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Your Weekend Guide (January 26, 2018)

MADE 2018 exhibits

THE Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) launches the 2018 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) through a series of art exhibits, workshops, and lectures dubbed as Art MADE Public. This year’s exhibits will showcase diverse influences among the artists as well as various themes and styles which have emerged among their works over time. The exhibit series will run from Jan. 25 to March 21 in various cultural and academic institutions nationwide as well as in commercial spaces at the SM Supermalls. They will feature past MADE winning artworks include that of Roberto Feleo (1984 1st place winner) as well as the works of a group of artists-activists in the 1980s called Salingpusa, with members who are now renowned names in Philippine art such as Elmer Borlongan, Manny Garibay, Mark Justiniani, and Ferdinand Montemayor. The exhibits will be shown at SM Aura Premier (Jan. 25-28); SM City Bacolod (Feb. 1-3); SM Seaside Cebu (Feb. 7-10); SM Lanang Premiere, Davao City (March 1-3); SM Dasmariñas (March 8-12), and The Block SM City North EDSA (March 14-21).

Children’s educational fair

ASIA’S largest educational children’s fair, Smart Kids Asia Philippines (Smart Kids), returns for its fourth year on Jan. 27 and 28 at Halls 3 and 4 of the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. With the theme “Around the World in Two Days,” Smart Kids will showcase over 100 child- and family-friendly brands that promise two days filled with fun, entertainment, and activities. Interested parents can visit www.smartkidsasia.com.ph/ to pre-register.

Retire-men

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Theater Company Rinkogun present Retire-men, a comedy about the trials and errors of Thai, Filipino, and Japanese people who share their countries with one another. Performances will be at the CCP Little Theater on Jan. 27, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Jan. 28, 3 p.m. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Comedy nights

IT will be a night of laughs as Teatrino and Comedy Manila present Funny Fridays: Can’t Stop Laughing on Jan. 26, 8:30 p.m., at the Teatrino, Greenhills Promenade, San Juan. Tickets are P500 and are available at TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999) or Teatrino (722-8310 local 116 or 721-2949).

Christian Bautista in concert

CATCH romantic balladeer Christian Bautista at Megaworld’s Southwoods Mall on Jan. 27, 5 p.m. as he performs his hits and new songs. For seats to the show, fans can buy a copy of his latest album at the venue. They can also meet the singer and have their albums signed. For more information, call Southwoods Mall Concierge at 0917-856-0140. or visit www.megaworldlifestylemalls.com.

A Comedy of Tenors

REPERTORY Philippines opens its 2018 season with A Comedy of Tenors from Jan. 26 to Feb. 18 at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati City. This hilarious operatic farce is set in a hotel suite in 1930s Paris where a harassed producer, his frazzled assistant, an aging temperamental opera star and his hot-blooded wife, their daughter and her lover, an opera diva, and a singing waiter, converge before an important concert. The play is directed by Miguel Faustmann, and stars Lorenz Martinez, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Noel Rayos, Jeremy Domingo, Issa Litton, Arman Ferrer, and Mica Pineda. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Fund raising for reading

TO BUILD a quiet literary respite at La Fuerza compound, Warehouse Eight and Kwago have organized a fiction-inspired fund-raising gathering — Book Bar at the Warehouse — to be held on Jan. 27 and 28 at Warehouse Eight. The event’s program is purposely intimate and is designed to let the guests experience literature using all their senses — sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. The bar will serve cocktails and beers inspired by local and international literature, such as Dark Hours by Conchitina Cruz, Howl by Allen Ginsberg, and Para Kay B by Ricky Lee. One can also give the bartender Matthew Carpio a quote from your favorite book and he can personalize a drink for you. Food start-up Birch Five will serve dishes inspired by comics and children’s stories including red velvet cupcakes named “Poison Ivy” and a sisig meal called “Ang Unang Baboy sa Langit.” Hundred percent bootstrapped and independent, all the performers and event staff are not paid and just given books as honorarium. Highlights include an open mic Drunken Poetry Night on Jan. 27 with featured poets Crystal Claire, Franchesca Casauay, Miguel Espiritu, Obie Obias, Peep Warren, Paolo Rodriguez, Sofia Paderes, and Vyxz Vasquez among others; and Echoes at the Warehouse — Musicians as Storytellers on Jan. 28 with skymarines, Jorge Juan Bautista Wieneke V, Ian Penn, Mariah Yonic, and Small Town Press/Erick Calilan. For details, follow Bit.ly/BookbarFundraising.

