Everybody’s a comedian on TV

What is it about our Pinoy TV “culture” that encourages on-cam talents to crack jokes and poke fun at each other and everybody else—even if they aren’t comedians, and the show they’re doing is a news/public affairs program?

We’ve observed this penchant for keeping things light and slap-happy even in “serious” shows quite often on the local boob tube, and wonder why it’s the preferred style of TV hosting, even when it’s clearly inappropriate.

Is it because TV people want to project a “just folks” and “barkada” personality or vibe? Are they assuring viewers that, even if the topic is serious, it won’t be boring, so they should continue to watch their show?

Whatever the obvious or subliminal motivation, this unselective preference for the “humorous” approach sometimes has a decidedly dicey and counterproductive effect because many of the jokes these amateur comedians crack aren’t funny, so the “TH” effort rankles.

Can’t TV hosts and news people just limit themselves to what they do best, and leave the yukks to the pros?

The worst-case scenario is when the news item being discussed on a news/public affairs program is of grave import, so the hosts’ inept attempts at “humor” are not just misplaced, but subvert and diminish the significance of the report.

A case in point presented itself to viewers recently when a news commentary show’s hosts discussed a rumored destabilization plot against the current administration.

It was obviously a report of potentially grave significance, but one of the hosts led off by making the “mistake” of confusing one of the rumored plotters with “Whoopi Goldberg.”

Right off the bat, that threw viewers for a loop, even if the “error” was obviously made for comedic effect.

Fun’s fun, but it hits a sadly sour and inappropriate note when it’s slap-happily inserted into a news item that should be objectively reported, so viewers can clean-mindedly evaluate its significance and potential consequences.

The two hosts then proceeded to comment on the report in detail, alternating between “serious” observations and more “comic relief.”

Why did the hosts feel that the comedic “leavening” or lightening-up was needed?

The news report was portentous enough to command viewers’ interest without the “entertaining” asides and sardonic comments.

The TV hosts in question are by no means alone on their penchant and predilection for “fun” and “entertainment” at all costs, even when they aren’t called for.

Quite a number of our TV news talents make it a point to show that they aren’t always “serious and stuffy,” and can be “just folks” and “entertaining.” (Well, they try.)

Some of them even turn supposedly objective newscasts into news-commentary programs, sharing what they think and feel about the events and personalities they’re reporting on—even when most viewers would want them to keep their opinions to themselves!

A TV insider explains this penchant for “coloring” and opinionating: “They’re just trying to capture the very Pinoy situation of viewers at home or at the barbershop, listening to the news, but also commenting on it from time to time—it’s more personal and real that way.”

Thanks for the explanatory insight, but it’s still a subjective no-no that professional TV news people are strictly instructed to avoid—because many viewers don’t like it when news reporters and readers do the thinking, analyzing and opinionating for them!