The weather was kinder when “Party Pilipinas” aired live from the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur Sunday (May 16). It was burning hot all right, but at least, a cool breeze wafted all over Lago del Ray, where GMA Network had set up a covered makeshift stage on which more than 50 artists, dancers, and party jocks mounted what is said to be the program’s last of a series of out of town gigs. “Party” earlier staged major productions in Dagupan, Cebu, Davao, and Antipolo.
Network transferee Mark Bautista let out a sigh of relief, saying that the atmosphere in Camsur was a lot more conducive to performing than that in Davao of two weeks prior. Mark opened the “Party” while singing on a dragonboat sitting on the man-made lake as trained men doing wakeboarding glided in the background.
Mark told us later he’s quite pleased having transferred to “Party Pilipinas” from “ASAP” on the other channel. They give me importance, he said.
Having been set in a nature spot, “Party Pilipinas’” Camsur episode unveiled sexy bodies and sensual production numbers. “Sex sells” seemed to be the episode’s theme.
A number showing off the sexy figures of Rhian Ramos, Lovi Poe, Bianca King and Pauleen Luna (with the exception of Pauleen, the girls, together with Heart Evangelista and Carla Abellana, are known on the show by their collective name, Glam Girls) caught the men in the audience stupefied. The girls wore flimsy tops that danced freely with the cool breeze, revealing youthful cleavages and lots of skin as their legs were covered by the shortest of shorts only.
Another hot number showed Brazilian hunks Akihiro Sato and Fabio Ide, together with New Yorker Victor Aliwalas, romping off, dirty dancing style, with Sexbomb’s Rochelle Pangilinan in one sexy dish.
Still another number had Katrina Halili, Jef Gaitan, Michelle Madrigal, Princess Snell and Rich Asuncion cavorting with the boys from Brazil plus JC Tiuseco, Edward George and Marvin Kiefer. A production staff commented that the heat on stage could only match, if not top, the heat of the noontime sun which pricked our skin and freaked out one of our companions.
Meanwhile, “Party” jocks Tim Yap and Rico, formerly of PBB, spoke of “temperatures rising” and “boiling point” in their spiels. No one passed out from heatstroke, however.
“Party Pilipinas’” Camsur episode had reduced the exposure of the show’s senior artists, which include Janno Gibbs, Jaya and even Jolina Magdangal. Missing on the show were Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid, who are currently on a swing of US and Canada for a series of performances.
The show was left primarily in the hands of young artists, who unfortunately have yet to really establish themselves as stars. People hardly knew them.
A network executive asked us what we thought needed reworking on the program. We suggested that GMA must tap its many young artists in waiting, launch them in shows of their own or in those which fit their personalities, and not limit casting to just a few so-called established artists.
In time, network shall be flooded with lots and lots of stars. The group Glam Girls, for instance, can be bigger if all its members enjoy full-fledged star status. Star for star, every member should be on equal footing. Taken together, they can spell star power.
The network’s biggest stars, Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, must by all means frontline “Party Pilipinas.” The two may not be the best singers there are, but in the language of Sunday noontime shows, talent in singing isn’t of the essence. It is important, but not the most important.
It’s the attitude which matters. Performance is the key. After all, “Party Pilipinas” isn’t anymore “SOP,” the Concert TV. This one’s a Party, right? So, Party we must, performance level, attitude and all – on the beach and beyond.
