•Raymond: I owe it to Ma’am Wilma •Ogie: TV5 feels like ‘old home’

When H.O.T. TV folded up only eight months after it replaced Showbiz Central, Raymond Gutierrez, one of the two shows’ hosts simply shrugged it off. That’s television…here today, gone tomorrow.

“I’m not an emotional person,” said Raymond who is hosting Showbiz Police, the reformatted show on TV5 with Cristy Fermin, Lucy Torres and Joey Reyes as co-hosts. “When something ends, I move on. Life goes on.”

During his 10 years with the Kapuso Network, Raymond hosted other shows (the defunct Party Pilipinas, etc.). Time to, as he said, move on…to another network.

Between TV jobs, Raymond kept himself busy with his being fashion director of Esquire magazine, contributing editor for Preview magazine and creative director for Magnum Ice Cream. Soon, he and his friends (Eric Kua and the Republiq Group) are opening a restaurant called 71 Gramercy at the 71st floor of “the tallest building in the Philippines” on Makati Avenue, Makati City.

Raymond’s contract with TV5 is per show.

“I told Tita Wilma (Galvante) that I couldn’t be ‘exclusive’ because I’m busy with so many other things,” said Raymond.

Speaking of his Tita Wilma, who has a pending case against Raymond’s mom Annabelle Rama (even if the two women have already buried the hatchet), Raymond clarified that everything’s okay between them.

“Even when we were still at GMA (from which Wilma has retired), whatever it was that she and my mom went through, I always have nothing but respect for Tita Wilma. It was Tita Wilma who discovered me for GMA and it was Tita Wilma who acted as my bridge to TV5.”

Premiering this afternoon at 5:30, Showbiz Police will have among the guests Raymond’s twin Richard and sister Ruffa (one-time co-host of Paparazzi, the original TV5 showbiz-oriented talk show).

Will Raymond make Richard tell all…you know, did Richard’s girlfriend Sarah Lahbati really give birth to a son named Zion in Switzerland (where her dad lives)?

“I will try,” promised Raymond. “Just wait and see.”

*  *  *

No namamahay (adjustment angst) feeling for Ogie Alcasid, another transferee from GMA to TV5.

“TV5 feels like old home,” said Ogie, “because I am working with people that I’ve worked with at GMA and ABS-CBN. I actually came from TV5 years ago, so hindi naman ako namamahay.”

Asked again if TV5 gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse, the money factor that is, Ogie explained, “It’s not that. TV5 big boss MVP is my ninong (wedding). He feels that I can help him, so I really want to help him. When someone trusts you enough, ang sarap ng feeling na ‘yon. O, sige, tutulungan ko.”

Luckily, Ogie didn’t burn bridges.

“The passage was very clear,” Ogie put it very nicely. “Nagpaalam ako ng maayos sa mga GMA bosses ko. Atty. (Felipe) Gozon and Mr. (Jimmy) Duavit gave me their blessing and wished me well. They told me, ‘If that’s the way for you to grow, if that’s the way you can help them, then go, do it.’ That speaks well of Atty. Gozon and Mr. Duavit.”

Conceding that TV5 is still “finding a space” in the market, Ogie added that it’s a challenge for him to help the network find that “space.”

“It’s an Herculean task, I know, and we are motivated. The team is great. The doomsayers are having a field day, but let’s wait and see what happens.”

Initially, Ogie will have two shows, Tropa Mo Ko Unli (a gag show somewhat similar to Bubble Gang, the GMA top-rater he left behind), which is premiering tonight, and The Mega and The Songwriter with Sharon Cuneta, airing starting tomorrow night.

Part of Ogie’s Kapatid contract includes an executive position as head of the Business Unit, in-charge of all the music content of the shows.

 â€œI’ve started writing theme songs for the teleserye,” revealed Ogie.

In passing, I mentioned to Ogie Boots Anson-Roa and Willie Nepomuceno’s two-hour Music and Memories program recently axed by DZMM, leaving its legion of followers (this one included) mad. Yes, I’m still raging against whoever stole my leisurely Sunday afternoon. I’m in denial, and so are a lot of M&M followers including ABS-CBN PR exec Bong Osorio, Ronald Constantino, Chanda Romero, Pete Lacaba and wife Marra Lanot, et al.

Good news: “I was just thinking about that show this very moment.”

Hooray! Thank you, Ogie, for giving us back our stolen Sunday afternoon.

Incidentally, another new TV5 show to watch for is What’s Up, Doods? which premieres tomorrow night. Host Edu Manzano, who’s celebrating his birthday, will be in his usual nocturnal best, regaling us with every interesting topic under the sun.

“I’m looking forward to that show,” said Noel Lorenzana, the new TV5 boss. “I’m a fan of Edu, you know.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected].)