Dinagyang at Robinsons malls

ROBINSONS MALLS in Iloilo celebrate the Dinagyang with a series of star-studded mall shows. Robinsons Place Jaro hosts a Hala Bira, Zumba! Party on Jan. 26 with former PBB Housemate Saicy Aguila. Another PBB alumnus, PBB Teen Marco Gallo, will perform on Jan. 27, and the regional search for Robinsons Singing Star with guest Jem Cubil of The Voice Philippines will see finalists from Roxas, Iloilo, and Antique competing to become this season’s champion. Meanwhile, Robinsons Place Iloilo will see Ruru Madrid leading the Kapuso Mall Show on Jan. 26 with Janine Gutierrez, Matt Evans, and Andre Paras. Meanwhile, the cast of ABS-CBN’s upcoming teleserye, Blood Sisters, Erich Gonzales, Enchong Dee, Ejay Falcon, and AJ Dee will take part in the Kapamilya Caravan on Jan. 27.

Japan opens museum on disputed islands

TOKYO — Japan on Thursday opened a museum in Tokyo devoted to two sets of disputed islands, a move likely to spark anger from South Korea and China, which also claim sovereignty.

The museum, run by the Japanese government, displays documents and photographs defending Japan’s claims over the islands.

Japan has a longstanding dispute with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. They are administered by Japan, where they are known as “Senkaku” but also claimed by China, which calls them “Diaoyu.”

Tokyo also claims islands in the Sea of Japan that are controlled by South Korea. They are known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.

“We hope this will be a key facility that deepens understanding on the Takeshima and Senkaku islands,” said Tetsuma Esaki, minister in charge of territorial issues, as he opened the museum, according to local media.

The move comes after Japan recently spotted a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine in waters surrounding the Tokyo-administered isles in the East China Sea.

The Japanese government has long complained about China’s routine dispatch of coastguard ships to Japan’s territorial waters surrounding the islands.

Relations between Japan and China deteriorated in 2012 when Tokyo “nationalized” some of the islets.

Since then, the two top Asian economies have taken gradual steps to mend fences but relations remain tense. — AFP

Everett, Turturro in The Name of the Rose TV remake

PARIS — Hollywood stars Rupert Everett and John Turturro are to star in the first television adaptation of The Name of the Rose, its producers said Wednesday. The big-budget eight-part series drawn from Umberto Eco’s classic murder mystery set in the Middle Ages, will be screened next year, said Orange Content, the production end of the French telecommunication giant. American Turturro — best known for The Big Lebowski — will play the Franciscan monk William of Baskerville who witnesses a series of macabre murders at a remote monastery in the Italian Alps. British-born Everett, of My Best Friend’s Wedding fame, will play his old enemy, an inquisitor sent from Rome to track the Pope’s critics, who has Baskerville in his sights. The €26-million ($32-million) coproduction is being shot by the Italian team behind the Young Montalbano series. French director Jean-Jacques Annaud made a film version of the book starring Christian Slater and Sean Connery in 1986. — AFP

Mercurial post-punk voice of The Fall, 60

NEW YORK — Mark E. Smith, the curmudgeonly frontman of The Fall whose ranting vocal style was the post-punk band’s most constant element over four decades, died Wednesday, his manager said. He was 60. The Manchester native last year canceled a seven-date stretch of concerts in New York, with his manager citing “a mix of bizarre and rare” medical issues “connected to his throat, mouth/dental and respiratory system.” The manager, Pam Vander, did not reveal further details as she announced his death on Twitter but said a full statement would come later. The famously temperamental singer was the only consistent member of The Fall but even with revolving lineups the band proved highly prolific, releasing its 32nd studio album last year. While never finding — or really seeking — mainstream success, Smith’s brashness and embrace of other art forms influenced a younger generation of indie bands such as Sonic Youth and Pavement. Born to a working-class family, Smith’s vocals often resembled the shouting of a pub patron but his lyricism was complex and abstract, delighting his loyal fan base which tried to decipher his words. Memorable albums included I am Kurious Oranj, an exploration set to a ballet of Dutch king William of Orange’s ascension to the English throne in 1689. 1985’s This Nation’s Saving Grace, which brought together both the dark flashes of punk and electronic elements, was often considered to be The Fall’s greatest album. The Fall — named for Albert Camus’s novel — was once seen as a rival to Joy Division as the leading post-punk band in Manchester in the late 1970s. The Fall’s sound shifted as members fled. Even his wife, the Greek DJ Elena Poulou, left as the keyboard player before the last album. A decade earlier, the couple created an album entirely with session musicians in Los Angeles after the rest of the band ditched them on a US tour. Smith also earned a reputation for pithy quotes in his interviews. Among them, “I used to be a psychic, but I drank my way out of it.” — AFP

