rush to Jessica’s defense—and point out that there’s another aggrieved party involved, and that’s Nancy Binay. When Vice first questioned her credentials to run for senator, it wasn’t so controversial, because some people agreed with him.

But, the jokes related to “color” that he cracked at her expense were mean-spirited, so he should also be rapped for them. —The irony is, many Filipinos are kayumanggi-skinned like Nancy, but they laugh along with Vice, not realizing that they’re being demeaned, as well!

Controversial

On AiAi, her overlong and soggily tearful “true confessions” appearance on TV was controversial in its own right, and our notes on it elicited a number of contrary reactions.

Some didn’t see what the fuss was all about, since “tell-all” confessions are par for the TV course. But, others agree that they can be off-puttingly intrusive and give a star’s individual travails more importance—and airtime—than they deserve.

Fact is, the unsettled situation is OK with us, as long as we’ve helped some people reevaluate how they feel about the cult of celebrity that makes stars presume that they “own” the airwaves and the nation’s undivided attention because they’re special and exceptionally blessed demigods, whose wails deserve a showcase on national TV.

Less controversially, we’ve gotten positive feedback on our “Teleserye Culture” articles, with some readers sharing that they have been discussed in their classes.

Well and good, it’s high time for us to realize that the extended drama series have become so popular that they have made TV network executives forget that they have pledged to give viewers balanced programing.

The most helpless victims of this unacceptable state of affairs are our children, who now grow up being exposed to a lot of vengeance, verbal violence, and other negative and excessively adult themes, rather than dramatic material that will help them grow up into balanced individuals.

Appropriate direction

Other viewers’ notes: A theater icon shares, “What a wonderful commentary, incisive, fresh and essential. Thank you for speaking up as an enlightened writer-editor. It is so refreshing and gratifying that you are providing appropriate direction for TV producers and sponsors.”

And, from Rosalia Laganzo Enerio of Sorsogon City, “You are right in putting to task our TV newscasters and anchors, reminding them of their responsibility as broadcast practitioners.

“We viewers should say our piece and make our voices heard—they have been taking us for granted for far too long, behaving like kings and queens of their turf, almost infallible with their bombastic delivery and inflated egos. They even make basic mistakes, like mispronouncing simple words and names of places and persons—like mispronouncing tubó (sugar cane) as tubo (iron pipe).

“TV news people should check and double-check their facts. Check with locals on how words are pronounced when you do an out-of-town coverage. Don’t be an embarrassment to your colleagues, and don’t make a mockery of your craft—!”