TV5 cancels Sharon Cuneta’s show, GMA Network vs. Sarah Lahbati row getting more nasty

TV5 has cancelled Megastar Sharon Cuneta’s talk show “Sharon: Kasama Mo Kapatid” which did not air on Monday on its 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. slot. Shown instead was the doomsday film “2012” and the premiere telecast of a new game show “Jeepney Jackpot.”

The Megastar is obviously unhappy with the cancellation of her program on the Kapatid network. But we have yet to hear a comment from her or from Viva Entertainment headed by Vic Del Rosario, who is now Sharon’s business manager.

A source from TV5 said that a new format replacement show has been presented to Boss Vic but we have to hear yet from Sharon, who went on an out-of-country trip to celebrate her birthday last Sunday, January 6, the day before her talk show on TV5 did not broadcast.

What a sad day for the Megastar but we hope that a new show will be forthcoming for her, something that befits her stature.

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We read a news item on the internet which reports that the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) are urging the Muslims in the Soccksargen Region to watch the movie “Thy Womb.”

According to the news item, an endorsement letter was issued by NCMF provincial director Atty. Guialil R. Kanda in General Santos City last Friday which was asking support for the said film which he said fitting vehicle to foster respect and understanding of the faith and beliefs of other people.

Kanda said that Thy Womb presents the other side of what others think or perceive of people in Mindanao. “Thy Womb,” directed by Brillante Mendoza and featuring Nora Aunor, showcased the life of people in Tawi-Tawi, including their colourful rituals and ceremonies.

While the story is focused on the story of the Badjao couple (played by Nora Aunor and Bembol Roco), the movie also tackled not only the issue of religion but also of being a Filipino.

The movie also showed why we should nurture our culture as a people, which is part of our identity as a nation. The news report also said that our Muslim brothers should support Thy Womb because it presents the culture and tradition in Mindanao.

The Metro Manila Film Festival officially ended yesterday and we wish good luck to those who are hoping that they could still catch Thy Womb in theatres. When Thy Womb opened during Christmas Day, it did not attract an audience, thus its earnings on Christmas Day did not even reach a million pesos in total gross. This was the reason why Thy Womb was pulled out in many theatres after just the second day of the festival. From a total of 44 theaters on Christmas day, it went down to 27 then to 17.

After Thy Womb won seven awards, including best actress for Nora and best director for Direk Dante, there was sudden interest in the film but sadly not all theatre owners are willing to take it in because of low revenues.

Had the public watched Thy Womb and not some inane comedy film, it probably would have more legs at the box-office and could probably still be showing until now, even in just a few theatres. Now that Thy Womb is nowhere to be seen, they want to see it. How sad, really sad. 

Incidentally, Thy Womb will be shown at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, the oldest art museum in the United States on January 24.

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The row between Sarah Lahbati and GMA Network is getting hotter and hotter but is also getting uglier and uglier. In a new series of tweets done by Sarah, the embattled Starstruck Ultimate Female Survivor is accusing Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar of corruption.

Well, Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar is no small fry in the GMA Network Inc. She is the daughter of GMA Network president Atty. Felipe Gozon. She is also an executive of GMA Films.

Sarah said it was Ms. Annette who talked to her, together with Arsi Baltazar of GMA Artist Center, for her to sign up with ICONS Management Agency, which is reportedly not a subsidiary of the GMA Network as Sarah alleges in her tweet.

Sarah’s tweets were in reaction to a news report that appeared in Hot TV, the Sunday afternoon showbiz talk show of GMA 7, which she claimed presented a one-sided report of the issue that she has with GMA Artist Center.

She claims that Hot TV did not even bother to get her side of the story but aired their report just the same. But according to Butch Raquel of the GMA Network Corp Com department, Hot TV tried to get Sarah’s side but did not get a reply from her handler.

Sarah continues to be defiant against her home network and from the looks of it, she is not keen on stepping on the break. The Kapuso station, on the other hand, is also standing firm on its ground that Sarah violated her contract and should suffer the consequences of her actions.

But don’t you think that despite the brickbats they’ve  thrown at each other, still the most logical thing for Sarah and GMA Network to do is to sit down and talk? They should try to thresh out their problem on the discussion table, not through media or Twitter where they trade tirades.

It is not nice to see a giant network like GMA (which professes to be a Christian station) bully a starlet (sorry Sarah but with the way you reacted, you are still in a starlet level and not a star that you probably think you are). Don’t you know the saying, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”?

As for GMA Network, if they feel that Sarah is throwing a tantrum, they should have handled it the professional way – talk with her privately, not bully her.