Unang Hirit: Nine years of work and play

When you’ve been together, day in and day out for nine straight years, combining work and play is as easy as hugging a loved one. That’s why Unang Hirit’s Arnold Clavio, Rhea Santos, Suzi Entrata-Abrera, Lyn Ching-Pascual, Jolina Magdangal, Drew Arellano, Regine Tolentino, lawyer Gaby Concepcion and their fellow hosts can flash wide smiles and break into easy laughter even if bad news greets them first thing in the morning.

Arnold and Rhea’s news items may be as grim as the terrorist attack in India. Love Añover’s traffic report may talk of a tragic accident that makes tempers flare up. Lhar Santiago may bring glum tidings about a showbiz spat. But when all of them get together in one segment of the GMA show (it starts 5:15 a.m.), the ice thaws; the tension breaks.

Conversation flows so spontaneously, there is no room for the dreaded dead air syndrome.

The hosts have grown so close to each other they can crack jokes at each other without getting at each other’s nerves.

One call from Regine and Lyn, Rhea, Gaby and Suzi drop what they’re doing and grace her (Regine’s) fashion show. Regine returns the favor by providing her friends outfits they need from her dress shop.

They call each other kumare, they being godmothers of each other’s kids. They swap stories about their child’s report card, the hubby’s carpentry new interests, an exciting recipe.

They meet over lunch to celebrate each other’s birthdays, even if it means doing so weeks after the actual date. They text each other about what they will wear on the set the day before or several hours before the show. Since Unang Hirit is a morning show, black is out; bright colors are in.

“The only time we don’t talk simultaneously is when we’re on air,” reports Suzi.

But it’s not all play and no work for the barkada. For Suzi, staying on top of the game means surfing the Net before the world is up to keep abreast of the news. It means keeping the radio dial permanently cued in on AM radio, again for breaking news.

For the rest, it means lugging their laptop to the studio first thing in the morning to find out what’s happening around the world. Who says laptops all in a row are found only in exclusive school classrooms? In the Unang Hirit studio, you see them all over, their celebrity-owner bending over them so intently.

Lawyer Gaby is focused on current issues like the impeachment case since she gets questions about its legal aspects. Sometimes, she gets queries on intellectual property, inheritance and others we think are so simple but are not.

“I want to popularize the law, bring it to the masses. The opportunity is there, so why not take it?” she says. Thus, she calls her calling an advocacy.

She may make things look easy on TV, but they’re not. She does her homework the night before, knowing many legal eyes are looking at her every morning, waiting to hear her opinion. Others can get so mean to the point of waiting to see her slip. So she’s always on her toes.

That’s the price of popularity. And pay it she and her colleagues do. Rhea, for instance, was about to watch a movie with a friend at The Podium when a student approached her out of the blue. Would she care to sit down for coffee?

Surprised, Rhea politely said no thanks, she’s in a rush.

But she understands. “We’re like family members exchanging stories with viewers right in the comfort of their homes,” she muses.

This feeling of familiarity has increased by leaps and bounds in all the nine years Unang Hirit has been on air.

“The audience has grown with the show,” notes Lyn. “Viewers who used to focus on fashion and makeup are now mothers tuned in to breastfeeding tips,” notes Lyn.

On Dec. 1 to 5, the same audience will see her celebrating her birthday in the show’s ninth anniversary presentation. Viewers will also see their favorite hosts in a totally different light for the next five days.

Igan, Rhea, Suzi, Lyn, Drew, Regine, Love, Eagle, Kuya Lhar and Arn-Arn will — dig this — present production numbers. It’s a 180-degree for all of them, except for the graceful Regine.

Those Pussycat Dolls, Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls numbers they will perform are as alien to them as a journey to Mars. But the hosts will still take this leap of faith and meet the challenge head-on. After all, the chance only comes once in a blue moon (nine years, in their case). And there’s got to be a first time. So why not do it, just this once?

Already, the hosts are ribbing each other about dance steps to take, costumes to wear, rehearsals to attend. And as usual, they’re having a ball.

They will also visit the carnivals and theme parks all decked up for the season. Bands will guest in the week-long celebration and fans can mingle with the host as they perform and party on Grand Fans Day.

A business package, household appliance and grand family vacation package will be given away.

Who says waking up at the crack of dawn, like planting rice, is never fun? At Unang Hirit, it’s not only a daily habit. It’s something to rise and shine for with a smile on your face.