Volcanic eruptions and their impact on health

ON THE evening of Jan. 13, Mayon Volcano began spewing ash and lava, causing rocks to fall from its summit. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised Alert Level 4 after the volcano spewed a giant ash column. It warned that a hazardous eruption may be imminent within days. People have been strongly advised to stay away from the eight-kilometer Extended Danger Zone (EDZ), wear facemasks, and stay indoors. To date, more than 24,000 residents of communities near Mayon Volcano have been evacuated.

The Philippines’ most active volcano — which has what is considered the world’s most perfect volcanic cone — has had more than 30 recorded eruptions since 1616. Its most destructive, which buried the town of Cagsawa and killed approximately 1,200, occurred in 1841.

Volcanic eruptions can have a wide-ranging impact on health, which is arguably more varied than any other kind of natural disaster, according to “The health hazards of volcanoes and geothermal areas,” a 2006 paper published in the scientific journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The paper noted that volcanoes can pose health hazards between, as well as during, eruptions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists the following health impacts of volcanic eruptions: trauma and injuries (due to falling rocks and debris), skin burns and irritation (caused by ash and lava), gastrointestinal problems (due to ash-contaminated water and food), lung problems (due to ash and toxic gases), and eye irritation (due to ash).

The health impact is minimal in case of lava flows since the lava path is predictable and the progression is slow. This gives the people time to evacuate, according to the WHO. To mitigate the risks and minimize casualties, the Geneva-based organization stressed that early warning systems, timely and adequate inter-sectoral interventions and coordination system need to be in place.

The WHO offers the following tips to help people stay safe and protect their health during volcanic eruptions:

• Follow evacuation procedures;

• Stay indoors unless absolutely necessary;

• Avoid low-lying areas and the areas downwind from the volcano;

• For children, the elderly, and people who have respiratory problems, the use of certified N95-equivalent masks are recommended, as these block small particles of ash;

• For the general population, a simple surgical mask is adequate;

• Wear protective eye gear, such as goggles; and,

• Make sure the water and food you consume are safe and not contaminated by ash.

With the possible eruption of Mayon Volcano, affected residents are urged to stay vigilant and follow all warnings and safety procedures issued by authorities. The WHO said that volcanic eruption could have a potential lethal impact in the absence of mitigation measures.

The author is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP). Medicine Cabinet is a PHAP column that aims to promote awareness on public health and healthcare-related issues. PHAP and its member companies represent the research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. For comments and inquiries, e-mail the author at medicinecabinet@phap.org.ph.

Amendments to RA 9003 expected to hold manufacturers responsible for plastic waste

AMENDMENTS to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, or Republic Act (RA) 9003, are expected to make plastic products manufacturers more accountable for waste products, a senior legislator said.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar, who chairs that chamber’s agriculture and food committee, said that amendments, expected to be signed into law this year, will help lay the groundwork for dealing with plastic waste.

“According to a University of Georgia study, the Philippines ranked third next to China and Indonesia among the 192 countries surveyed in terms of volume of plastic produced by the population that could potentially enter the seas and oceans,” she said.

Citing a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report, Ms. Villar said that plastic in the water will result in loss of livelihood for fishing communities and reduce the volume of marine products available for consumption.

“I am speaking to big consumer product companies that are big users of plastics to join the government effort towards environmental protection,” she added.

Ms. Villar said the Philippine market makes heavy use of sachets because they are more affordable than larger-volume containers.

Ms. Villar said manufacturers will be held responsible for managing the life cycle of plastic waste they generate via a buyback mechanism or a sustainable recycling program.

