One minute and 10 seconds… that’s exactly how long I was featured in the GMA7 late night news and public affairs program, 100% Pinoy.
Last March, I wrote in this blog about guesting in the DZMM Tele-radyo show Sikap Pinoy and about my observation that I’ve appeared/guested in different programs of 4 local TV Channels, namely Channel 2, 5, 9 and 13. And that the only channel that I haven’t appeared yet is GMA7. And because of this, I included another item in my Bucket List or 101 Things To Do Before I Die, that is to be featured or appear in all of the 5 local TV networks. I pondered that this is very doable considering that there’s only one channel left for me to appear on for me to accomplish this. Two months, later, I received an e-mail from Ms. Rica Torres, a researcher of the GMA7 program, 100% Pinoy. Their May 15 episode is about competitions that are participated by Filipinos and a segment will focus on the Filipinos who joined different competitions and are now leading successful lives . Since I won the grandfinals of Battle of the Brains and its ASEAN Championship in 1997, they considered to include me in the segment.
Delight is an understatement when I first read that e-mail from Ms. Rica. This means that another item on my Bucket List will be crossed of. So the interview and taping date was set on May 7 and will be done in my office and in my house. All my staff were excited about this (up until now, I don’t know what’s the big fuzz about appearing on TV), it is very rare for our office to have this kind of atmosphere, it only happens every December when Christmas bonuses are distributed.
Then Thursday, May 15. The weekly conference call I have with my boss is scheduled every Thursday. I am worried that this week’s conference call will be as long as the previous week wherein I stayed in the office until 11:45p.m. Lady Luck may have smiled at me and I received an e-mail from my boss saying that our weekly call is cancelled. So nothing will be in the way for me to be at home and watch the show.
The only instance that the our TV will be tuned to a local network is when I’m watching the news either late at night or early in the morning, aside from that its all AXN, National Geographic, Discovery, Starmovies and HBO on the boob tube. But on the evening of the 15th of May, its GMA7 on the screen.
With much anticipation, my family and I were stucked on the TV. I am not familiar with the Channel 7’s program schedule, all I know is that 100% Pinoy is after Saksi. When we opened the TV, its still Regine Velasquez’ show, after a few minutes its already the late news program, Saksi. Then the show we’ve been waiting for a week.
The show started by featuring a grandmother who joins Barangay level beauty contests. Followed by a young lass who constantly compete in local singing contests. Then Regine Velasques’ interview was up next. I had a bad feeling that the segment that will feature me will be extremely short when Asia’s Songbird interview didn’t last for more than 4 minutes.
Then my segment came. It showed me showing some books and tinkering with my laptop with my daughter, RP. Then they showed my trophies and then me, answering two questions (out of the several that were asked during the interview). Then its over. I timed it, and my awaited GMA7 appearance is just one minute and 10 seconds.
I am not really disappointed that I was shown for a little over one minute, like I said, what’s the big fuzz about appearing on TV. I think the topic is too broad and in fact, I feel sorry for the producers and writers to cramp everything in a one-hour TV show, less the airing time for the commercials. Kudos to the producers and writers of 100% Pinoy, specially to the Segment Producer, Eric (sorry I forgot the surname, but I do remember he’s from City College of Manila and lives in Alabang) and Rica Torres, the Researcher. If not for them, I will not be be able to cross another item in my Bucket List or 101 Things To Do Before I Die.
I remember reading a quote from the famous artist, Andy Warhol. He once said that everybody will be famous for fifteen minutes…we’ll I am looking for my remaining 13 minutes and 50 seconds! National Geographic or Discovery Channel here I come.
