Not the End of Willie

I wouldn’t say it was fun while it lasted, but it’s always sad to see a successful show go—even one that was promoting a way of thinking I could never agree with. If I feel a little bit of sadness now over the axing of Wowowee, it’s most likely because I mourn its unfulfilled potential or its sheer waste of its audience reach.

This won’t be the last we’ll see of Willie Revillame, for sure. The official statement from ABS-CBN not only mentions a new show, Pilipinas Win Na Win, which would have Robin Padilla, Kris Aquino, Pokwang, Valerie Concepcion, and Mariel Rodriguez at its helm, it also mentions that a new show for Willie is in the works.

ABS-CBN’s keeping its biggest threat close, I think. After all, you can’t just dismiss Willie’s pull. Filipinos just love the guy—and why shouldn’t they? He has the charm; he knows what to say. He probably has the heart for them too, for all I know. I just pray he show more integrity in his life, because, to borrow words recently quoted by Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, with great power comes great responsibility.

Imagine affecting millions of viewers all over the world. Imagine having millions of fans who take into heart everything you say. In your heart of hearts, what would you do with that sort of power?

I know what I would do. I would find an effective way to let them know abundance is their birthright, and that they need not peddle sorry tales for a couple of bucks. I would find a lasting way to empower them to take charge of their own lives, to change their way of thinking, so they can change what they have in life. I know that doesn’t sound like a hit noontime show, but I’m hopeful this can be sold with a lot of creativity—which we Filipinos have no shortage of.

I hope that one day, we’ll have our own version of Oprah. When I say that, I don’t mean the exact same thing, although truth be told, I’m a huge fan of her talk show. I mean a show that dared to step out of the herd the way Oprah did, one that would choose to fall off the bandwagon. A show that dared to focus on the good, the bright, the empowering — with a following so huge, it would be a seemingly unstoppable force.

Let’s hope that with his new show, Willie will find the right way to help people. Or, at the least, truly help himself. As for Pilipinas Win Na Win, my hope is that with Kris Aquino as one of the hosts, and with her new role as presidential sister, they’ll be more responsible for the thinking they are going to promote.

Sharing another Guilty Pleasure

This is something writers and editors would be able to relate to! I follow @FakeAPStylebook on Twitter and I’ve lost count of the many times it has made my day. Here are ten of my favorites.

1. Never refer to an interview subject as “an annoying little f**k” in print, no matter how annoying the little f**k was.

2. Never spell it “verevolf,” no matter how the villagers say it.

3. Take care not to screw up people’s lives with the advice column. That’s a job for the horoscopes.

4. Avoid swear words, as they are believed to be a sign of a limited vocabulary. Only a real mentula doesn’t know that.

5. Avoid using ampersands in place of the word “and.” We’ve talked & talked about this.

6. It is wrong to just copy and paste a press release to create a staff report. Add some extra “according tos” in there.

7. When sending a photographer to an anti-government rally, make sure he photographs the sign with the best spelling and grammar.

8. Never misrepresent what an interview subject says, such as by printing a full transcript of what they actually said.

9. Demonstrate your relevance as a commentator by writing long-winded essays on the fact that you don’t know who Lady Gaga is.

10. The most important thing for a journalist is to stay objective, even if Edward is a much better choice for Bella than Jacob.

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