“Part of the amendment I am planning for the solid waste management law is to make those manufacturers more accountable. If these companies are responsible, the legislative reforms should not be an issue for them,” she said adding that penalties being considered include fines. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

3 Maute group members nabbed in Lanao del Sur town

AUTHORITIES ARRESTED on Wednesday three members of the Maute terror group in Piagapo, Lanao del Sur. The three were identified as Apao Dimacaling, Alex Braad and Kalal Berongan. They were in possession of rocket-propelled grenades, materials for improvised explosive devices and a grenade launcher when military and police personnel raided their lair in Barangay Gacap. Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares of the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao yesterday said the joint operation of the Lanao del Sur provincial police and the Army’s 103rd Brigade was assisted by local officials in Piagapo. “We also ought to express gratitude too to the vigilant Maranao religious and traditional elders there for helping locate them,” he said. Mr. Mijares and Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division both said local officials have confirmed that the three men belong to the Maute terror group that laid siege to Marawi City from May to October last year. — John Unson/philstar.com

For a few hours of distraction

By Alexander O. Cuaycong

BY WAY of background for the uninitiated: Project Shrine Maiden is a collection of manic-shooter video games published by Team Shanghai Alice. In each of the titles from the series, players must navigate their chosen character against waves upon waves of enemies to reach the final boss. The games are characterized by their intense and memorable music, as well as the way enemies shoot projectiles, often in dizzying patterns to make avoiding them more difficult. These video games, released to dovetail with the franchise’s increasing popular-culture presence via manga, soundtracks, and even novels, have cemented the Project as a strong and prolific intellectual property.

Needless to say, the Project’s main video game branch has spawned spin-offs, with varying levels of quality. Some are clear cash grabs intended to tap an intensely loyal fan base, while others are venerable entries in their own right. Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle, developed by Cubetype and published by NIS America, tries hard to be the latter, with uneven results.

Touhou Kobuto V is a one-on-one fighting game in which players pick one of 10 available characters from the Touhou universe to do battle in a three-dimensional arena. Players dash around and about, throwing spells and magical attacks at various speeds and degrees, in an effort to whittle their opponent’s health down to zero. The management of stamina, called the Action Gauge, and the pseudo-ammo counter called the Attack Gauge, are important gameplay features, as running out of either results in fatigue or an inability to attack. And with a variety of attacks on tap both on the ground and in the air, as well as melee attacks when opponents draw in close, there can be no questioning the game’s intent to delight. Fights invariably get intense, with characters zipping around at high speeds, dodging, weaving, and even flying past projectiles to avoid getting hit.

Unfortunately, Touhou Kobuto V’s grand design is let down by questionable camera controls. The POV emanates from the character’s shoulder, providing an awkward third-person perspective that hinders depth perception and thereby makes a number of attacks almost impossible to see and avoid. Combined with a glaring lack of an embedded tutorial on the game’s mechanics, the limitation gives it an unpolished feel. And while glimpses of its potential are provided every now and then, it inevitably falls short during fight sequences. There seems to be no discernible way to figure out how battles evolve and develop, making the exercise feel more like button mashing than anything else on the whole. The Story Mode is a letdown as well; it comes off as fairly dull, with no real character variations, and short to boot, ending too quickly for comfort.

Thankfully, Touhou Kobuto V’s music design is outstanding, and shines through despite its gameplay flaws. And while its 3-D graphics aren’t particularly eye-catching, attacks are flashy and entertaining to watch, never mind their relatively low resolution, and the drawn character sprites give credit to its source material. Amping up the fun factor is a standard Versus Mode; for those who find going up against AI dull and detaching, the option of playing against a friend is a welcome one.

In sum, Touhou Kobuto V has its roots going for it, but it’s hampered by bad camera placement, awkward controls, and the absence of a tutorial. The soundtrack and artwork are top-notch, though, and while they might not be enough to provide it with universal appeal, it’s still a good pickup for fans of the Project out for good music and a few hours of distraction.

Video Game Review

Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle
Nintendo Switch

THE GOOD:

• Affecting music

• Captivating artwork that pays homage to source material

• Capable of moments of brilliance, and can be compelling when played with a friend

• Runs smoothly, with no frame drops or stutters

THE BAD

• Finicky controls and POVs

• Small character roster (nine available, with one on offer as downloadable content)

• Lack of gameplay depth

RATING: 7/10

Bourse recovers to close at 2018’s 7th record high

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

THE MAIN INDEX managed a technical rebound to close at 2018’s seventh record high on Thursday — even as it again stopped short of 9,000 — after taking a breather in the wake of the previous peak marked  last Tuesday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 78.94 points or 0.88% to close 8,999.17, while the all-shares index went up 39.56 points or 0.76% to 5,245.25.

RCBC Securities, Inc. noted in its Stock Market Daily Recap report that “[t]he PSEi opened higher, moved into negative territory towards noon break and upon resumption of trading in the afternoon, but steadily climbed and spiked at the close.”

