Jologs For Life

I just reaffirmed my “Jologs” reputation. I watched the live grand finals (or as they say it, Grand Questor’s Night) of Star Circle Quest in Araneta Coliseum yesterday. I got free tickets from “insiders” the day prior and since I had nothing to do yesterday, I decided to watch. Well, okay, I’m really a regular viewer of the show. It is a guilty pleasure. In fact, I wanted to work for the show as segment producer or something. I so envy my friend Mico for being one of its writers. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because it’s also ala-American Idol (another guilty pleasure) or because Reality TV is really, what I’m craving for right now. In artsy-fartsy talk, I’m in a stage wherein I prefer the documentary genre to contrived scripted fiction. I sound very defensive I hate me! :)

Actually, before SCQ, I was also a regular viewer of Starstruck although I got hooked with that show when they were already in their Final 6. Comparing the two, I think the Starstruck Teens are really lucky because they have a director (Lino Cayetano) who fully understood what the genre is all about. In all fairness, they are also better looking (for me) than their SCQT counterparts. If we talk about longevity though, I think the finalists of Star Circle Quest will stay longer in the business because (aside from the ABS-CBN machinery), I really believe they’re smarter and more talented. (And I’m not solely talking about singing and dancing here.) I just hated it when the shows became at a time, too serious. It’s supposed to be about the “cheese”! That’s the reason why people (or at least, I) watch. The cheese! :)

On a personal tidbit, when Direk Lauren told us that he was asked to be one of the judges of SCQ Teens, I excitedly told him “Be Simon Cowell!” In the first few weeks, he tried to be one but I guess he just can’t fake it. He eventually became the nice and sensible judge (and that's really who he is on and off camera). It helped though, coz I think his popularity as one of the jurors is partly the reason why All My Life did great in the box-office. In fact, when we were shooting in Star Cruise Virgo, many Pinoys came up to him asking for his picture. To think Star Circle Quest just started airing one week before! :)

Back to yesterday’s live show, of course, I texted friends and ask for their company. To my dismay, no one’s as excited as I am. I ended up “forcing” my kababayan/childhood friend Honey to come with me. (Thank you, Hon!) Even with Honey around, I still got 5 extra tickets and since I know the others whom I haven’t texted are not the type to watch this kind of show anyway, I just sold the tickets to diehard fans desperately wanting to enter Araneta. Hahahaha! :) I know I’ll burn in hell! :) I sold the ticket for P100 each but I’d like to think that was a bargain enough. The tickets were for lower box seats and I’m sure other scalpers sold tickets of the same kind at a much higher price. Okay, I’m defensive again! LOL! :D

The show was fun. Save for some ABS-CBN security guards and show staff members who were rudely standing near the stage and blocking our view in the process (we’re in the patron seats), I had fun. Sandara and Hero’s charismas, I cannot explain! Wow is all I can say. You can feel fanaticism reverberate in the big dome and it was contagious. And this is embarrassing to admit but I felt a lump on my throat when the Final 5 were saying their final words. Heh! :)

Honey and I ended the night by eating in Dencios, spending all my scalper’s earning. :)

Ah! I was surprised to see some old college block mates among the audience. Roy, Sheila A, Val, and Thea were there, Miaka! LOL! :) I totally didn’t expect that! :) They were sorta the snob elites back in college. :)