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A BIASED PERSPECTIVE OF JOEY AND WILLIE’S CLASH

I picked up the issue from SsubZero’s Multiply Blog last week. Well I grew up with Eat Bulaga. So by now you know what my personal bias is. But in this issue, no matter how I tried to be as objective as possible (and God knows I did), still my logic and common sense persuades me to prefer the teaser over the cheater. Like every Filipino who watched this noontime melodrama I for one has also the intention to be heard (thank God I have a blog!). Of course, I would not justify any wrongdoing committed by the two controversial hosts for they should be responsible enough to maintain the decency and niceties of their respective shows. Yet in every angle I turn to, Willie Revillame cannot be the person we can call sincere and innocent. Here are some of the reasons why:

Let us first recall what happened on that faithful day of August 20 when he forgot that not all Filipinos are dumb and blind.

And since you tube has already picked up a large number of die hard fans from both shows, a Youtuber uploaded his theory explaining the incidence in Wowowee. Here is his theory:

As you have seen in the video, his explanation was these:

Let me put it this way in a very practical light:

1. The number zero was not in the 3rd layer of the film but on the second layer just behind (or at the bottom) of the cover layer (outer cover) as you can very well see when the host pulled the film, the number two were not shown. Logically if the number 2 would be on the 2nd layer just behind the outer layer, wouldn’t the host take it not from behind the wheel but on the front instead since the number zero is blocking the host from getting the layer (with number 2) from behind the wheel?

2. If all wheels have zero as their base numbers, wouldn’t the segment be prone to more mistakes which are actually avoided in every possible way (to remove any kind of doubt) since it is a game show that involves a lot of money. Bottom-line, no matter how easy and fast they are to switch, it is not safe from public scrutiny and suspicion because of the existence of two numbers in one wheel. You will never see a lottery ball, a Bingo puck nor a billiard ball with a two numbers on either side of them because that would be crazy and ostentatiously careless. Whether you have or does not have any intention to malign the contestants or to cheat, then start with the materials. No one will believe you when the numbers speak for it self. It is actually Revillame’s hand, which did all the talking.

3. With having hundreds of employed staffs starting from the director down to the utilities, isn’t it weird that they would prefer comfort over accuracy. I mean how lazy are they in switching the numbers from the 12 wheels? Even a 5-year-old kid can do the task for ten minutes or less. Now what is the logic of preferring ease and comfort over integrity and accuracy? Don’t tell me that those hundred plus of staff in ABS CBN compound have their “Pinoy” mediocrity in full operation in such a widely viewed global program in TFC? Now you tell me if my theory is hard to comprehend, even for a 5 year old?

But because of these arguments, ABS CBN throughout the controversy just mimed and chose only to feature and sensationalize issues that works best for their company’s interest (Read my previous article here) until someone from the other network noticed the irregularities and began teasing the Wowowee host for his lack of explanation on the said issue. The battle was fought by the accused not on the basis of “media responsibility” but on alleged ad hominem attacks against him. Watch and see his ranting:

The host as you can see is clearing up his eyes with no visible tears that can be seen trickling down from his cheeks. Is it because his fingers can absorb tears before they actually flow or is it because there is no such lachrymal secretions coming out from his eyes? Joey on the other hand, was given an ample time in the other show to answer Willie’s accusations. Here are Joey’s claims:

Now both have said their piece and for an intelligent viewer and comparing the two coins, I think Joey De Leon only answered the accusations of Revillame. But as Wowowee fans always claim, He was only provoked. Now in comparison with the two videos of Joey and Willie, why is it that Willie is wrong?

1. Willie was not provoked. Though it is very obvious that Joey De Leon was indirectly pertaining to Wowowee’s scandal which first exploded on you tube, yet he maintained that he never mentioned his name. Only stupid charlatans would never get what Joey is always re-iterating on TV, but he never dropped names, which is technically not-commendable for libel or defamation. True for the Pinoy axiom of “why feel guilty when you’re not the culprit?”

2. Willie should have never settled the score on National TV and the world. Both shows have different followers and viewers, and to rant in front of the camera is just plain show-off and a magnet for suspicion. He has better options than flaring up in front of the audience. He could have just stayed calm and quiet, or resorted to counter teasing. But looking very clearly on the video, Revillame cannot in anyway contain his emotions (fake or reel) even in front of a live audience and started dropping names which is very unbecoming of a TV host since his name was never mentioned by De Leon.

