Talk

As a talk show host, KC Concepcion is neither an overpowering presence nor a manipulative interviewer.

I've been able to catch KC Concepcion's morning talk show lately, owing to late nights at work and, more often, my life coaching project. It's no Oprah, but Simply KC gives me the fix that I need in terms of starting the day on a positive beat.

KC comes off as a warm, sincere and down-to-earth TV host. There's no trace of the sosyal vibe that she used to exude as the daughter of Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta who studied at the International School and went to university in Paris. It was the sosyal vibe that they tried to kill off in her first film For The First Time. Now, she is, as the show's title says, simply KC--the girl next door who happens to be pretty, fashionable and smart.

Among the episodes I've seen, my favorites are when she interviewed TV reporter Cesca Litton, Jericho Rosales' girlfriend; her mother Sharon Cuneta; and her cousins, the young brides Danica Sotto and Ciara Sotto; and Jason and Melanie from Pinoy Big Brother. The conversations were intimate yet effortless, and she was able to get straight to the heart of her guests, scripted spiels and all.

As a talk show host, KC is neither an overpowering presence nor a manipulative interviewer. I suppose she has an easy time keeping things real, because despite the glamorous showbiz background, her mother Sharon has successfully raised an impressively grounded girl. Then again, how else could KC have faced life as early tabloid father, considering that her parents were the biggest love team of their time and also the biggest source of gossip after their teen marriage failed?

I remember saying, perhaps right after I watched For The First Time, that it would do KC well to explore having her own talk show. I'm glad ABS-CBN gave her this opportunity to flex her TV talents, because she's a refreshing addition to the talk show scene.

Donita and Rica

Of course, even before I catch Simply KC, I would've already gotten my dose of Umagang Kay Ganda, where Donita Rose and Rica Peralejo, both hot property during their showbiz heydey, found a second wind in their careers as talk show hosts.

Donita, for one, was a revelation as an MTV VJ after trying unsuccessfully to get recognized as an actress. I'm happy she has decided to settle in the Philippines and try her hand in TV hosting, where she obviously shines brighter than when she was in the movies. As a host, Donita is very engaging and endearing. She can be really funny too—but, I suppose, it was really just a matter of finding a medium where she could be herself, American twang and all.

Rica, on the other hand, was closer to becoming a fallen star when her transition to sexy films didn't really bring the boost she thought it would to her career. I was surprised to see her doing well as a host, as I'd only seen her hosting for ASAP. She can carry herself well, and I think she's also a great addition to the talk show scene. I just hope she won't go down the predictable path and, like KC and Donita, find avenues in which she can truly shine as herself.

Boy Abunda

So maybe I've been on talk show mode lately, but while channel surfing late one night, I happened upon an episode of Boy Abunda's Bottom Line, in which he was grilling Iliac Diaz for god-knows-what reason. Bottom Line is Boy's current affairs show, where he has guest like Iliac, Dante Mendoza, and similar personalities of note. The concept is interesting: Boy holds a no-holds-barred interview with the guests, with questions from a pool of “bottom liners,” and then evaluates the interview after. However, based on what I saw during his interview with Iliac, the show risks unnecessary grilling and manipulative questioning. I mean, why ask Iliac how he feels about not being recognized like Efren Peñaflorida? Where did that come from?

The treatment was still new, however, so the show, in my opinion, is worth a second look.