Now on its 10th season, Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) remains one of the fan-favorite shows, especially to viewers who are eager to see the goings-on inside the yellow house. Truth is, it won’t even be surprising to know that many of its followers are also wishing to become housemates for that chance of entering showbiz as among the reasons. PBB to many has become that — a door to showbiz.
PBB hosts Robi Domingo and Bianca Gonzalez became housemates themselves. But until this day, both remain clueless of what Big Brother is exactly looking for in order to qualify as a housemate.
Robi is certain that trying out for PBB is much tougher “because it’s different from other talent competitions where you know what you’re looking for. For example, if it’s a dance competition, one must excel in dancing. Same with singing tilt, kailangan magaling kumanta. But when it comes to PBB, ang tagal ng audition because even the staff doesn’t know what (talent) to look for. Basta ang alam nila ang hinahanap ay may certain characteristic, may certain charisma.”
Although the viewers are told to expect the unexpected, Bianca readily shared a bit of what to anticipate on the show based on her experience some 15 years ago.
“I would say that your world will become too small because you only co-exist with your housemates. You are cut off from the outside world and once you get out, that’s the only time na mare-realize mo na grabe, once-in-a-lifetime experience ‘yung pinagdaanan mo. Fun and hard ang buhay ng housemate.”
Bianca believed not many people were very much aware of the show format during her stint. “I think until the second season, many were not that familiar with what’s going on. So, I entered PBB without a goal during my time. It was not even my goal to stay. It was like I just wanted to try.”
Robi quipped he only had three pieces of underwear in his bag because he knew he wouldn’t stay long. Before entering the “bahay ni kuya,” Robi carefully watched the first edition of PBB with Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson among the teen housemates. “I told myself that if they’re the kind of people, the personalities inside the house, the stories, the hugot, then there’s no chance for me to stay long. So, konting-konti lang ‘yung binaon ko and when I went inside, I thought maximum of two weeks, I’d be gone.”
More than the physical and emotional challenges, there can also be mental stress. “It was more of a cerebral game for me because you don’t know what to expect,” he declared.
Robi said the reality competition actually shows every housemate’s real persona. “Feeling ko, it will just naturally come out because as much as you want to put your guards up, they will find a way to really reveal who you are.”
“People have been saying, ‘scripted naman ‘yang PBB,’ What? Well, you can try out and hopefully you become part of this whole family. When you come out, it’s like masasabi n’yo sa lahat na, ‘Isa itong magandang kabanata ng buhay ko,’” added Robi, who won first runner-up in PBB: Teen Edition Plus.
The new season of PBB will have adult, celebrity and teen editions via the community platform Kumu. And Bianca has a reminder to the new batch of housemates. “Sa mga mapalad na magiging housemates ni kuya, totoong dapat magpaka-totoo but I think it’s too much of an excuse na nagpapaka-totoo when you’re just trying to be an ass----. You don’t have to pretend, yes, but when you get real, you must also know how to get along with other people. So, good luck to the lucky ones.”
Auditions for the teen edition will begin Dec. 1. For details on PBB Kumunity Season 10, follow Facebook (@PBBABSCBNTV), Twitter (@PBBABSCBN) and Kumu (@PBBABSCBN).