Bitter truth from celeb’s collaboration with penny-pinching boss

Rendered jobless by the pandemic for months, Freelance Celeb (FC) was ecstatic upon finally receiving a project proposal.

Stingy Producer (SP) asked FC to star in a new online show it was putting together. FC’s excitement, however, immediately turned into apprehension after being offered an “honorarium,” instead of a proper talent fee.

Of course, COVID-19 has affected the entire industry; lower professional fees are understandable and to be expected. But an honorarium, FC felt, might be pushing it. And SP isn’t exactly some upstart company.

FC sought advice from a more experienced insider, who stressed that work is still work, and that she had to negotiate for a fairer compensation. Luckily, SP eventually relented.

Now FC isn’t an A-list star by any means, but she can’t help but wonder: What about the other smaller actors? INQ

TOP OF THE TABLOIDS

This week’s top show biz news from the tabloids (and why we are moved, if we are moved.):

• Dingdong Dantes ipinagtanggol ng fans sa buntisan issue: Huwag kayong magpaloko. (Luh. Lagot kayo kay Marian…)

• Paolo Ballesteros kinontra ng ama sa pagiging commercial model: Sabi ni Papa, kung itutuloy mo ‘yan, ikaw na ang bahala sa buhay mo. (Papa, don’t preach!)

• Bwelta ni Aiko Melendez sa bashers: Magkalayo po kami ng upuan ni Sec. Harry Roque, sumunod kami sa protocol (Bagong love team lang ang peg…?)

• Asawa ni Barbie Almalbis na si Martin Honasan nakipaglaban din sa COVID-19; tapik ng nurse nakatulong sa mabilis na paggaling. (The healing power of connection.)

• Anne Curtis hinding-hindi iiwan ang “Showtime”: But for now, mommy duties lang ako. (Even singing? Nakup!)

• Mariel Rodriguez binasag ang tsismis kina Robin Padilla at Mocha Uson: Please lang po, namatayan ng kapatid ang asawa ko… (Pleading for compassion can be a tricky thing.)

• Daniel Padilla sa pakikipagrelasyon: Hindi puwedeng pataasan ng ihi, hindi pwedeng paligsahan kayo. (Wise words.)

• Joshua Garcia umamin: Sumagi sa isip kong lumipat ng network, pero hindi ko talaga magawa (Must be scary to imagine not being a Kapamilya.)

• Hugot ni Sharon Cuneta sa isyu ng “ASAP”: ‘Di mo alam kung celebration ba o para kayong pinaglalaruang mag-ina!? (Mega-nito at mega-nung issue???)

• Regine Velasquez tumanggi sa alok ni Coco Martin sa “Probinsyano”; binansagang bagong ‘OPM Queen’. (What type of story did they have in mind? “The Bodyguard”?)