On Vice Ganda on Anti-Bullying Fiasco on ABS-CBN's Showtime

Vice Ganda revealed his bare (cosmetic make-up less) face on national television in the Advice-Ganda segment of ABS-CBN's noontime show Showtime last May 28, 2015 to advocate anti-bullying. The ABS-CBN comedian shared the best advice he can give this tormented heavily bullied woman in her school - to accept and love who she is and what she looks like then proceeded to removing his make up.


If you are interested to how the whole drama unfolded. Check out the video feature from ABS-CBN's Aquino & Abunda Tonight here:


On Bullying

Bullying is a serious issue faced by not just children but adults alike. Bullying lowers self-esteem and confidence. It generally tend to make people feel inferior and uncomfortable with themselves which stems out a slew of problems with the worst case scenario depression which could then result to suicide. Society (now aggressively) frowns upon the act of bullying which is just and subscribed to by most people. People who are considered advocates of anti-bullying are now considered champions of the oppressed... people we cheer upon. Anti-bullying statements are now much stronger when it is said by notable public figures like celebrities.

On Vice Ganda's Brand of Humor

Those who trouble themselves (or helpless in) watching anything Vice Ganda, you'll have a general idea of what is his brand of humor, poking fun at the expense of others. You don't have to stray away to find this in action, just watch episodes of ABS-CBN's Gandang Gabi Vice to see his humor in action - usually poking fun of how the audience member (the "punch line") physically looks like. Heck he sometimes question the way the "punchline" behaves (gestures and mannerism), thinks and expresses (talks) him or herself. One can say but it is comedy and is subjective... but we can say that bullies are merely doing the act of bullying because they find the bullied to be funny or humorous.







People seem to have forgotten that not long ago Vice made a very questionable (and highly frowned-upon) joke that insults both the size of people (being fat) and (platfully belittling) rape. Well, guess that was probably not "bullying" but a simply is a bad joke; so subscribing to that, can bullies be merely bad jokers?
On The Irony of Vice Ganda's Anti-Bullying Fiasco

We now come to full circle with Vice Ganda's brand of humor which is laughing at the expense of other and bullies tendency to use humor to poke fun of others. Do you see the irony of this whole anti-bullying fiasco in Showtime? Well guess, I am not the only one who noticed this as meme's about Vice Ganda removing his make-up to give an ironic but "sensible" advice started circulating the social networks.



It is always good to watch and listen to people taking the side of the oppressed, to advocate anti-bullying; but we also have to be aware that in order for one to be a credible person to give such uplifting statements, he should be found in to have (little to) no faults in relation to bullying. Vice Ganda's brand of humor walks that thin line that separates jokes from insults. The big question is after this fiasco, will Vice Ganda's brand of humor grows up to be more intelligent or be the same ruthlessly poking fun at the expense of others?

How about you guys? What do you think about this whole television drama promulgated by ABS-CBN, Showtime, and Vice Ganda? If you are you a fan then are these criticism unfounded or uncalled for? Share your thoughts on Vice Ganda on Anti-Bullying Statement on ABS-CBN's Showtime in the comments section below:

Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone: Insightful Relationship Advice Video Series from Ramon Bautista

I stumbled over Tales from the Friend Zone a few days ago, and was in for a treat when I started watching the Tales from the Friend Zone video series in RARivera's Youtube Video Channel. Tales from the Friend Zone is hosted by Ramon Bautista where he answer questions sent via Ramon Bautista's Formspring by everyday Filipinos trapped in the friend zone. The usually 5 - 7 minute long episode begins with the disclaimer "Ang susunod na programa ay hango sa tunay na buhay" ("the following program is based on true events") which later transitions to the show's title screen with the background OPM "Kaibigan lang Pala".

About Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone

Love advise Internet show for people trapped in the Friend Zone. Made in the Philippines by Ramon Bautista and RA Rivera.

