Ryzza shouldn’t have to do an Aiza

AIZA Seguerra was a naturally precocious and witty ad-libber as a child star

GMA 7 has thrown its noontime competition for a loop with its new production, “The Ryzza Mae Show.” The so-called talk-variety program top-bills the youngest program host on the tube by far, 7-year-old Ryzza Mae Dizon.

Only some months ago, Ryzza became popular on the kiddie talent and personality tilt, “Little Miss Philippines,” where she trounced the competition despite the fact that most of the other “princesses” were “cuter” and “prettier” than she was.

It was the Aiza Seguerra syndrome being played out all over again, with chubby Ryzza “going Aiza”—but, in her own way. Aiza tickled viewers pink with her smart ad-libs, while Ryzza is less witty but “entertains” with her slower, heavier and more rehearsed comedic antics, plus her similarly “funny” dancing “prowess.”

Cha-cha routine

Like Aiza two decades before her, Ryzza has been made a regular on the “Eat Bulaga” show, where her cha-cha dance routines have become a daily staple and a way to get the members of the studio audience on their feet, mugging and gamely making fools of themselves. It’s all in hearty “fun,” of course, so what’s not to like?

Some weeks ago, GMA 7 further heated up Ryzza’s career by making her a regular on the new Saturday sitcom, “Ang Daddy Kong Vampire,” in which Vic Sotto plays a funny bloodsucker (figure that out).

The little girl was still a relatively stolid presence who obediently did what she was told in a fairly droll way, but the new assignment sent out signals that the kid was officially going places.

Then, last Holy Week, Ryzza played an angel in an “inspirational” Lenten drama.

Goodness, she was being kept really busy!

On top of all that, last April 8, her “talk” show started telecasting before “Eat Bulaga,” with no less than Susan Roces tapped to do the honors as her first stellar guest.

RYZZA Mae Dizon is TV’s youngest talk-show host.

Ryzza and Susan worked hard to get the fun and the fur flying—but after a while, the stolid and heavy nature of the unusual program format started to be felt.

Yes, Ryzza is a very game and obedient little talent. Yes, she works really hard. But 7 years old is really too young for anyone to do a daily program, and get away with it!

The feeling appears to be that Ryzza can be coached and helped with “humorous” bits and gimmicks here and there to make her continually diverting—but the show’s premiere telecast indicated that the “formula” is effective only part of the time.

Guest comedians needed

What the format needs is somebody precociously and naturally witty like Aiza, so to expect the slower ad-libber, Ryzza, to do the honors is unfair to her.

Perhaps the show can be helped along with the addition of guest comedians? We would be really interested, for instance, in a telecast of the program in which Ryzza shoots the breeze with Vic Sotto, who can be considered one of her most important mentor-discoverers.

He knows her really well, so he would intuit better than most people how to bring out the best in her.

We’re talking about the real Ryzza with her own unique strengths, not as Aiza’s heir apparent. There can only be one Aiza, so Ryzza should be helped to figure out how to make it big—on her own terms!