“I think it’s just really a technical behavior of the market:  nothing of the fundamental reasons that’s supporting this,” Summit Securities, Inc. President Harry G. Liu said by phone yesterday.

Asked on chances PSEi will finally breach the 9,000 mark, Mr. Liu replied: “I feel strongly soon that we will be able to reach that. Tomorrow probably, there’s a very big possibility.”

Thursday’s list of the 20 most active stocks showed 12 gained, led by Bloomberry Resorts Corp. that surged 8.09% to P12.82 apiece and including LT Group, Inc. that went up by 5.78% to P23.80; Jollibee Foods Corp. that added 3.90% to P293; Robinsons Land Corp. which was up 3.85% to P21.60 and Megawide Construction Corp. that increased by 3.52% to P20.60 each.

The six stocks that sank were led by Alliance Global Group, Inc. and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. that dropped 1.25% to P15.80 apiece and by 1.03% to P38.50 each.

Many of PSEi’s counterparts elsewhere in Asia succumbed to weakness in the wake of falls by the S&P 500 (by 0.06%) and Nasdaq Composite (by 0.61%) indices.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix index, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, the Shanghai Composite Index and the Straits Times Index fell by 1.13%, 0.88%, 0.92%, 0.31% and 1.01%, respectively, while the Jakarta Composite Index closed relatively flat and South Korea’s Kospi gained by 0.95%.

Locally, all sectoral indices gained, led by mining and oil that surged by 472.22 points or 3.99% to finish 12,283.04, followed by holding firms that went up by 121.33 points or 1.32% to 9,257.77; services that rose by 20.85 points or 1.24% to 1,696.34; industrials that increased by 114.40 points or 0.95% to 12,050.75; property that edged up by 14.56 points or 0.35% to 4,091.82; and financials that inched up by 1.36 points or 0.06% to 2,265.11.

Stocks that advanced outnumbered those that fell by 116 to 105, while 41 others were flat.

Volume improved, with 1.32 billion shares worth P8.88 billion changing hands compared to Wednesday’s 896.77 million shares worth P8.46 billion.

Foreigners reverted to buying mode with P119.62 million in net purchases marking a turnaround from Wednesday’s P47.28-million net sales.

All-Star selection

The premise of Russell Westbrook’s comments is the same as that of just about any other player before him: He believes a teammate got shafted by voters to the All-Star Game. And he’s right; Paul George deserves inclusion in the annual spectacle. In many respects, the latter is the National Basketball Association’s best two-way competitor who never seems to take a breather, preferring instead to keep moving as a safety-valve second option on offense and as a multiple-position anchor on defense.

Unlike most others who stand up for their teammates, however, Westbrook didn’t stop with criticizing George’s snub. He questioned the fairness of the process by mentioning that the current roster of All-Stars has “four people from one team, you’ve got guys complaining about getting snubbed until they get in, you’ve got guys just talking about it all the time. But the guys that deserve it — should be in — are not. I just don’t understand. Doesn’t make any sense.” In other words, he not only propped up a fellow Thunder; he threw shade on some of those who claimed the privilege.

Perhaps Westbrook would have gotten away with his spirited backing of George had his references, while indirect, not been apparent. Unfortunately, they were clear even to casual observers. And, in light of his disappointment, who can blame the Blazers’ Damian Lillard and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson if they felt they were being unfairly cast as undeserving.

To be sure, “deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it,” as William Munny famously said in “Unforgiven.” The process is such that anybody can literally be selected for the All-Star Game. Fans make up half the vote tally, with scribes and players serving as a collective corrective. And because there are only 12 available slots from each conference, an imbalance is inevitable. It’s why Westbrook’s other Big Three teammate Carmelo Anthony is no longer in after eight straight runs as part of the East contingent. It’s also why George has the going harder for him in the West.

In the final analysis, Lillard doesn’t have to defend himself. He’s an All-Star, period. Meanwhile, life goes on for George, who would have welcomed the distinction, but who has rightly moved on. It’s interesting to see how the dynamics will play out during the Game itself, especially with the new format that has top vote getters LeBron James and Curry choosing members of their respective squads. Needless to say, the fans can’t wait.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

Images of celebrity

“The nice thing about being a celebrity is that when people bore you, they think it’s their fault.”

— Henry Kissinger,
US diplomat

In showbiz and politics, people aspire to be famous and popular. Recognition seems to be the most important thing — good or bad.

A century ago, the playwright, actor, songwriter George Cohan once commented, “I don’t care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right.

