Agree or disagree? Readers react

PARAS. Unproven talent?

A lot of opinions are articulated in these pages, so it stands to reason that readers should express their agreement or dissent. That’s all to the good, because one of our main objectives is to encourage viewers and listeners to realize that they shouldn’t passively accept everything they are exposed to on radio, TV and the movies.

Much too often, industry workers think that they can do and say anything they want, because either the members of the audience don’t care one way or the other, or are to meek to express their reactions. Fact is, the viewing public is the most important and powerful component of the entertainment and communication cycle!

One reason why the entertainment we get is sometimes deficient is because we so easily accept and “forgive” bad work. With more members of the viewing public now more eager to “agree or disagree” with the entertainment they get, things are looking up.

This past week, some readers have rapped us for our negative and even positive notes on relatively new talents’ recent performances. Fans of Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Daniel Matsuanga and Alex Gonzaga say we should be more supportive even of their deficient work, because new players need to be boosted instead of critiqued—otherwise, “how can they improve?”

Interestingly, even our positive notes on Andre Paras and Meg Imperial have struck some sour notes with readers, who dismiss Andre as “still an unproven talent,” and Meg because she’s going to star soon in a sexy drama series. The “logic” in her basher’s critique goes: If she were truly talented, she wouldn’t have to “sink so low”—!

—Well, let’s just wait for their imminent portrayals (Andre is in “Diary ng Panget”) before we “agree or disagree,” one way or the other.

Nervous habit

More unexpectedly, a veteran star has thanked us for bringing up a show biz practice or fetish that she says has really bothered her for many years: Our female stars and starlets’ nervous habit of fussing with their hair—not just in interviews, but even while singing, dancing and acting!

This betrays a basic flaw in performers’ attitude—that they always have to look good and well-put-together. They don’t know how to fully involve themselves in their portrayals, to the extent that they “forget” themselves and think only of the character they’re assigned to play.

Another well-known personality says she was recently bothered by a comment made by the “stage mother” of a child talent: Talking to her daughter before a performance, she urged her to do her very best because, “Sa iyo na nakasalalay ang mga pag-asa ko!”

Our colleague fretted that this placed too heavy a psychological burden on the poor kid—so, all “stage parents” should instantly desist from making their “talented” children feel so “guilty” and “obligated!”

Temporary glitch

Other colleagues say they agree that Jericho Rosales was too mature to believably and comfortably play his high-schooler role in his most recent movie starrer, but they feel that this is just a temporary glitch and that the actor can and should bounce back, because he’s still the best actor of his “batch,” which includes Piolo Pascual and John Lloyd Cruz.

We agree, but we should point out that Jericho and his handlers shouldn’t take the superiority of his thespic gift for granted.

They have to actualize his advantage by conceptualizing projects that will bring out the best in him, and not be open to criticism due to certain limitations that could be avoided in the first place.

‘Courageous’ decision

Another show biz veteran focuses on our review of “Starting Over Again,” and says that, while he agrees with most of the points raised, we failed to underscore the significance of the fact that the production was embraced by the viewing public despite its “courageous” decision to not have a happy ending.

Unlike most local rom-com dramas, the movie’s leads, played by Piolo and Toni Gonzaga, don’t end up with each other at the film’s final fade, and that’s well-nigh revolutionary! Point well taken.

Stretch marks

Loyal followers of “Be Careful With My Heart” are cheering the recent announcement that their favorite TV drama series will extend its already lengthy storytelling to at least the end of the year. For our part, however, we fret that all that profitable “stretching” will negatively affect the spirit and essence of the show.

Additionally, some fans of the hit “fantasy romance” series rap us for describing male lead Richard Yap’s portrayal as bland and safe. But, now that the show will be around much longer, his character really  should be made more complex, and sometimes even “contradictory.”

Sure, he’s popular because he embodies the illusion of the wealthy boss who becomes the kind, understanding and constantly supportive husband—but, even the most perfect illusion betrays cracks when sustained this long!

Disgruntled viewer

On the radio-TV news front, a disgruntled viewer adds his own complaints to our list: There’s too much emphasis on crime stories and show biz “rumor” reports that are actually just plugs to whip up interest in new TV or movie productions.

There are also too many news people who mispronounce words and names, because they don’t bother to research or rehearse. And, “some veterans, despite all the years they’ve been on the job, still look like they’re reading the news text.”

—Keep those reminders coming, folks. Perhaps, if we don’t let up, somebody influential may finally listen and effect the improvements we’re all looking for!