Breaking down the stereotypes

The way I saw it, showbiz in the Philippines was as misunderstood as it could get. Given that I was someone who had never really watched local television, or any kind of television show for that matter, I was rather quick to judge and believe in the stereotypical showbiz personality. But, in my defense, my conclusions were based on the stories I would hear through my friends and by the articles I would browse through on the Internet. I just called it the way I heard and read it, nothing more really.

One of the several opinions or conclusions that I had come up with was that these showbiz celebrities were treated like royalty by the masses. However, the clincher is that I also thought that they truly believed that they were a cut above everybody else which was quite troubling. I was once told that a showbiz personality caused a scene in a restaurant and threatened to have management fire the poor employee who was serving. Reasons for the outburst differed depending on who I heard it from but some said it was because there wasn’t enough ketchup on their food while others said it was because the waiter gave them a table near the kitchen. Heck, maybe it was because the Coke can they got wasn’t shiny enough. In the heat of the moment, the trademark line, “di mo ba alam kung sino ako?” was supposedly used as well. It was a typical tale of someone with a bad case of superiority complex.

These stories were obviously exaggerated but either way, there was always enough detail to form some sort of opinion. Here was this well-known person who surely had been living a life that was much more comfortable than majority of Filipinos yet still demands special treatment because they saw themselves as superior. It didn’t matter to me what caused or influenced them to act in that way because my opinion was formed: It doesn’t matter who you are, we are all equal regardless of popularity or public stature. Actually, it would be nice to see those have been blessed with good fortune to be more patient and generous towards others.

To make matters worse, other stories I heard about them was just how comfortable their lives could be. I would be told that all they had to do was sit in front of a camera for a couple of hours and they would leave the studio millions of pesos richer. They would also just have to work three to four times a week but get paid a billion times what the average Filipino would earn in a year. I had always figured that they earned a lot but getting a check with close to ten zeroes in it just to sit in front of a camera blew my mind!

To add insult to injury, during times of nationwide calamity, there would be pictures posted on the Internet of celebrities vacationing far away in a luxurious resort being attended to by a team of helpers. Stories of them partying their lives away as they make it seem like they are indifferent to the current living conditions of majority of their fellow Filipinos. I had imagined how tens of millions of Filipinos worked day in and day out to buy themselves enough food to get them through the week. A little sensitivity on their part might have gone a long way, I thought.

I have to admit, these stories that I heard were bad. They painted an image of the showbiz industry that made me frown upon it. Whenever I’d see a showbiz personality, I would tend to box them into that same stereotype that I created in my head.

With all that said, I recently took the most unexpected turn in my life as I found myself hurling headfirst into the same industry that I did not think much of. Here I am in the midst of my first acting project, neck-deep in showbiz. Most importantly, as my immersion in this new environment went on, I couldn’t help but notice how wrongly I had stereotyped this industry. The misconceptions I had created were so far fetched that they would seem laughable now.

The first misconception that was torn down fairly quickly was thinking that working in this industry is an easy job. I was dead wrong! To begin with, the hours are unheard of! It is true that taping days are usually done just thrice a week but only because it is physically impossible to do more! One full taping day will last almost 24 hours. During the off-days, I’m busy reading through the scripts and occasionally visiting the studio to promote the show. All in all, you have nearly 80 hours of work in a week. There was a time when I had taping on a Friday that ended at dawn of the next day but I had a shoot at ten so I went home to shower and left right away to catch the next project. Even writing down and reading my schedule feels tiring already.

Aside from the work hours, I realized that acting, singing or dancing are all crafts that require talent. On top of that, they require a lot of hard work and dedication to master. The discipline that goes into trying to perfect their craft is comparable to any other sport or job. Stock traders need to meticulously analyze reports for hours without end, athletes need to train and take care of themselves every second of the day and with actors, singers and dancers, the amount of effort needed to stay on top is just the same. The work ethic needed to balance the hours, staying healthy and improving your craft is no easy feat but they manage to do it and I will soon have to learn how to do the same.

However, the best thing about the whole work environment is that I do not have to learn on my own. The people I’ve met in this industry have been more willing to lend a helping hand to someone new. I felt like they have made an effort to make me feel comfortable and show me the ropes that I otherwise would have never been able to figure out on my own. They taught me the terms used, how I should prepare for each workday and all the other little details that helped make my transition smoother were what I picked up from the people that I met.

That would be my most important realization. The industry is misunderstood because of how they are portrayed and framed. But, in reality, it’s just like any other work place. It’s comprised of people who are dedicated to their job and have the passion to persevere through its hardships and succeed in what they are doing. At the same time, the trademark Filipino values of being hospitable and generous are not lost. They are willing to lend a helping hand especially to those who need it.

To sum up my whole experience in showbiz so far, it’s been a journey of realization and awareness. I’ve met great people with values that I share. More importantly, I’ve come across an environment where I find myself having to learn so much. The demands of the work in this industry has me on my toes every second and dares to me to improve myself as fast as I can.

At the end of the day, I’ve decided to let go of the horror stories I heard about the industry. That is not what I have seen. The stories I’ve heard and the articles I’ve read were just images conjured by people that follow the stereotype of the industry. For all I know they could be made up and untrue. What I have seen is the complete opposite. Again, I’m just calling it the way I see and experience it, nothing more.