MANILA, Philippines - It was drama as usual on GMA 7?s ?Pinoy Idol,? which held a series of nerve-wracking eliminations this week. On ?American Idol,? this round (usually held in Hollywood) is called ?Hell Week.?
Judge Ogie Alcasid explains: ?It was grueling for both the contestants and the judges.? It wasn?t uncommon for tapings, held at Cinema 6 of SM North Edsa, to begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 a.m. for the aspirants, says program manager Hazel Abonita. For the production staff, wrap-up was 4 a.m. The judges usually finished their job at 2:30 am.
?We spent a lot of time deliberating,? says judge Wyngard Tracy. ?It was the toughest part because a lot of heads rolled,? Ogie agrees. The judges argued constantly, relentlessly, he says. ?We had to hear each other out.?
?It was quite an experience,? adds director Louie Ignacio, who reminded the contestants that this round was their ?time to shine.?
From the original 175, the lineup was narrowed down to 90 on the first day, Wednesday. From 90, 45 were picked on Thursday. Friday, the number was further whittled down to 30. Yesterday, the final 24?12 boys, 12 girls?were to be selected during a taping held at the GMA 7 studio.
Host Raymond Gutierrez says the Manila round can be summed up, thus: ?Three Ps?pagod (exhaustion), puyat (sleeplessness) and pressure.? Ogie?s girlfriend, singer Regine Velasquez, kept sending food she had cooked herself, says Direk Louie.
Wyngard notes that fellow judge Jolina Magdangal, fresh from a film shoot in Europe, had to contend with jet lag. Plus, her maternal grandmother passed away on Thursday. But yes, the show must go on, and it did.
A male contestant, overtaken by stress, wanted to back out. Wyngard recounts: ?I kept quiet, but Jolina and Ogie scolded him.? Ogie explains: ?I couldn?t let it pass. He was wasting everyone?s time. I wanted him to realize that a production isn?t just one person ... that there are so many people involved.?
Ogie also reprimanded a 16-year-old girl who, he felt, did not support her female partner in the duets round. Raymond calls them the week?s ?Drama Queens.?
Good attitude
?Her partner broke down and couldn?t sing. Instead of helping out, she just continued singing,? relates Hazel. The judges wanted her to learn the importance of team work.
?I think she?s mad at me,? Ogie says. ?But a good attitude is also crucial here.?
A male contestant cried onstage after singing a Robbie Williams rock ballad that reminded him of his mom in Iloilo. All the drama took its toll on the contestants. Another male aspirant kept shaking after his solo performance.
Raymond, however, points out: ?Most of the contestants rose to the challenge.?
Wyngard concurs: ?They are getting better.? Raymond elaborates: ?During the regional auditions, they were very raw. But now they?ve improved not only performance-wise, but also in their looks. They seem determined to win.?
Total package
Wyngard says he is looking for a ?star,? not just ?pure talent.?
Jolina says: ?It?s not just about making birit (belting). An Idol should be the total package.?
Ogie says he has two boys and two girls in his short list, but admits it?s too early in the game, adding that his first bet was ?ousted.?
Raymond agrees: ?It?s hard to play favorites because we can?t predict how they would handle the pressure.?
Up till this point, anything can happen.
(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)
