A Nation of Entertainers

March 24, 2010

I rarely watch the local channels. I’m thankful that we have cable. If others would be snoring like a truck, watching Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet, History or Biography channels, I’d be wide awake, glad that there are still worthwhile shows my eyes and mind could feast on. If our local channels won’t stop airing telenovelas, showbiz talk shows, copycat reality and talent shows, and horrendous noontime shows, I’ll stick to cable. Having these kinds of shows is quite alarming if you think about the kids. They grow up wanting to be a celebrity instead of a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher or an engineer or a scientist.

Is it just me or do most Filipinos dream of becoming famous entertainers? Singer, actress, dancer, talk show host, disc jockey, rock star (and the list goes on) – whether it’s on the radio, the small screen or the big screen, it seems everybody wants his or her own 15 minutes of fame. But sometimes I can’t blame them – poverty could push one to find quick and easy ways to make money, and it seems the easiest way is through penetrating the entertainment industry. With reality and talent shows aplenty, now anyone can be a celebrity. What they don’t realize is that fame is short-lived unless you’re a prodigy like Mozart whose music, after more than 200 years, still captivates and moves people. And even if you get paid millions and millions of pesos to gyrate in skimpy clothes or to cry your eyes dry or to sing your lungs out until your voice runs out, if you don’t know how to manage your money, you’ll be back to that old, dilapidated shack in no time.

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