Once in a cheeky while, we come up with some cheekily unsolicited advice for show biz denizens to consider, whether they initially want to or not.
This being the start of a spanking-new year, our first piece of cheeky counsel addresses a glaring and reeking anomaly on the local entertainment scene, involving celebrities who don’t get along with their similarly famous or infamous (as the case may be) relatives.
The first family of occasionally or frequently contentious relations is the Barretto clan, with Gretchen feuding with her parents and siblings, off and on, for what seems to be decades now.
Of more recent vintage is the rift between Benjie Paras and his wife, Jackie Forster—a contentious “ex-relationship” that has involved their similarly stellar sons, actor Andre and basketball luminary Kobe.
The boys have sided with their father, saddening onlookers who believe that a mother is still a mother, whatever she’s done or not done, and shouldn’t be rejected out of hand.
Civil ties
Then, there’s Diego Loyzaga, the son of Teresa Loyzaga and Cesar Montano, who’s gone the other way, siding with his mother and refusing to reestablish at least civil ties with Cesar.
People “understand” where he’s coming from, but wish that a way can be found to patch things up somehow, so Diego can have two parents in his life, instead of just one.
For these and other fussin’ and feudin’ show biz families, our fervent piece of unsolicited advice for 2018 is: Forgive.
Take advantage of the new year’s fresh start, with all of its positive possibilities, to take a deep breath, reach out, and humbly beg for bygones to be bygones, no matter how deep the wounds are, and who inflicted them on whom.
This is a huge and tall order—but, when all is said and done, family is of utmost importance, especially in the Philippines—so, it would do all of us, whether we’re in show biz or not, to force ourselves to reclaim it.
Friends and fans are great but, when life’s push finally comes to shove, blood is the thickest, strongest glue of all, for many subconscious and subliminal reasons.
The key to total and “unthinking” forgiveness is humility. Even when it isn’t logical, even when the guilt is canted heavily on the other side, we must be humble enough to reconnect with our loved ones.
Psychic relief
People who’ve forced themselves to take the first “demeaning” step can vouch for the immense and deep psychic relief and restoration it brings.
Even if the guilt is theirs, not ours, all of the parties involved will benefit from the healing effects of reconciliation, and love being allowed to flow again between rift-ridden relations.
Some rifts in show biz have been completely or substantially healed by stars daring to humble themselves and making the first move to reach out, apologize and reconnect.
Like, Anabelle Rama and her only daughter, Ruffa Gutierrez, used to fuss and feud and fight a lot—but, after Ruffa experienced a scary medical crisis last year, they’ve learned to appreciate and value each other more.
Other feuding celebrities should get off their psychic high horses—and do it, too!