ATTAINING show biz fame has become quicker with the Internet and reality TV shows. Charice Pempengco and Arnel Pineda became global superstars via YouTube. Sarah Geronimo and Jovit Baldivino shot to prominence via talent shows.

But how can young performers aspire for longevity in a landscape that can change at the click of a mouse?

Gary Valenciano, a 28-year veteran of the biz, describes the current scene as ?scary?this year?s reality-show winner will definitely be replaced next year.? The top-rate singer-songwriter is not spared from the harsh realities. ?On ?ASAP,? I don?t have as many song numbers as before, but.. there?s a season for everyone.?

The realization didn?t occur overnight. ?If I didn?t go through the wringer... if I didn?t sing for 50 people once, I may not know how to sing in front of 50,000.?

No short cut

There is no short cut, Gary says. ?It?s important to take it step by step. If you skip a step, you may be missing a lesson that can help you cope in the future.? It?s less a question of talent management than artist development. ?I would love to help build an artist?s character... maybe someone like Jovit who deserves to be here,? he adds.

Martin Nievera, another 28-year veteran, welcomes new developments. ?I am glad that televiewers? minds are just as fast as new media.? He is no big fan of reality shows, however. He advocates constant training for all artists, regardless of age and experience. ?Although I?ve been in the business for almost three decades, I am still learning,? Martin says.

Ogie Alcasid, president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit, is all for discovering new talent, but he ?favors the long route.? He is a product of the old school, he says, and spent years ?training and working my way through endless non-paying gigs.?

Quick fix

But, he concedes, ?Times are different and reality shows rule, exposing local talents to the world.? He points out, ?No preparation is ever enough. It?s a question of whether your heart is in the right place. Are you willing to learn? Are you committed to a lifetime of entertaining people??

?Miss Saigon? alumnae Lea Salonga, Joanna Ampil and Monique Wilson have blazed the trail for Filipino performers abroad.

Ampil acknowledges that reality shows offer a ?quick fix? and democratizes the playing field, giving virtually anyone a chance to shine. She cautions, though, ?Instant fame can overwhelm.? Ampil believes rigorous training equips neophytes with the skill and discipline to last in the industry.

Salonga agrees, ?I?m pretty old school [myself].? She?s wary of shows like ?Pinoy Big Brother? because ?it?s a fast track to fame,? but notes that some singing contests could be tough training ground, too. ?Some aspirants have trod the boards and worked really hard before they got their big breaks.?

Salonga has assumed the role of teacher, having coached KC Concepcion and Karel Marquez in ?Beauty and the Beast,? and three actors in ?Once on This Island.? She says, ?I have the sensibility of a coach but I think like an actor.?

Try theater once

Wilson, who?s doing the play ?My Name is Rachel Corrie? in Manila on Sept. 3 and 4, suggests that newcomers try theater at least once. Currently a teacher at the East 15 Acting School in London, Wilson asserts, ?Being a performer is a huge responsibility. It gives you a platform to inspire people.?

She insists there?s ?a world of difference between being an actress and a celebrity.? The distinction, she says, lies in proper training: ?Respect your craft. Study and honor your profession. Don?t settle for mediocrity. Remain humble.?

Sharon Cuneta will soon act as mentor to aspiring performers on her Sunday primetime show ?Sharon,? which will be reformatted by ABS-CBN into a talent search titled ?Star Power.?

?It?s my way of giving back, to share all that I?ve learned for the past 32 years,? she explains. Her recipe for success: ?Hard work, faith in God and in yourself and, always, a grateful heart.?

She says talent is "just one, though very important, facet. Attitude has to be corrected if it is not fit for a people-pleasing job. Sincerity cannot be taught.?

The learning curve varies for each individual, Cuneta notes: ?Some learn quicker than others. Some are born with a natural feel or instinct. Some are passionate, but don?t know where to start. You just have show them the way.?

For Cuneta, it?s always the sum of the parts that matters: ?An entertainer is appreciated as a whole ? the total package."