Dahil sa birthday ni John Lapus, rating ng Showbiz Central nangulelat

Pumangalawa ang Startalk sa Showbiz Central, ratings-wise, on its last weekend of June. But on the first weekend of July, kumbaga sa sandwhich, ang pang-ibabaw na tinapay ay Startalk, naging palaman ang dalawang showbiz-oriented talk shows ng kabilang istasyon, samantalang nagsilbing pang-ilalim na tinapay na lang ang Showbiz Central.

SC registered a single-digit 8.9% rating against its rival The Buzz (10%). Ito ’yung birthday episode ni  John Lapus whose dismal rating was a repeat of history nu’ng unang taon  pa lang ng SC with its proud inclusion of a transferee.

For sure, malungkot ang bisperas ng kaarawan ni John considering all the efforts he had exhausted himself, tapos sa kabila nu’n, bla-gag! Creative team-wise, I’ve never questioned SC’s cutting-edge style, hindi dahil mga kaibigan ko rin ang bumubuo ng kanilang staff. But they’re just as hardworking, if not combat-trained in every aspect of news gathering.

But the ratings should serve as a testimonial. June 29, kinabog ng SC ang tatlong talk shows. Pero pagdating sa birthday episode ni John, hindi lang kinabog ang SC, binugbog pa! Imagine its single-rating to think it was supposed to be a grant event kuning?

This must be telling us something. At ano ’yung something na ’yon? John Lapus’s supporters out there, sa aminin n’yo man o hindi, it redounds to ‘packaging’’ (please don’t confuse ‘p’ with another consonant, fwede?)

A John Lapus, I’d like to believe, does not have to sound cheap to sell. Di ba kayong mga taga­pagtanggol ni John are rubbing in the fact that he’s a UST alumnus? Parang I don’t see any trace of it, although John does not have to be cerebral.

Magsilbing historical lesson na lang sa SC ang huwag nang gawan ng birthday episode si John, ’yun ay kung mananatili pa siyang host ng nasabing programa, or talent ng Kapuso network. The strength of SC does not  lie in John, whether his defenders like it or not.

I am and will be consistent with saying this: John is a better actor than a TV host (pretending to be one). In fairness, he’s able to acquit himself in his gay role (what else?) in Kim Sam Soon, he reminds me of Sandy Garcia during the 80’s.

But talk about an underrated GMA talent who can do far better gay roles than John, siya si Shalala (a.k.a. Tolayts) of Master Showman Walang Tulugan fame. This one has got real talent!