Source: Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone Official FB Page

So why does Tales from the Friend Zone works (Each video currently has more than 100,000 pageviews and counting)? The video series slash love advice show is spoken in Filipino, so every Filipinos will feel right. Not to mention that almost everyone has (is, had) or knows someone who fell in love with someone but eventually got friend zoned putting them in crisis or utmost pain. Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone (TFTFZ) is just like any of the currently airing love advice radio shows here in the Philippines. Ramon Bautista's TFTFZ features one chosen letter which will be read by Ramon with a funny re-enactment showcasing their interpretation of the letter sender's crisis. The re-enactment ends as soon as Ramon finish reading the letter where he later gives his insightful advice like a "pro" hahaha. In the end, the chosen letter sender will received a baby-tee, which Ramon says that should be given to their potential future partner with various prints related with being friend-zoned. He ends it with "Na-Friend Zone ka nga, may t-shirt ka naman" ("You might got friend-zoned, but you got a free t-shirt"). Besides the re-enactment, the episode is funny because we can all somehow relate and although it seems pretty simple to our perspective, the conflict is very much real in the eyes of those who got friendzoned. Well, honestly I am watching and learning from this video series, since I think I've experienced one myself. This will arm me from being friendzoned, hahaha. Well. I'll leave you with the first three episodes from Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone. You can hit both the Subscribe button to get regular video updates from Ramon Bautista or Like their FB Page.

TALES FROM THE FRIEND ZONE episode 01
A story of deceit, passion, and murder


TALES FROM THE FRIEND ZONE episode 02
Mahal kita, kaso finriend zone mo ako


TALES FROM THE FRIEND ZONE episode 03
Do not strike when the iron is not yet hot


So how did you find the first three episodes of Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone? Share your thoughts and opinion in the comments section below:

For Philippine Television Networks Consideration: Create An All-Original Filipino Tokusatsu Series Seriously for the Younger Television Audience

An All-Original Filipino-Made and Produced Tokusatsu Series Taken Seriously for Younger Philippine Television Audience
By Christopher Aquino, January 17, 2012.

We are who we are thanks to the things we experienced in our lives. There are also some factors that influence and shapes us, one of which is the mass media. Mass media plays a very critical and important role in shaping the minds of the youth, the world's future leader. So as much as possible we need to protect them as our future may very well depend on them right? But what does the mass media, mainly he television provide our children? A regular weeknight primetime soap operas which regularly tackles convoluted plots with adult themes like infidelity, LGBT (Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual, and Transgender) suggestions and innuendos, betrayal, revenge, sex, and murder, which all are unsuited for the young minds of the children. In a way parents are also to blame for not adhering to the television show warnings and guidelines (Parental Guidance) provided by the MTRCB "effectively" placed before each show. I am no moralist or anyone so fixated with such extreme ideals that I actually suggest taking the fun out of the usual simple things. I am not against the removal of such shows for it is a source of entertainment for adults, but they have to also give something for the children to chew on. While to adults, adult themes are just part of the norm, to children they are a bizarre and sometimes very overwhelming matter. How many young niece, nephews, cousins, brothers, and sisters have asked while watching a show "Totoo ba yan?" or "Patay na ba talaga sya?"; how about you justifying a show "Wag kang maniniwala dyan, hindi yan totoo". Thus, the curiosity comes in, and when you have issues like betrayal, sex, revenge, and sexual innuendos then that is a deadly mix with a child's natural curiosity. As a matter of fact I liked my politically incorrect violent kids television shows (cartoons) back in the days, and that is probably one factor that made me who I am today, a geek, which is the new "cool" and "sexy" of the 21st century.

What's with a Tokusatsu series? Kids are different today, they now knew when someone is preaching on them, sometimes they become resilient of such cases. So when they are entertained by let's say a particular kid's show like a tokusatsu series their usual defenses against adults directly preaching them with good morals and right conduct will be down. Tokusatsu shows can subliminally educate children about various values and good morals like love for parents, respect, friendship, loyalty, optimism, hardwork, perseverance, and many more. So besides the rating, and potential merchandising empire created by a tokusatsu series, there is also a good cause to it.

I still can remember the times that I come home from school to watch my favorite cartoon shows in the afternoon, wake up early to catch that early morning kid's show, or impatiently wait until it's 5 o'clock in the afternoon to watch my favorite tokusatsu series every weekends. Speaking of tokusatsus, let's focus more on that, shall we? According to Wikipedia "Tokusatsu" is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects. Tokusatsu literally translates as "special filming" in Japanese. Back in the days, the three or four television companies IBC (Ch13), ABS CBN (Ch2), RPN (Ch9), and GMA (Ch7) features such forms of "kid-friendly" entertainment. Yup, it was a different era (the roaring 90's) that time, tv networks actually listens to the pulse of the mass by importing foreign shows abroad which go way back from the 80's. From American series to Japanese tokusatsus and animes, everyone had the option to what channel to go to to get their specific fix. I remember waiting for Ultraman and MagmaMan in ABS CBN (I wish my memory served me right), waiting for Maskman, MachineMan, Shaider, and Masked Rider Black on IBC 13, and Dragon Balls on RPN 9. They were every parents dream programming, to turn to one station which both entertain them and their children alike. I can remember father, taking the initiative to actually tune in to an episode of Masked Rider Black back in those days. It was a hot topic amongst boys when in school. "Did you see Robert Akizuki beat the crap out of that monster?!" is one of the sample lines one can hear from a group of classmates in our elementary school back then. But now, what?

