Here We Go Again

AND THE MAIN protagonist, as usual, is Tito Sotto, a musician, comedian, on and off host of the daily noontime variety show, “Eat Bulaga” and the Senate President of the Philippines.

            This time around, though, the other main cast in the narrative is a fellow comedian, a former politician and erstwhile emcee of Senator Sotto’s TV show bailiwick.

            Prior to this, it was Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa who was the adversary of Tito Sen on the former’s statements that the Senate isn’t a noontime show where what are being taken are all gimmicks after the chamber prexy delivered his speech that Bato’s appearance at tri-comm on the flood control project scandals is just a “gimmick.”

            In this latest rigmarole, Sotto’s nemesis has accused the good senator of a lot of aspersions although not concretely mentioned in his digital or Facebook complaint sheet which I find immaterial in the discussion.

            Whether Tito’s accusations against Anjo are personal, defamatory, slanderous or libelous don’t matter, in more ways than one, in my discourse or Yllana’s counterattacks aren’t material in the debate.

            I don’t even care about the wellsprings of Anjo’s complaints against his colleague in the entertainment industry or where his threats are coming from.

            Or if they matter at all, they deserve another column.

            Here’ are Yllana’s rants: “Tito Sen, ang dami mo na naman na pinalabas…’yung mga bayaran mo na mgavlogger. Gusto mo i-reveal ko na mula2013 kung sino po ‘yung kabit niyo? Sige lang, banatan n’yo lang ako at marami akong ilalabas (You have come out so much against me…from your paid vloggers/bloggers. You want me to reveal your paramours since 2013? Go ahead, criticize me and I will come out so much about you).”

            Here’s Sotto’s response to Anjo: “Huwag n’yong pansinin (at nagpapapansin) ‘yan. Pati ba naman shiwbiz (estet) at paninira, papatulan natin. Itaas natin ang level ng (Don’t mind him–he’s just courting/drawing attention. Do we still mind showbiz and character assassination/mudslinging. Let’s raise the level of (Senate President).”

            There are other issues Yllana came out against Tito Sen but in this discussion, I will dismiss them to focus on the misdirected and miseducated perceptions of the two celebs who are, unfortunately, major influencers and stars in the mass media and politics even if Anjo is inactive in public office at the moment.

            Yllana’s reactions on his object of aggression are definitely political.

            It is precisely a daily and common social practice of people in the quotidian who are pushed to the wall and need something as self-defense to hegemonize.

            Where in the world are these two personalities when show business is a field as serious, vital, staid and socially structured as any other?

            If one closely scrutinizes the statements of Sotto, he is condescending his own profession in the biz where he started to build a name for himself as a stepping stone to a political, or if you may, public service career.

            Show business is such a noble profession if only to serve the interest of the people—to liberate them from the chains of oppression, ignorance, exploitation etc. by presenting truths in any spectacle on TV, radio, theater, film, music, multimedia etc.

            Showbiz isn’t only entertainment it is an art and a utilitarian medium as well.

            What makes it low, trash and cheap are toilet rumors, distorted facts, escapist fares if not lies, feudal values in workplaces, complacency etc.

            Here’s the caveat: Anjo said, he is just bluffing, after all. 

            What a politicizing, polarizing and concealing tactic of real issues?