The image of the celebrity is paramount. His/her success is measured by public perception and acceptance. He/she projects a well-crafted, polished persona, one that highlights qualifications, solid achievements and assets.

The impressionable public has long been conditioned by media to accept the best-packaged media magnet. Fans and fanatics rush to buy the products, patronize movies, and vote — as endorsed by popular personalities. Other effective media tools are advertisements, infomercials, ratings reports (accurate or contrived), and a lot of hype.

Actors and TV broadcasters have the political advantage of visibility. They are easily recognizable. Name and face recall give these popular individuals the winning edge during elections. It does not matter is the stars are not capable of making significant contributions to society. (Other than to look tough in an action movie or fabulous in a commercial.)

An example is a media-genic star who aspired to be a national legislator. The bronzed hunk tried reinventing his image to gain acceptance on all levels. He dabbled in elite sports such as fencing, riding and golf. He ran several times and failed. Finally, he realized that he was shooting for the moon. When he scaled back his ambition, he made it in local politics. There he can shine as a hands-on official.

Mileage is a must — to compensate for a lack in qualifications. Ironically, a health buff endorsed both a vitamins antioxidant and a cigarette brand. Clearly he had his priorities mixed up. (Cigarette smoking is now banned on the streets and in buildings.)

Endorsements are the favorite vehicles for celebrity self-promotion to the masses. The TV ads offer an assortment of products plugged by public officials, political aspirants and actors — vitamins, toothpaste, alcohol, detergent, shampoo, milk, canned food, feminine products, and cosmetic enhancement procedures.

Actors can do what they want.

But public servants can do some advocacy work and use media to create awareness on particular issues such as health, clean air, protecting the environment, global warming. They should not promote commercial products. It is distasteful and appears to be a conflict of interest.

Caveat emptor: Buyers beware. The celebrity endorser does not necessarily use the products. There are no guarantees for lighter skin, spot-free laundry, or fresher breath. The ad is a marketing tool that is used to broaden public exposure for both the product and the star. In the process, he/she earns a substantial amount.

Some public officials have appeared in self-serving “at work” ads. The department or agency’s budget paid the bill for production and air time. The boss (who aspired to run for a higher public office) justified the infomercial was needed for public awareness. The ads conveniently provided early media exposure, circumventing the prescribed campaign ban period. Now this form of expensive self-promotion has been restricted and minimized.

There is nothing wrong with celebrity ads — as long as there is truth in advertising. And if the huge cost is not paid for by public funds.

Being a celebrity has its ups and downs. The famous person enjoys many perks. But there is price for that special status.

• VIP treatment. He/she saves time, effort, and money. He/she does not have to stand in line at the ticket office. Choice seats are offered at a fully booked restaurant. There are freebies from couture designers, shops, hotels, and airlines.

• 2) Social cachet. This is a permanent or temporary status. Invitations to high-profile events and concerts, exclusive circle clubs.

• Ego-massage. Fame produces an addictive adrenaline rush for the narcissist. He/she loves to see and hear himself/herself in the news. The applause is the crowds provides unlimited ego-boosting.

• Hero-worship. The fans, try to please the star. Sycophants fawn and flatter the politician. Lobbyists and vested interest groups offer gifts in exchange for future favors.

• Life in a goldfish bowl. The lack of privacy. The star enjoys attention and adoration. However, the intrusion and invasion of privacy can be distressing and painful. Stalkers have shot stars (John Lennon) and attempted to assassinate the Pope (St. John Paul II) and US president (Ronald Reagan).

• Public ownership. The celebrity’s personal life cases to be his/her own. He/she becomes material for public consumption and sensational scoops. It is transparency taken to extremes.

They become fair game for paparazzi and enemies. Any story (tawdry, sleazy, true or false) that will sell the tabloid and magazine is printed.

Despite protestations to the contrary, a number of play-hard-to-get celebrities may actually enjoy the attention. They thrive on and bask in publicity.

A few truly abhor attention. Greta Garbo once said that famous line: “I want to be alone.” She actually said: “I want to be left alone.”

Rumor and gossip stoke the fire. Star handlers and pin masters contrive elaborate scandals, fabricate tall takes and cultivate a controversial image. The better to get mileage.

In the end, the celebrity can be lonely. He/she loses touch and does not know where to draw the line between fact and fiction. And there are too many fair weather friends.

Andy Warhol once declared, “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”

The brilliant star grows old and fame wanes. The public shifts its gaze to a new face, a new name. The cycle begins all over again.

 

Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.

mavrufino@gmail.com

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