Kamen Rider Black a testimony that Tokusatsu has a place in Philippine television scene

Although I had to give acknowledgement to the two major Philippine television network for coming out with television adaptation of some of Philippine comics most reverred superheroes, and creating the fantaserye (fantasy television series) Philippine programming category, they are not enough to entertain every generations of audiences. Let's say one generation had the opportunity to enjoy a super hero series like Pandakekoks, Kristala, Pintados, or Captain Barbel, but what about the generations that comes after that? Although I can also suggest for television networks to make all their classic super hero shoes available in home video format, but nothing beats the live primetime television version right? This is where Japan excels in providing entertainment for every generation of child audiences. They have the tokusatsu television tradition. This is where I am hoping the Philippine television networks could consider... to create an on-going all-original Filipino-made tokusatsu or super hero series.

TV Networks can pull this off. They already did create such special effect filled super hero television series like Panday, Captain Barbell, Darna, LastikMan, Flash Bomba, and Super Inggo to name a few. One of the most notable but negatively received series that a TV Network has ever come closed to making a Filipino tokusatsu is GMA Network's Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, the Philippine TV Network's version or rather a loosely based sequel of the popular 1984-1985 classic Japanese Metal Hero "Space Sheriff Shaider". Shaider was a beloved classic to those who grew up watching the popular metal hero series, so when Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, a 2007 series looks way inferior than the 1984 predecessor Space Sheriff Shaider that it draws inspiration from, it was only natural for the majority of the Shaider and generally tokusatsu fans spoiled with the top notched quality Japan has brought them to hate and complain about the unofficial Filipino sequel, Zaido. On the other hand, the newer generation of Filipino kids (Philippine televiewing mass) didn't mind it which is an obvious clear sign of the potential of a possible successful tokusatsu series. If only the TV Network listened to that community.

The problem with Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan is that it followed the traditional time slot of every Filipino soap opera. The Philippine television viewing public was presented with a 20-minutes-a-day primetime series every weeknights rather than following the trusted Japanese timeslot formula of one 30-40 minute episode a week format. Being only once a week could give more time for the production team to polish the visual and special effects used in every major monster fights, but since Zaido is a weeknights series then it is expected for the show to have a poorly applied special effects that even a nine twelve year old would notice as a fake. If only the TV Network has taken the tokusatsu tv series more seriously, and focused more on a niche market the kids. If they only dropped all the unnecessary soap opera-ish drama cliches uncalled for a superhero series, focusing more on convincing special effects, engaging plot, awesome fight sequences and creative monster and superhero designs, then the network might had something special in their hands back then. Unfortunately, Zaido just miserably fail.

Learning from the failure that is Zaido, I believe that there is money (for tV Networks) and entertainment (for the Philippine TV audience) to have in the super hero or tokusatsu genre that is taken seriously. It is time for the (now three) leading Philippine television networks (ABS CBN, GMA, and TV5) to invest and engage on a much more younger television audience by not only importing foreign shows, but by making an all-Filipino tokusatsu or super hero series in a one-hour time format presented on a once a week basis (preferably weekends). If the TV Networks followed the Japanese kind of tokusatsu TV Series formula, then they can create a new niche, a loyal following, and amoney making merchandise. Appealing to kids, Japanese tokusastu series like the Kamen Rider and the Super Sentai created this unique audience where they can successfully market the various merchandise like plush toys, collectible cards, action figures, and video games related to the series that kids loved to watch. So imagine, if a Philippine TV Network does create something as popular and phenomenal like an annual series similar to what a Kamen Rider or Super Sentai series is like, then they don't only have a competitive show with good ratings which brings moe advertising for them, but it can also bring them new money making machinery. Tokusatsu shows are presented on a once a week showing basis for it gives the series more lifespan which is good for any of its merchandise. Just imagine how many toy merchandise can a company make under such titles, and repeat that same success year after year if they established this unique market. As long as the TV Network takes the genre seriously, then their audience will take them seriously. In a way, they are also training these young audience to become loyal followers which will itself sustain the new TV genre for as long as the company can keep doing it.

Hopefully the Philippine TV Networks can consider making an all-Filipino tokusatsu series seriously even if it is aimed at a younger audience.