Strange things and other TV oddities

Television – a powerful tool – can be a complicated medium. It’s also quite versatile.

Unlike the movies, where everything that comes out is just concoction, television can show both real (that’s why we now have those reality TV shows) and plain fiction. Sometimes, what you see is bizarre, but mostly we are treated to oddities.

I haven’t been watching a lot of TV lately and yet I’ve caught a few oddities here and there in the last several months.

During the remaining days of the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition, I would try to catch the "up late" edition that was aired at past midnight because I was so amused and entertained by the presence of the very pretty Mariel Rodriguez. That was a difficult task they gave her (now it’s being done by Bianca Gonzalez) because she was on cam by herself and had to talk her head off from beginning to end. But she was cute and even cuter – and funny – were the many instances she would fumble over a word or two and you get to hear a buzzer in the background to remind her (and the audience) that she had just committed another booboo.

And every day in the show, she would call McDonald’s on the phone and order snacks (it was obviously a tie-up with the world-famous fast food store). She would be shown pressing the buttons and speak on the phone (but you don’t hear what’s on the other end of the line) as she orders her favorite McDonald’s meals. On many instances she would even make small talk with the McDonald’s attendant and I thought that was so nice of her.

That segment was an effective promo tool because even I was tempted many times to call McDonald’s for delivery (I’ve always liked everything at McDonald’s – especially the service), except that I didn’t want to be loading up on calories before bedtime.

Just hearing Mariel talk about her favorite McDonald’s products and eavesdrop on her engaging (one-way) phone conversations already satisfied me on those very late evenings (actually very early mornings).

And then the oddest thing happened. One time, she was rambling on the phone as usual – ordering even a McDonald’s sundae – when the cable was suddenly caught by the camera hanging out in all its glory. It was not connected to any phone jack! I’m tempted to say, hey, lady, your slip’s showing. But really, it was the end of the phone cable.

So Mariel was doing a monologue all along! Why, even I was fooled there – and I’m from the same profession.

One thing you can say about her is that she’s good (she should really make a fine actress). But why they had to "stage" that scene night after night was odd.

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In one minor TV station, I sometimes catch a talk show hosted by a lady who must be in her 60s. The lady is always impeccably dressed, very formal in her manner of speech and every inch respectable.

But running right below her – that part with the character generators or "char-gen" as we say it on TV – is a dating service with the most lascivious messages. Here we get to read the text messages of boys wanting to meet girls or – in some instances – boys. Chinito guy wants to have fun. Txt me at his number ... No gays pls. That’s the type of message you read there.

One time, the lady host was interviewing a grandfather and granddaughter tandem and they were talking about family values and right below them was a text message of a girl who describes herself as a goddess and she wants to meet up with men who may be interested in her. If it was for a fee – I don’t know. But she gave her cell phone number.

Now, I have no idea if the respectable-looking lady host is aware of what’s going on right below her nose — literally. Again, I think that’s odd.

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Every Saturday on Startalk, you see Lolit Solis (and now also Lorna Tolentino) greeting an odd assortment of people in the Alok-bati segment complete with a timer. A lot of viewers actually find it odd that there is such a portion in a TV show. Who wants to watch that on television? – they ask.

Well, I have news for you. You may find this strange, but when you look at the ratings sheet and you check the minute-by-minute analysis of each segment, the Alok-bati portion always rates high in the chart. Odd but true.

* * *

An odd thing will happen on American TV if and when – and I hope it doesn’t happen – Taylor Hicks wins the American Idol title this week. The guy is all show (but only fit for a elephantine burlesque), but no talent.

What’s strange is that he has a lot of followers – females mostly who think he looks like George Clooney with his gray hair. If you ask me, he looks more like Jay Leno.

I hope it’s Katherine McPhee who wins. The girl sings well and is lovely – actually Hollywood pretty. But I’m afraid it’s this Hicks guy who’ll make it.

A lot of odd things have happened on American TV before. What’s another oddity?