The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
In the wake of the first public appearance of the so-called Queen of All Media Kris Aquino after three long years of absence from the physical scene as she is more active in virtual media, here’s a two-cent worth of thought about the scenario.
What is show business is political.
Or more to it, what is political is personal and vice-versa.
You can still drag in any of these to conjure up meanings to the equation—social, metaphysical, economic, cultural, philosophical, religious, ad nauseum, all aspects of life rolled into one and blend them with the high society glitz and glam or the nouveau riche, middle class temperament or the dirt-poor slums sensibility in the reel and real versions encompassing Tinseltown enterprise to mean multiverse.
There are no barriers anymore.
It is a borderless society, after all.
With multimedia controlling the broadest of life, Canadian communication philosopher Marshall McLuhan laughed his way to the bank, understood and ate media, lived the very essence of the whole wide world that has shrunk to a village bought and thought from his best-selling book.
Gone are the days when one demarcated showbiz from politics although the dichotomy still exists especially among the uninformed or even the well-informed but devil-may-care indifferent attitude.
I remember in the seventies when the late entertainment news hen Ched P. Gonzales–a forerunner correspondent of the English fanzine Literary Song-Movie Magazine circulated in the 1960s—would remind if not reprimand us new movie reporters (I supposed she would also call out on veterans as well as other showbiz fixtures) not to associate showbiz activities with politics although she just generalized it without specifying partisan politics which was entirely a different thing.
For instance, Ate (a term of endearment to an older sister or woman by blood or by affinity) Ched would say “don’t get entertainment projects involved with elections” or “don’t hang around with politicians or get influenced by them.” I thought Ate Ched’s “reason for being” was that she was concerned about not being badly influenced by corrupt leaders in high and low places.
At the time, singers and comics were already performing in campaign sorties and now aspirants themselves swing their hips away for those precious votes.
How about when Imee R. Marcos met up with the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) officers and members at the time the still missing entertainment columnist, TV host, talent manager and star builder Boy C. de Guia was president?
Imee, the socio-culturally active daughter of the past president of the republic Ferdinand E. Marcos, through the intercession of the late Marichu Vera-Perez Maceda, one of showbiz links to Malacanang at the time was ubiquitous like organizing the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) and attending showbiz socials.
Imee wanted to connect to the movie press for whatever reasons seemingly to her advantage.
It’s a subtle way, though, of politicizing the already politicized showbiz.
What do you call the so-called Man of the Masses Ramon Magsaysay paying visits to Dona Sisang—the matriarch of LVN Pictures—in the 1950s, to reach out to the stars and to descend with them as if sharing lives and shining through ordinary mortals?
Imee was and still is personally playing footsie with the fourth estate of showbiz as a foothold to diverse audiences.
For politics isn’t only government or public service.
Politics is simply everyday life.
The late Mother Lily Monteverde, Regal Films’ head honcho, helped in the political careers not only of her talents but of Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes et al or even conceptualized a biopic for whistle blower Heidi Mendoza in the 2010.
How’s that for showbiz-ing state leadership?
If memory serves me right, I was taught in college and reading that politics is a good endeavor to govern people justly.
Webster Collegiate Dictionary also defines politics as “…the total complex of relations between people living in society…”
In other words, politics is also power relations to hegemonize—but are they really for the good of the many?
Intersecting the entertainment industry, mass media and powers that be, Kris Aquino, daughter of two prominent political figures—her dad as opposition leader during the Marcos dictatorship and was murdered in 1983; her mom as first woman president—is a progeny of the conjugal magnanimity.
The ordinary person in Kris born with a silver spoon in her mouth is an oxymoron but she manages to stay abreast and in tune with the everydayness, ordinariness, particularly of showbiz, although she has displayed her affluence like jewelries, signature bags and apparels notwithstanding her English twang etc. which could set her apart from the masa.
And her participation in the making of national history is glistening in the current state of affairs of Filipinos.
Although her soundbites in a short interview during her first ever public appearance after three years in hiatus she clarified that she didn’t know it was the twenty fifth day of February of this year—the final moment of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution commemoration—she thought chucklingly it was only the twenty fourth, purportedly a memory lapse because of the medicine she took previously.
Kris was consciously in full yellow regalia—face mask and inner blouse—to stay tuned with the motif celebration although on the other side of the socio-political spectrum, young Ateneo students and other rallyists wore black and carried black placards during the protest action on the observance of the 39th EDSA.
They were more than semiotics—a display of courage amid her serious health situation when Kris’ make-up artist RB Chanco would reveal her model is still sick, frail and fragile.
The private Kris is also publicly in the middle if being a darling of the crowd was revealing, emphasizing again her political color in deference to her family and a reminiscence of an ex-presidential sister.
Her appearance at the awarding of the 2025 Stargate People Asia People of the Year which she couldn’t resist to cheer for her friend, fashion designer Michael Leyva, she affirmed was timely.
Interestingly, Aquino’s gestures thus again spelled a difference, stirred meanings and evoked effects to this year’s midterm elections.
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Action speaks louder than voice for 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray’s split from Sam Milby she alone in Turkey could suggest.
Although Catriona hasn’t said anything about the breakup, she doesn’t wear her engagement ring anymore.
And even if they were together in the recent concert of singer TJ Monterde, the ex-couple was sitting beside each other.
It was Isabel Oli who was beside Cat.
In her lonesome in Turkey, Catriona was engrossed wth its intricate arts and culture. She posted on her Instagram: “Loved the experience of learning about the art of Turkish Rug making. We were able to experience how the raw materials such as silk is spun, dyed and woven on these looms. Such incredible attention to detail on every piece that takes months for one woman to complete. One of the highlights of my trip and definitely recommend if you have a love for textiles and artisanal wares like me!”
Gray also enjoyed the jeep safari that brought her across the mountains of Cappadocia.
She was also thrilled with the sight of hot air balloons although she said that they are weather dependent and can be cancelled anytime. In lieu of cancellation, though, the beauty queen explored some scenic views, tried some local food including a Turkish coffee.
Cat stayed in a cave hotel which she said was interesting enough.