MANILA, Philippines - The new ?game? show, ?The Moment of Truth? (2nd Ave., Thursdays, 8 p.m.), has rubbed some viewers the wrong way with its intrusive questions that reveal contestants? secrets for the whole television audience to hear.

Truth to tell, the first telecast we caught of the show wasn?t that bad, as the program?s host generally limited himself to asking questions that were tough but not all that compromising or shocking.

The next time we watched the show, however, it threw us for a loop. The female contestant was subjected to questions that probed more deeply, invasively and even heartlessly into her most private thoughts and actuations.

The host elicited answers that revealed the contestant had been accused of stealing money while at work, that she was unfaithful to her husband (who was present in the studio, the better to hear and react to all this) and that her relationship with her parents and siblings was far from loving.

As the contestant answered the sizzling-hot questions forthrightly, she was rewarded with more money, until she was about to hit the $200,000 mark.

Then, came the seemingly easy question: ?Do you think you?re a good person?? When she answered in the affirmative, she was told that she had lied, so she ended up with ?nothing.

The show?s point was, in her heart of hearts, in the light of all her sins, she did not like herself very much!

For honesty?s sake

The contestant was so flummoxed by this shocking turn of events that she uttered no protest, not a peep.

Throughout that sad spectacle of a telecast, the program host professed to be very bothered about the exceedingly invasive tenor of the questions he ?had? to ask. But, he pointed out that all of those questions had been vetted in advance by the contestant, and yet she chose to answer them, even if her ?honesty? threatened to undermine her closest relationships.

So, why did the contestant tell absolutely all? She swore it wasn?t because of the money ?although $200,000 wasn?t chopped liver. No, she did it because she wanted to achieve closure in her life about all those smelly, contentious issues. Well, if you say so...

The height of irony here, of course, is that after going way out on a limb for honesty?s sake, the contestant lost everything ?just because she told the ?truth? ?that turned out to be a ?lie.?

And, by ?everything,? we don?t mean only the money she had ?earned,? but also her relationships, which had been bruised by her painfully honest, ?tell-all? responses. If there is a lesson in there somewhere for the rest of us?

Well, yes? take your pick: Keep your ?moments of truth? to yourself. Don?t subject your loved ones to the indignity and pain of public suffering from the shrapnel of your explosive personal revelations. When it comes to money earned by joining some game shows, it?s easy come, easy go.

And, above all: Exhibitionistic, battered contestant, really know thyself.

?Step Brothers?

The new adult comedy, ?Step Brother,? reteams Will Ferrell with John C. Reilly and writer-director Adam McKay after this successful collaboration on ?Talladega Nights.? The film is about ?two grown guys still living at home, where single parents get married and they have to share a room.?

Director McKay observes: ?With these characters, there?s a fine line between their complementing each other, and enabling one another. They really should never have met? and yet, somehow, it works out.?

?Niteout?

The Sabado Boys? Jimmy Bondoc, Luke Mejares, Mike Chan, Myke Salomon, Paolo Santos and Top Suzara? will perform at the Music Museum on Sept. 20 and 26. Individually, they?re good? but together, they?re dynamite! The R&B band, Urbanation is the show?s front act. Call 929-4568 or 721-0635.