But what did this show do to me for it to merit my seemingly eternal anger?
Flashback to two and half years ago during the pilot telecast of K! The 1 Million Videoke Challenge. I was among the first set of contestants along with Joey de Leon, Rosanna Roces, Michael V., Lhar Santiago, Arnold Clavio and Dingdong Dantes.
Since that was the initial episode, there were still technical glitches (everything has been perfected since then) and during the first few rounds, it was Arnold Clavio who was always being voted out by the judges – Dulce, Hajji Alejandro and Nanette Inventor (oh, I’ve only half-forgiven them). But lucky for Arnold, we always had to do a retake because of technical problems.
When we tried another time, I tripped over the lyrics of Sex Bomb (the others only had to do the easy refrain) and to my horror it was declared a good take. Good for everyone else – the technical crew and the other contestants, especially Arnold – but bad for me because I was the one eliminated. Oh, it should have been Arnold! It should have been Arnold! – I cried, stomping my feet. But the judges had made their decision. (I’m still tracking them down, one by one.)
The only consolation for me was the fact that the final winner – Joey de Leon – was generous enough to have shared his winnings with the rest of us.
He even delivered the checks to Rosanna and me at the Startalk studio. (Wasn’t it so nice of him?)
But then, the fact remains that in the history of K! The 1 Million Videoke Challenge, I was the first to be voted out and that couldn’t be erased anymore.
Then, sometime ago, I was invited back to K. Not on your life – I told Janine Piad Nakar of GMA 7. No! No! No!
Then, it dawned on me. Maybe this could be my chance to redeem myself. Besides, kaliwaan ang bayad (cash on the spot) – unlike in other shows where you have to wait for payday to get your talent fee.
When I returned to the set of K therefore, I had a higher objective. No, it wasn’t to win the top prize. It was much lower than that. To be taken out in the second round was enough. For as long as I wouldn’t be the first to be eliminated again, I would be very happy. (Usually, I have loftier dreams, but when it comes to singing, I know my limits– especially since I’ve never even been to karaoke bar in my whole life.)
But what if history repeats itself and I’m the first to go again? Well, if that happened, I was prepared to wreak havoc on the set, strangle the hosts and massacre the rest of the contestants along with the crew and the audience in the gallery.
To avoid bloodshed, I prayed really hard. Take me out any other time, but please, not in the first round–again! I would not be able to live that down.
When I entered the dressing room in the GMA 7 Broadway studios, I said hello to K hosts Jaya and Allan K and asked them who the other contestants were. Allan K said that one of them was Regine. Velasquez! –I cried out. No, Tolentino – Allan K corrected me.
Then, we began picturing a scenario with Regine Velasquez getting eliminated ahead of me. Imagine that happening to Regine Velasquez. "The day after, she probably would be slashing her wrist," laughs Allan.
Then, I met the rest of the contestants aside from Regine Tolentino: Chynna Ortaleza, Pekto, Phoemela Barranda, KC Montero and Susan Enriquez.
The game began with the category K Rewind — which meant that we had to sing an old song: Always Something There to Remind Me. We all looked toward the direction of Chynna. She was the youngest in the group and there was a slim chance she knew the song. True enough, she didn’t. And she had to be the first to sing. As predicted, she was the first to go (eliminated by lone judge Jimmy Santos). Goodbye, Chynna, I muttered under my breath, gloating a bit – and oh, so proud of myself.
At that point, I looked up to the heavens in a prayer of thanks, but saw the studio lights instead. That reminded me that the game wasn’t over. Well, what the heck. My only objective was not to be eliminated in the first round – and it happened. I was in near tears. I was ecstatic and jubilant. The people around me couldn’t understand my happiness – my joy of not having been taken out in Round 1. And I wouldn’t tell them. (And embarrass myself by telling them about what happened during my first time in that show? No way!)
But deep inside, I was deliriously overjoyed – so happy I felt I could die the next day. But not yet. There was still the next round.
(To be concluded)