“up not fair sale” screams the huge streamer at the sunken garden fair. its double-edged theme? obviously, the pun warns those in mt. olympus against commercialization. yet, it seems to protest the sale of up — a not fair sale! to whom? for whom? how much? (hey, figurative sale, that is.)
to her handlers, any unusual movie role, or catchy title, or else, a masa-appealing packaging would invigorate the sagging image of the “malacanang occupant” ( a columnist’s label, not mine). she has morphed from “gloria labandera” to “ate glo” to “ma’am in black,” to “inang bayan.” but when she did a “boom tarat, tarat” to introduce one of her favorite candidates this evening, she certainly stuffed herself into a a new showbiz cloak — “ako ang bigatin ng pasig!” what if she did the “do do do, da da da” next? well, dudes, dudoda na kayo!
“wowowee” is really making waves. after making “boom tarat” the national anthem, whether done the jerky or sexy way, willy has started, popularized a new trend –the national action song, “puso ko’y paalog-alog.” and everybody gives it a standing ovation! my, as i watch the millions do the “patalbogtalbog” with sheer gusto, puso ko nama’y nagdadabog…nadudurog. never mind if that sounds corny. it’s the irony of it all — of giving the wretched circuses, the promise of millions, two hours of entertainment, only for them to go back to the harsh realities of wretchedness again after the program.
ah, the sob stories air the miserable plight of our poorer brothers and sisters, and tug at the heartstrings of willie, the tfcs, and us all. (what an entertainment for the rich and the tfcs all over the world, feeding on the ill fortune of others!) and the three thousand pesos plus fifty dollars he doles out may be truly heaven-sent to the needy performers (the luckily chosen ones); the coveted big prizes and jackpot may change the fortunes of the ill-starred.
but, the big but is the figurative stampede. prefigured by the previous literal and murderous stampede. the prizes, the opportunity to be on tv, and be a star even only for a few moments really lure the less in life to troop to the program, or to experience these vicariously by watching and coveting everything going on in the program. in the process, however, many have developed the beggar’s stance, many have pushed and shoved one another, many are trampled on along the way, their humanity bruised if not battered.
of course, the program affords an opportunity for the richer to share their dollars, or salve their consciences. of course, the wow! production makes willy’s songs gain double platinum. of course, it gives an opportunity for the small fry to go big on television. of course, channel 2 is raking in the ratings, and the talents and prize donors getting the honors.
but please be wary of the stampede. literal and figurative.
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