Regine, Janice–exceptions that prove the rule

DE BELEN. Doesn’t need scripted spiels to express her strong opinions and point of view.

THE initial telecast of GMA 7’s “Hot TV” show-biz-magazine show last Aug. 5, was an event in its own right, because it showcased the TV comeback as a regular cohost of top singer-actress Regine Velasquez, after her first date with the stork some months ago.

Regine had put on many pounds during her pregnancy, so it was a really pleasant surprise to see that she had taken off quite a lot of that excess avoirdupois in a relatively short time. Even better, Regine proved to be a diverting and hardworking co-host on her new show, effectively compensating for the relatively humdrum work turned in by some of her co-hosts.

The new program’s best suit as far as scope and structure are concerned is its welcome departure from the “all-gossip” focus of most other show-biz-oriented programs on the tube. It’s a welcome relief to watch a program that is interested, not just in dishing the dirt, but in other aspects of celebrities’ lives—and sometimes even in topics not at all related to stars and starlets’ myopic concerns.

Last Aug. 5, that non-showbiz aspect was represented by a long feature on the paranormal phenomenon of sex-oriented incubi and succubi.

The show tried to compensate for the absence of “star value” in that portion by underscoring the sex element in the phenomenon it was focusing on. However, despite its best efforts to bristle and sizzle, the long feature still failed to end up as a key highlight of the telecast.

Coverage

So, for that matter, did most of the debut telecast’s other features, especially its rather wan and trite coverage of the current activities of three former child stars—ho-hum!

On point of content and underscoring, therefore, the new program still has a lot of tweaking to do before it can truly live up to its “scorching” title.

Part of the problem is due to the less than scintillating work turned in by some of Regine’s co-hosts.  They prove our previously stated contention that many celebrities don’t do well when they become TV program hosts, because they can’t make the shift from dramatic or comedic performance to playing themselves for a change.

They can be interesting and even exciting when they act or sing—but, as themselves, they turn out to be phlegmatic, lacking in dynamism and genuine interest in the topic or interview subject at hand, and too dependent on the scripted spiels that they are made to read from those appropriately named idiot boards in the TV studio.

By the way, the same thing is happening on ABS-CBN’s panel show, “Showbiz Inside Report,” where Janice de Belen is the most effective co-host on its panel of celebrity-hosts.

What do Regine and Janice have in common that enables them to do well even as their stellar co-hosts falter? They’re both unique individuals with strong opinions and points of view—and the ability to express those opinions in a succinct and interesting manner, with little or no help from scripted spiels and such.

Other stars who also want to do well as TV hosts should strive to be like them—or risk seeing their vaunted sizzle turn into—fizzle!