3. Out of the issue. Revillame’s angst over De Leon was stretched to an unexpected level of vulgarity when he mentioned some previous legal battles of the De Leon and of his own which is very far from the real issue. There is no need to drag and divert from one issue to another. The explanation why he came about with two set of numbers in the wheel is more acceptable and logical than rant, drag and whine about issue that is out of the question. As the saying goes, “Morons talks about people, Smart People focuses on issues”

4. Why now? Why did ABS CBN only reacted today? Is it because if not for the influence of the rival show on other’s viewers they wouldn’t lift a finger? The mere fact that there was a mistake, the show should have explained it immediately to cast off any further doubts on the show. Though it is given that there is a possibility that the incidence was just a plain glitch, but prolonging the curiosity of the people and letting them hang on the issue only fuel more doubts than actual convincing.

I never read any showbiz websites on purpose except for instances when the need for information when some controversial issues arise or if I just stumbled upon it on my free time. But the google search returned so many results of this alleged scam that letting other opinions go without digesting them is not my style. Among the opinions of the entertainment writers, this has got to be the most significant that I read. I quote form Alfie Lorenzo’s column in Abante Online entitled “Tama Si Joey”

But from all the rantings of Willie Revillame, the viewers still opted to watch Eat Bulaga as evidenced by the ratings. Maybe public opinion is manifested on their preferences. See the rating clash below:

As of this writing, further developments happened on National Television regarding this Issue:

Now this issue is not just a simple mistake. This is actually a national issue. Why? Because people nowadays turn to game shows for their last resort to hope, to better their lives or hoping that luck may somehow land on their palms while joining such contests. If shows like these, which claim that they are pro-poor, still manages to cheat, then there is no demarcation line between our Government and Wowowee.Eat Bulaga has been the authority for game shows because defunct game shows from the pasts only patterned their segments from it. They have the right to say and comment because they feel that they too are responsible in knowing the truth precisely for the reason that the issue could also ripple its way towards them, i.e., people believing that any game show, even Eat Bulaga, can really rig a jackpot portion.

With all the anger and seemingly fake appeal of Revillame to the audience, he never really said anything about why the numbers ended on the same wheel. Up to now, the bulk of the controversy is still at the weight of the show’s shoulders. Filipinos are not anymore dumb and numb from publicity gimmicks; they know when the issue is diverted. They know when one celebrity is just appealing to mass sympathy. They know if the network or company has all the power and effort to cover up an internal (might be deliberate) mistake. But the only and logical thing left to do is to answer the simple question of the viewers: WHY? Which obviously they cannot produce at the proper time.

There is really nothing wrong in being loyal to a noontime show, whether it is Eat Bulaga or Wowowee since they are both trying to make people happy. Now on the part of us viewers, when our loyalty is clouded by fanaticism and obsession, that we cannot anymore distinguish the actions of our shows from right or wrong, then we need to re-assess ourselves. No matter how we liked a host, a game show, or a network for that matter, still we need to set aside our personal preferences when morality and fair game is at stake. To play blind and tolerate your favorite show’s mistake is just playing accomplice to the already successful cheating.

Lets turn the table around. If Eat Bulaga, which is my favorite show, did all the rigging, I would gladly scrutinize them here on my blog. But unfortunately they didn’t and never did they attempted such a thing. To say that mistakes are part of a live show, well that is correct. But remember that mistakes should be fully avoided and prevented with all the shows’ powers because it can only have two results: either your viewers would praise you because of your humility in accepting the mistake or they will just hate you because you fail to supply valid explanation and proof against the accusations on cheating.

In fairness to Willie, he did one heck of a courageous act there, but unfortunately, its too late… further more it did not convinced the viewers at all.

This battle is not exclusively for Joey and Willie alone nor for the decade long Network wars. It is simply a battle between bloggers and us viewers who flock to comments area just to be heard. It is actually the battle of the Brainy and the brainless: it depends on what kind of moral standards you have and of which side of truth you are. Ethics and Morality always precedes loyalty. Always remember that. It is either you are brainy or brainless.

Now I told you I’m biased. But not in the sense of my loyalty to Eat Bulaga, but I’m biased with ethics and moral decency, on or off cam, in and out of cyberspace, hitting every issue regardless if you are and are not my favorite shows. When there is an opportunity to choose between loyalty and morality, man should be always biased on the latter and not on the former.

Now to end my piece, I’m leaving you the words of the very provocative host of Eat Bulaga which I think is very true since I can relate with the phrase (read my “Boys Don’t Cry” post to know why): Teasing is not bad, Cheating is”

Appendix:

If you want to be updated, Inquirer.Net made a hompage specifically for Joey and Willie’s spat. Click Here

Below are some of the popular news and opinion about the clash. Click the images to enlarge: