When stellar popularity becomes a liability

Most stars and starlets have to make sure that their managers and handlers find projects for them on a regular basis to keep their careers constantly on the upswing. But, a few popular, lucky or well-connected luminaries have no such worries.

They have long-term contracts with studios that keep them busy with TV and/or film assignments, as well as allied sources of additional income like recordings, concerts, performance tours abroad, endorsements—the works!

Trouble is, after some months, the fact that a star is very frequently visible and available to the viewing and listening public eventually becomes a liability. Excessive familiarity does breed, if not automatic contempt, then ultimate predictability and boredom!

Because, let’s face it, all too rare is the performer who is so eminently watchable, versatile, charismatic and compelling that he or she can fascinate us all of the time!

So, most performers, especially the most popular ones, are advised by their career coordinators to pace their output so that their fans don’t ultimately chafe and fidget and think that they are overexposed.

True, the most diehard followers won’t get to that sticking point because they’re so enamored of and even “addicted” to their top faves—but, for the nonshow biz addicts out there, a breather now and then makes them appreciate and value their favorite performers even more!

DANIEL Padilla RICHARD REYES

Unwelcome surfeit

Now, where to draw the line between welcome availability and unwelcome surfeit isn’t all that easy to determine. But, it should be done because some high-flying careers have ended up crash-landing and ending because the overexposed luminaries couldn’t tell when enough was—too much!

These thoughts come to mind this season because we see some stars accepting offers left and right and making hay while the proverbial show biz sun shines!

After all, they tell themselves, the biz is notoriously fickle, so now that they’re the flavor of the year, they should accept and accept, so they can save enough money to tide them over when the similarly proverbial Rainy Days come.

That’s all very safe and logical, but what these overexposed luminaries don’t realize is that, by not knowing how to say no and be more selective of the offers they accept, they are drastically hastening the day when the dreaded deluge washes away their whole career!

Momentarily-popular young stars are particularly vulnerable to the “practical” temptation to accept all offers now. For instance, Daniel Padilla starred in the hit movie “Crazy, Beautiful You,” is currently on the popular teleserye “Pangako sa ’Yo,” has many new endorsements, an album that’s gone “gold,” personal appearance stints galore, guest engagements on other TV shows—etc.!

Overexposure

JASMINE Curtis-Smith

It’s great to be so popular at so young an age, but other young faves have “burned out” due to overexposure (too much, too soon!) in the past, so Daniel has to make sure that he learns from their experience—and opts for long-term stardom.

That observation goes double for TV5’s contract star Jasmine Curtis-Smith. Yes, she’s lovely and raring to perform, but does she have to be on so many of the TV outfit’s productions? Last month, she was on the premiere episode of “Lola Basyang” as Mariang Makiling, “Truck ng Bayan,” plus a new “Wattpad Presents” mini-series with Derek Ramsay.

Jasmine isn’t all that versatile to “take” so much exposure. If this is the channel’s way of “building up” its prized property, it could have the opposite effect—by revealing instead her limitations.