Et tu, Bayani?

Curtain-raisers:

* That there’s something beautiful between Jericho Rosales and Cindy Kurleto is no longer a secret. Neither do Jericho and Cindy make any attempt to hide it. Well, what for? They like each other and that’s all that matters, isn’t it? Besides, they make such a handsome pair, don’t they? Bagay na bagay sila. Ask Cindy’s neighbors (one of them a Senator) at an exclusive subdivision in Quezon City and they’ll confirm that, yes, Jericho often pays Cindy a visit. Openly, ha, and not on the sly.

* If you happen to hitch a ride with me (although I doubt very much if you will... I’m a lousy driver, you know!) and wonder what that invigorating fragrance is, filling up the whole Honda Civic, don’t think it’s your usual car freshner (which I never use because my doctor friend said it’s bad for the lungs). What I’m using, attached to the car aircon outlet, is Vaporin Air Sanitizer, made by the famous Dr. S. Wong, which has medicinal effects. It emits a eucalyptic fragrance that leaves you feeling cool and soothed. It was Moomba Restaurant owner-manager Robert Yu who gave me some samples of Vaporin (which I also use in my room). Robert’s family is the exclusive distributor of Vaporin. (For inquiries, call Benny Orosco at the sales department, tel. no. 801-11-41.)

* Meanwhile, some corrections: In Funfare last Saturday, Paco Arespacochaga’s wife was wrongly identified as Tiny Fernandez; actually, she’s Tiny Ambrosio. The couple is happily settled in San Diego, California. Also, Bunny Paras’ first name was misspelled "Bubby". Bunny and her daughter Moira are living in L.A. where Moira’s father, Mo Twister together with his girlfriend Janette McBride are also staying. Plus, Jennifer Connelly won an Oscar Best Supporting Actress (for A Beautiful Mind) in 2002, and not Best Actress (winner was Halle Berry for Monster’s Ball) as wrongly reported in Conversations.

* * *

ABS-CBN has just slapped MTB hosts John Estrada and Willie Revillame (but excluding Randy Santiago) with a week-long suspension (effective yesterday until the 21st) in reaction to complaints from televiewers against the two hosts’ green jokes and sex-laced gestures.

As I was saying, the suspension should serve as a warning and eye-opener to other TV hosts who have lately been dropping "unfit-for-TV" remarks and comments and making fun of their (especially) female co-stars.

My friend Prosy Montesines, PR lady of Fishing Village Restaurant (along Roxas Boulevard, right across the US Embassy), is calling the attention of particularly Bayani Agbayani (also an MTB co-host) for his antics on the ABS-CBN sitcom -Ok, Fine, Whatever. Here’s Prosy’s letter (which Bayani should take in a positive light):

Dear Ricky:

I am writing to you to express my concern about comedian Bayani Agbayani. I believe I owe it to families, particularly the children who watch OK, Fine, Whatever, to bring this matter to your attention. Your column can help enlighten movie actors and actresses on their responsibility to the viewing public.

Bayani’s rise to fame was something I used to be happy about. It is because I thought his success story could inspire a lot of struggling and ordinary looking young men who dream of improving their status in life via stardom.

Alas, Bayani seems to be robbing OK, Fine, Whatever of its reputation as a family-oriented show. His comic antics are sometimes distasteful and overbearing. For instance, does he think it was amusing for televiewers to watch him urinating into a gasoline tank? Or, in a scene with Bella Flores, gyrating half naked in a suggestive manner?

There have also been times when he is cavalier in his treatment of co-star Nikki Valdez. His insults always border on the personal. One time, my friends and I were turned off by a scene where Bayani got physical with the poor girl, uttering something like, "O sige, bastusan na!" In another episode, he pushed the helpless Nikki in the face. We thought that that must be a spur-of-the-moment act, not a part of the script.

The sitcom sometimes gets too personal in view of the fact that it uses gossip items about the personal lives of the lead players and the guests as a come-on. Even if it is only a comedy show, it is a primetime television show whose viewers include mothers and children. (By the way, there was a time when even guest Dina Bonnevie sort of berated Nikki by asking why a man like Troy Montero could fall for her. Such dialogue – whether it was scripted or not – was totally uncalled for as it alluded to the personal life of the young actress.)

There is a new breed of comedians (namely Edu Manzano, Smokey Manaloto, Dennis Padilla, Marvin Agustin, Vhong Navarro and Janno Gibbs) who can make people laugh without resorting to slapstick, rudeness and obscenity. If Bayani intends to grow as a fine funnyman, he should take good care of his career by minding his responsibility to the viewing public and his fellow workers.

Thank you. God bless.

Congrats, Jessica and Howard!

I want to congratulate GMA’s Jessica Soho (one of my favorite hard-hitting TV journalists) and Howie Severino (of I-Witness) who are among the winners of the Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards. Jessica has been elevated to the Club’s Broadcast Journalism Hall of Fame together with STAR Publisher Maximo Soliven, STAR columnist Teddy Benigno, among others. The youngest to have achieved that honor, Jessica had been twice awarded by the Rotarians as Broadcast Journalist of the Year (in l989 and l990).

The recent awards rites was marred by a little incident onstage when Amando Doronilla, also one of the awardees, suffered a mild stroke. "I saw him slump into the shoulder of Belinda (Olivarez-Cunanan, another awardee) who was standing beside him," recalled Jessica. "But he’s okay now."

Howie has been twice a finalist in the New York Festivals, for Best Documentary in 2000 and Best News Coverage for Television in 2002. Jessica won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Investigative Reporting (for her Kamao feature in I-Witness) in 2000.

I should also congratulate Jessica on her recent promotion as Acting News Director of GMA, even if until now she’s saying, "I’m not sure if I really want the job." It’s an herculean job, with more than 300 reporters under her. "Very stressful," said Jessica who’s not setting aside her "baby", the investigative show Jessica Soho Reports which is celebrating its second anniversary soon. "I enjoy being where the action is," added Jessica who has risked life and limb in pursuit of a story.

Asked to name her three (actually, there are dozens!) most memorable coverages, Jessica mentioned her daring foray into Afghanistan after its conquest by the American forces, her trip to Israel at the height of the suicide bombings and, of course, her probe on the Spratlys (remember when she was reported missing for a few days, feared to have vanished in a plane crash?).

Jessica is so devoted – I should say "married" – to her profession that she has remained fancy-free. Now, what else (besides her personal life) has she sacrificed for her career?

Three things, according to Jessica:

l. She has very few friends (due to lack of time);

2. She has lost her privacy (being a celebrity in her own right – a superstar in her field, no less!); and

3. She couldn’t take care of herself.

To Jessica and Howie, keep up the good work – and keep winning those awards!

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