The Bottomline Experience

Let me categorically state that it wasn't my first time on camera.

I've done the whole scene of performing before a live audience of more than 3,000 pax. I've shot many a TV commercial. I've posed for print a couple of times. I've lent my voice to a few radio commercials. I've also done ramp... Yeah, I guess you can say I've had more than my share of 15 minutes of fame.

But being invited to a show where I would have to be asked about my opinion on national issues and having to exchange banter with Boy Abunda was quite a challenge. I know he's pretty well known and I have seen The Bottomline at least once or twice. So I more or less knew what I was up for. I didn't know, however, that the show was also aired on the Filipino Channel and broadcast to other countries abroad. That was what gave me the jitters.

After fellow Mabuhay Guide handed the assignment to me, I thought it was just one of those things. So I called up the contact person Anne Mirabelles and made the necessary arrangements. I was at the ABS-CBN studios at least half an hour before call time. Two p.m. was the appointed schedule for the staff to meet me at the Starbucks outlet. I was ushered in a few minutes after two. While waiting during the set-up, some of the staff were making small talk with me and I felt that was a good way to start.

One by one the panelists started arriving. First was Nini Borja who is a friend of the host and who runs her own printing company. Then it was Mike Lopez, who I learned is Cebuano and related to Congress representative Cutie del Mar and who flies in every two weeks from Cebu just to tape for the show. Mon was another panelist who is still an undergrad taking up Nursing and is set to take the board exams soon so he was silently reviewing for the exams in one corner of the studio. Then Xian Chua arrived. Xian teaches History at De La Salle University and is also a blogger and an armchair photographer of sorts. then Bianca Lapus arrived and the panelists were complete.

Now if only they could start on time, then my ordeal would be over soon. I kept wondering: "who'd be interested in what I have to say?" After all, I usually keep to myself. I'm the one who usually keeps quiet until someone gets me going... either that, or I totally withdraw from all the attention (which is paradoxical, since I've been in the performing arts for years). At nearly four p.m. I was called into a small glass paneled area and asked to hit a gong twice... apparently the scene is used whenever a panelist's questions are asked. Then all of us were ushered in and made to sit around a glass topped table...

Enter Boy Abunda... I really didn't know what to expect... His reputation precedes him as far as I'm concerned. Then he looked at me noticing that I was an unfamiliar face... I guess he's used to seeing the five other panelists on taping days. With a big smile I was welcomed and put at ease. Ok. Then the cameras started grinding. I was used to TVCs so I was half expecting for some director to scream "cut!!!!" somewhere. Didn't happen! The discussion continued from the time the cameras started rolling till the first gap was called. I was in the midst of a group of lively,intelligent, opinionated (and I mean this in a good way) people all of whom were younger than me and more seasoned in terms of TV appearances.

Perfect host that he is, Boy Abunda would ask me questions periodically if only to hear my two-cents worth. He then proceeded to another set where he interviewed... no ... grilled Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno regarding the horrible hostage-taking at the Quirino Grandstand. Meanwhile we remained in the booth amongst ourselves with the cameras taking in reactions from whatever nuggets we gathered from the interview.

Another gap was called and then Boy Abunda came back to sit with us and discuss our reactions. Then the recap came. All in all, 38 minutes for the first discussion, another 40-45 minutes for the interviewee and then the recap took about another half an hour. Then the whole process was done with... I skipped the invitation to partake of the buffet on the set and made my polite leave fro the guests and staff then I was ushered to the exit. I was out the door sooner than expected. I learned that they tape 2 episodes every other week. So I didn't stay to watch them tape next episode with BIR chief Kim Henares.

The episode of Isko Moreno taped at midnight of Saturday... this is probably why I don't get to watch it as often. I'm usually asleep by ten p.m. I had an enjoyable time meeting the other panelists and Boy Abunda, no less. Then I saw the Facebook reactions... Apparently, I didn't do too badly...

=)