What it Takes to Join Any Philippine Reality Show

I don’t know if you have noticed but it seems that Philippine showbiz is on franchise buying. That is, show franchises from other countries, like Family Feud (channel 7, hosted by Richard Gomez), Deal or No Deal (Channel 2, hosted by Kris Aquino), Big Brother (ABS-CBN) and of course, Survivor Philippines (GMA 7). I have been a reality show fan for as long as I can remember. The more nasty critics will say that it’s because of my sociopathic tendencies. Whether we deny it or now, all humans have this innate desire to see how others are doing in controlled environments. There is also that Filipino trait of “usi”… short of “usisero”, or wanting to meddle with things that we shouldn’t meddle with, giving our opinion about situations that are not happening to us, or simply gawking at how others succeed or fail in an aquarium-like space called the television.

So what does it take to be a part of a Filipino reality show?

1. Looks – The showbiz success of several people who are by no means handsome or tisoy proves that one doesn’t have to look like a supermodel to get in. So, we glean that we must at least be presentable to others to be chosen for a reality show.

2. A sad story to tell – Let’s face it, we Filipinos are suckers for a good sob story. The networks know this and so they exploit the Filipino’s “usi” sympathy, or that trait that makes us patronize a show or a person’s endeavors because we pity… (I have always tried to tell my grandma that the sob stories at Wowoweee are staged and it’s basically exploitation, but she had none of it. Willy was her hero.)

3. Good body proportions – In a show like Survivor wherein you have to be half naked all the time, you must at least have an ‘ideal’ body. Even the chubby ones have bodies that are well proportioned.
The more extreme reality shows, like pinoy records and others have contestants that look like they could be models for a legal steroids campaign.

4. Likability – television shows thrive in good ratings, and no matter how pleasant a person could be if he or she won’t appeal to the masses, it’s a no go. Someone who might be thinking of going for it in a reality show should take likability or mass appeal in consideration.