I also stressed in that column that it is necessary for TV people to be more careful with their grammar and pronunciation because we don’t want to raise a whole nation of people speaking in the wrong tenses and using wrong idiomatic expressions.
But more important than teaching them correct grammar, I think TV people should first try to impart proper values to young viewers. (So that they’ll also be aware of other values – aside from those "value" meals offered by McDonald’s and Jollibee.)
• A person on television, for instance, should never make fun or put down people belonging to another race. A few years ago, a female noontime variety show host who is really sweet, nice and basically a responsible person made this slip of the tongue on the air and referred to the Chinese as "Chekwa." The following day, the network got a letter of complaint from the officers of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
When an Indian beauty was crowned Miss Universe middle of last year, one of my co-hosts in Startalk (I no longer recall which one) made a really harmless remark about body odor (in reference to Miss India) and within the hour, the studio was barraged with angry phone calls from the members of the Indian community in Manila.
This only proves that people belonging to other race can be very sensitive and touchy and that racial slur should never be committed by people on television. (And aren’t we so onion-skinned ourselves? Remember how violently we reacted when that American sports commentator called us by a derogatory name at the height of the Little League scandal?)
• Among us Filipinos, we also have this prejudice against people from other regions. And whether or not we appear on television, I think it is best for us not to be regionalistic so that we can finally be united as a nation.
• It is also a no-no for TV people to speak ill of other religions. Mercifully, I have yet to hear a Born-Again Christian make fun of the Blessed Mother on television. Praise God!
• Male TV hosts are also well-advised not to make chauvinistic remarks against women. You see, feminist groups in this country are very vigilant and they can give you trouble. Besides, women really deserve respect at anytime – anywhere. I just don’t know if the same rule applies to Senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Miriam Defensor Santiago. Maybe we can ask the people who went to EDSA. Or perhaps – now that the political turmoil in the country is over – maybe we can already go easy on them and just remember what they did during the impeachment trial against Erap when the next elections come around.
• Never, never make fun of another person’s physical imperfections, defect or deformity. I’m sure this will be difficult for us Filipinos who were raised on a brand of comedy that pokes fun at any person with an elongated chin (Babalu), dilated eyes (Doro de los Ojos) or bungal (Chichay).
At least there’s one comedian I know who doesn’t make fun of other people’s physical traits: Allan K. Sure this comedian regularly draws laughter by making his own nose an object of ridicule. But at least, it’s HIS nose and not somebody else’s.
• One important lesson in life I picked up came from watching a pre-martial law program in the old ABS-CBN. It was an early evening variety show called On With The Show. One of the hosts of this program was the then very young Mitch Valdes (although she was still known that time as Maya).
In one segment, a male studio contestant was called in to take part in a parlor game. When Mitch asked the contestant the standard question, "Anong ginagawa mo sa buhay?" the contestant replied, "jeepney driver lang po." To this Mitch responded, "Huwag mo namang ikahiya ang pagiging jeepney driver mo. Ang mahalaga, marangal ang hanapbuhay mo."
To this day, I still replay that scenario in my mind. Here was Mitch Valdes – convent-bred and all and at the peak of her career. Yet, she didn’t even make any joke or insulting remark about another person’s position in life – even if that person practically asked for it by being ashamed of his being a jeepney driver.
Well, that was one valuable lesson I learned at that young age. Never belittle another person’s station in life.
And I’m happy to say that I learned it from a much-maligned medium called television.