Top 5 unforgettable experiences in the entertainment beat

For someone who isn’t much of an artista fan, covering the entertainment beat is the last assignment I expected. Back when I first started as an entertainment writer, I remember that I would always ask my editor background information about the artist or the band that I would be interviewing. Plus, I’ve always thought of show business as just highly glitzy and too flashy for me.

Yes, I admit that at first I thought of show business as superficial and nonsense. But now, I realized show business does have meaning. These artists, bands and production staffs actually have something deep to share. And I learned all those after being exposed to a lot of interviews and press conferences in the entertainment beat.

And now that 2008 has come to a close, I’d like to highlight some of the most memorable coverages I’ve had from the year that was.

Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat. I don’t know how and why they got it, but the movie’s lead star Ai-Ai delas Alas and her perennial onscreen “sidekick” Eugene Domingo have that inimitable gift of making other people laugh. On or off-screen, their comedy tandem is effective because even my co-writers got infected with their jokes. We found ourselves laughing all throughout their Cebu press conference held days before their movie opened last Christmas Day as we got treated to a seemingly endless supply of inside jokes, punch lines and other antics. But beyond those funny faces, I saw the goodness of their hearts. Ai-Ai and Eugene are not just mere comedians. They are people who would want to share their blessings with others and simply make people happy.

PBB Teen Edition Plus. I’ve interviewed several artists already, and most of them are older than me. I had adjusted to that quite well. I’ve learned to talk as if I’m their age. But with this interview with the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus housemates, I needed not to adjust as these teen housemates are my age or younger. I will always remember this interview because I had fun interviewing them. It was nice talking to Nicole, Beauty, Ejay and Robi. The interview was smooth and lax. They were candid with their answers. Plus, the fact that Nicole and Beauty were Cebuanos made the interview easier. These guys are still new in the industry, but they already know show business works. The classic “friends lang po kami” proved this. Anyway, I’m happy to have interviewed these individuals. I’m actually excited on what they can do as artists and what will be in store for them by ABS-CBN this 2009. I know they can go far.

A Very Special Love: John Lloyd and Sarah. Every interview with John Lloyd Cruz is unforgettable because of his known charm and wit. Judging by the number of times he has been here in Cebu, I believe he has already grown comfortable with the Cebu press. Sarah Geronimo shares the same sense of humor because she can jive with Lloyd’s wackiness. During the press conference of their movie, A Very Special Love, it was clear that these two felt pressured to make their tandem work on the big screen. I remember Sarah saying that some fans might actually boycott it because of the very successful John Lloyd Cruz-Bea Alonzo team-up. But then, never did they realize their movie would turn out to be a blockbuster hit. The chemistry of the two artists looked so natural, on and off the screen. Sarah even sang a few lines for John Lloyd. And John Lloyd sang the same lines for her. Clearly, they shared “a very special love.”

Callalily. Interviewing this rock act was a very funny yet memorable experience for me. It was my first solo and exclusive interview. Big deal? Super! I was all by myself and I had to interview a famous band and I was not actually that familiar with them. Callalily came here to Cebu for the Nescafe Soundskool Visayas Eliminations. I was supposed to interview them backstage after their performance, but things got mixed up so I ended up interviewing them in the hotel they were staying. Thanks to their popular songs, at least I know the name of the band. But as to their individual names, I had no idea. So before I started the interview, I had to first let them introduce their names and the instruments they play. After that, the interview rolled on. It was actually fun talking to Alden, Kean, Tatsi, Aaron and Lemuel. Their answers showed how deep and serious these guys are with life and their career. Being a Callalily member does have his shares of ups and downs.

My Girl Internship. Now this wasn’t part of the job but I must say it’s one of the most unforgettable experiences I had in the “entertainment industry.” I was blessed to have my TV Internship at ABS CBN TV Productions in Manila. I was assigned to the “My Girl” TV series. As an intern, I had hands-on experience with production work. I knew what it was like behind the scenes. I got to throw and read lines with Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Enchong Dee, Nina Jose and the others. I got to interact with the directors, writers and producers of the show. It was definitely one experience I would cherish for the rest of my life. I realized that yes, life in the entertainment industry as we would see on TV seems glamorous, but in reality, it’s not. It’s actually very tiring. They barely have time to rest because after the taping, they had to run to a commercial photo shoot. But one thing is for sure; these artists love and enjoy the work they do.

The year 2008 has, indeed, been a tremendous and overwhelming year for me. As I scanned my portfolio, I didn’t realize how much articles I have written for the section this year—probably because I’ve learned to love the beat.

Those first impressions on show business were erased by my realizations over the months of entertainment-related coverages. These celebrities/artists showed that they have depth and that they make sense. Their job isn’t easy at all and it entails much hard work to survive in what is often described as a volatile and cutthroat business.

Right now, I’m still not much of an artist fan but I have improved. I don’t ask my editor background info that much already. I don’t let the artists introduce their names and the instruments they play anymore. Truly, having interviewed so many artists this year proved to be quite an eye-opening experience. I’m looking forward to more experiences in the beat this 2009—and hopefully, that includes finally getting to interview Christian Bautista.