Goodbye, Startalk; Hello, #CelebriTV

So simple, so light-hearted.

When Startalk (“The Showbiz Authority”) bade farewell on its 20th-anniversary episode last Saturday, Sept. 12, there were no tears (maybe not on air, hehehe!!!), no sad faces, no what-might-have-beens, no ifs or buts, but only light (pained?) laughter.

Tempo columnist Ronald Constantino was right.

Right after the telecast, I got a text message from him: I like Startalk’s farewell episode. So simple, so light-hearted.

Along with hosts Joey de Leon, Lolit Solis, Butch Francisco and Heart Evangelista, I said my farewell piece…short but sweet: The guys at Startalk have become like family to me. I will miss all of you.

Take a good look at this other ‘family picture’ taken at an airline lounge before the Kapamilya stars’ flight to London recently. No sign of an impending in-flight trouble, is there? This photo from the Instragram of Bernard Cloma (fourth from left) was passed to Funfare by Jojo Gabinete. I let you identify the others in the picture.

The host who lasted the longest (over-staying?) was Lolit who opened the show (with Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino) and ended it with a new set of co-hosts (Butch for 16 years, Joey for 10 years, me for seven years and Heart for two years). Others who came and went included Dawn Zulueta, Rosanna Roces and Lorna Tolentino.

How nice and generous of Boy to participate in the final episode even only on video. For several minutes, he held back tears, his voice quivering just a bit, a lump in his throat quelled. Thank you, Boy, for sharing precious time with us. “And,” added Lolit, “for contributing to our annual Christmas party fund without fail!” Boy recognized where he came from, no wonder he enjoys such good karma! (How does the good old Filipino saying go again? Yes, ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.)

Joey was in his element. Asked what he would miss about Startalk, he joked, “The giveaways!” That is, the weekly supply of siopao, chocolate cookies, the beauty soap, the pansit and the whitening lotion from Dr. Vicki Belo; and other products (Pauleen Luna’s Placenta, etc.) from supporters whose products Lolit recites like a lengthening litany from a kodigo week after week.

Heart didn’t stay long enough on the show but she confessed that Startalk was the only show where she has found real friends, adding that she used to be afraid of some of the hosts (Lolit, was that you?) but her (unfounded) fears vanished after she came to know us better.

How nice of Heart to lead a prayer after the show, thanking God for the blessings and wishing good luck for everyone, never mind if some of the staff will be assigned to other shows and others maybe flourishing in other pastures.

Oh yes, it’s indeed goodbye, Startalk…for now.

On Saturday, Sept. 19, same time, same channel, the new show #CelebriTV will take a bow. You might miss some of the hosts but old reliables Joey and Lolit will still be around as main hosts together with Ai-Ai delas Alas. It will still be showbiz-oriented but presented with a comic touch.

Enough said for the time being. I won’t preempt the producers by divulging more details which will be discussed this afternoon during the new show’s press launch.

Stay tuned for #CelebriTV.

More questions about the ‘Enrique Gil’ incident

Even if Enrique Gil has already apologized for that plane incident (see “blind item” in this corner last Friday, Sept. 11) on national television (repeating the hackneyed alibi “Tao lang ako at nagkakamali,” words to that effect), more questions are begging to be answered, to wit:

• Why didn’t whoever was in-charge of the Kapamilya group that went to London sternly remind the guys beforehand that nobody, with no exception, should drink before, during and even after the event?

• Why didn’t the Kapamilya Network reprimand or sanction Enrique instead of letting him go as if nothing happened?

• Why did the network let Enrique (escorting his leading lady Liza Soberano) attend the Star Magic Ball Saturday night and didn’t allow Jessy Mendiola (victim of the plane incident) to be there? (On the Tsismax program on dzMM last Sunday night, hosts Ambet Nabus and Gretchen Fullido quoted a text message from Ronald Constantino: Enrique Gil should be suspended!) Is there any kind of favoritism here?

• What does the airline have to say about the incident? (You remember how another airline treated Melissa Mendez in that “shooting clouds” incident, don’t you?)

(Note: These are the same questions that readers requested Funfare to air.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)