Philippine Idol

I completely forgot that Philippine Idol was debuting on ABC 5 tonight. Fortunately (in this particular instance at least) I have neighbors who must be deaf since they always watch TV with the volume turned up so I was able to tune in.

What can I say. We are truly a country with a surplus of talent and grit, although alas, it is now an established fact that the two do not always go together. I am tempted to rant at ABC 5's cheap sensationalizing of the antics of the weirdos and circus characters that paraded themselves in front of Ryan, Pilita and Francis M. but there is no denying the fact that whether we like it or not, we do have those types of people in our midst. There is only so much TV people can do to egg people to display their worst behaviors so many of those spooky and loony capers we got to witness tonight must have been the (sur)real thing.

So here's what I learned from watching the maiden episode of Philippine Idol:

1. There are people who will go to such idiotic lenghts just to make an impression on the judges. All right, there were some who had great ideas (such as the guy who blew a trumphet to create a dramatic entrance). But the popular axiom was validated: what you lack in substance, you can make up (or attempt to, at least) with form. Put another way, if you do not have talent, put on an act and pray that the judges will not notice (fat chance!).

2. Not all hearing-impaired people are terrible singers. I was blown away by that girl with a hearing problem and who wore a hearing aid - she was such a revelation. I would have proclaimed her winner of the title right there and then. What I loved about this girl was that she did not make such a big deal out of her situation, which probably sent the television people into panic over the possibility of having a potentially dramatic situation going to waste. So ergo, they had to bring in her mother to provide the necessary drama. Another case of sensationalizing and patronizing handicapped people.

3. The two Ryans can not dance the hula even if their lives depended on it.

4. This country will never run out of sing along hosts and comedians. I still have to make up my mind whether this is necessarily awful, but I did note that many people's idea of "being different" is to clone Allan K and sing those novelty songs with a certain flair. Until tonight, I never would have thought that Di Ako Bakla and Spaghetting Pababa would be considered audition pieces for a major singing contest.

5. We are truly a bunch of lachrymose people who shed buckets at the drop of a hat. I have never seen such mass scale weeping in one venue outside of a funeral house. People wept whether they won or lost.

6. Television people will milk every possible human interest angle for the sake of ratings. Name it, they featured it: cross-culture lovers, handicapped people, cowboys, celebrity heirs, stage mothers, etc.

7. Ryan Cayabyab is going to be the Simon Cowell clone. Hmmm...at least Ryan has earned his stripes to be so snooty. Pilita Corrales has a wide range of facial expressions - and I must hand it to this great old dame for having the ability to keep up a straight face even in the midst of such idiocy.

8. Last but certainly the most important observation: despite all that craziness, yes, we do have genuine singing talents. Boy oh boy, we Filipinos can truly put all those Americans to shame!

Overall, not a bad start. Looks like Philippine Idol will be such a huge hit.