Eventful start for ‘Showbiz Police’

REYES AND GUTIERREZ. Productive sources of tantalizing trivia and “sorta scoops.”

No, you don’t have to get arrested to enjoy TV5’s newest show biz talk-magazine program, “Showbiz Police.” Telecast every Saturday at 6 p.m., the program banks on the “insider” connections that its cohosts have with stellar newsmakers.

Joey Reyes, Raymond Gutierrez, Cristy Fermin and Lucy Torres-Gomez each come up with “exclusives” due to their professional or personal links with skittish luminaries who are otherwise difficult to pin down.

On its premiere telecast last Sept. 14, for instance, Gutierrez was able to yank candid, “exclusive” quotes out of his siblings, Ruffa and Richard: Was Richard about to become a single dad? Uh, maybe. That may not have been a categorical admission, but since Richard had said absolutely nothing before on the controversial score, it was good enough to make the headlines in gossip sheets.

As for Ruffa having an Italian suitor during her study stint there, she sniffed, “No, I have eight.” —Uh, are congratulations in order?

Fact is, “Showbiz Police” is brisker and more eventful than some other biz-oriented programs, and its hosts, particularly Reyes and Gutierrez, are productive sources of tantalizing trivia and “sorta scoops.”

The most laid-back member of the hosting team is Gomez, who really has to work harder to keep up with her more antic, frantic colleagues.

‘Bistado’

Another new show that bears watching is “Bistado,” telecast  Monday afternoons on ABS-CBN, and hosted by Julius Babao.

The newscaster-anchor assumes a “tougher” persona for his new show, in keeping with its title.

The exposé-oriented program makes use, not just of police reports, raids and other standard news and public affairs ploys, but also of currently popular CCTV video footage.

The CCTV tapes are mod and “in,” because they provide “incontrovertible” proof of culpability and speed up the crime-busting process in no small way.

To his credit, the otherwise circumspect host is able to summon up the added energy and “color” required by his new program’s “crime-busting” format. We just wish that, from time to time, the show goes beyond the usual small-time and loose-change raid or exposé, and catch  much bigger fish!