No limits, no boundaries

MANILA, Philippines - Boy Abunda is back in a new political show called Bottomline. There are no limits, no palpable boundaries to his conversations and always he’ll go for the bottomline.

“Bottomline is a hybrid production. It is produced by the people from the Current Affairs and Entertainment Departments of ABS CBN,” Boy explains. “This is a show I’d like to grow old with.”

Much like Private Conversations, Boy explains that guests will range from social scientists, philosophers, commentarists, spiritual leaders to political figures. “Interviewing is my core as a host. Everyone has a story. It is in how you tell a story. In an interview, whether riveting or dismal, I always take full responsibility.”

Boy watched the new and old works of the masters — Barbara Walters, Larry King, Oprah Winfrey, Christiane Amanpour, Diane Sawyer, Wolf Blitzer, among others. “I intently watch how they phrase questions, how they listen, how they judiciously interrupt unstoppable guests, how they deliciously relish verbal calisthenics. They are superb teachers.”

He also said that to be an effective interviewer takes a lot of hard work. “You need to know when to needle guests gently when you feel you are not getting anything. You need to phrase and deliver your questions in a way that would encourage raw, honest answers. And you have to be quick and sensitive enough to recognize the strengths and limitations of your guest so you know how and where to propel the talk. It’s a complicated dance,” he said.

“When I do my interviews, I have no agenda, but I crave to go to the bottom of things. Yes, I do my research and I have a set of questions. What I actually have is a game plan which is always open and flexible. It is a plan that is cognizant of the fact that you are talking to someone who is verbose or the quiet type so it’s up to you — not them — to steer the conversation. It’s a verbal calisthenics of words and silences,” he added.

Boy is expected to ask his guest every unimaginable question. “When I am on air, I am an interviewer first. The responsibility of the interviewer is to his public so that the public will have a more enlightened view. And there are no stupid guests only stupid interviewers.”

In coming up with Bottomline, Vince Rodriguez, the show’s production manager, said that the central concept of the show is Boy Abunda. “He is really the central figure.”

Bottomline opens with a group of people from different persuasions brainstorming about the show. The bottomliners as they are called, throw in their questions, comments, and after the interview assess the whole activity. “At the end of the conversation, we go back to the questions that have been asked during the course of the show to get to the bottom line,” Boy added.

Bottomline airs Saturdays after Banana Split. Executive producer is Apples dela Vega, business unit head Louie Andrada, director Pinggoy Generoso, head writer Pear Clemente, associate producer Oxy del Rosario, writers MJ Felipe and Nan Borromeo, researcher Anne Miraballes, production assistant Tess Cahinhinan, talent coordinator Tess Magano and floor director Stephen Cruz.