You can tell this because people don’t read the entertainment section just to while away the time,they read it ALL the time.
People, throughout history knowingly and voluntarily choose to have a daily dose of entertainment news. Why? Well it’s not really rocket science. The simple explanation is that there’s a solid group of people—talk about intense fandom—that follows celebrity glitz and glamour, movie, music and television stars, and the occasional gossip and scandals surrounding them.
Who wouldn’t be interested in discussing a singer’s latest song, the MMFF hullabaloos, the latest video scandal of a famous celebrity, love teams, or the ongoing network war?
We are all fascinated by celebrities, and we all have an insatiable appetite to know what’s happening to them either it’s good news or bad news.
In the past, we had spent a reasonable amount of time talking about MTV, then we were glued in front of the boob tube watching television series and drama anthologies before our attention was shifted to big movie remakes.
And as we embark on the digital age, where there’s a new story breaking every single minute, and as the entertainment world evolves through different platforms, we pause and look back on the events that shaped local and international show business in the past three decades.
Here are some of the noteworthy events and personalities that made the last 30 years so much more entertaining and nostalgic:
THE 1980s
Music was all about videos with rise of MTV. Among those who stood out were Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Cher, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Abba, Chicago, Culture Club and Duran Duran, etc. These artists learned how to harness these music videos to their advantage and reach the top of the charts.
Although she did not win the Little Miss Philippines title in 1987, then three-year-old Aiza Seguerra was just too adorable to be ignored. The pageant became the stepping stone for her to enter the showbiz industry. After a stint in Eat Bulaga, she moved on to become a child actress with blockbuster movies under her belt and a popular recording artist with hits like “Pagdating ng Panahon.” She is currently the commissioner for the National Youth Commission.
In 1987, the Star Awards for Television was born. The annual award-giving body aims to recognize the outstanding programming produced by Philippine television networks every year. Likened to the Emmy Awards in the United States, it was established by the Philippine Movie Press Club.
The late Nida Blanca won a grand slam in best supporting actress for the movie “Magdusa Ka.” Grand slam refers to winning in all four Philippine major film awards in the same category in the same year.
Only five other actresses have received the grand slam for Best Actress: Vilma Santos (in Relasyon, 1983; in Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story) in 1994; Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?, 1999; Dekada ‘70, 2003); Nora Aunor (in Andrea, Paano Ba Maging Ina?, 1991; in the Flor Contemplacion Story, 1996); Lorna Tolentino for Narito Ang Puso Ko in 1993; Sharon Cuneta for Madrasta in 1997; and, Elizabeth Oropesa for Bulaklak ng Maynila in 2000.
For Best Actor, grand slam awardees included Philip Salvador for Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim in 1986; Chriatopher de Leon for Biktima and My Other Woman in 1991; and Jiro Manio for Magnifico in 2004 (although he won Best Child Actor at the FAMAS while he was the Best Actor at the other three majors.).
Other actresses who received grand slams for Best Supoorting Actress include: Gina Alajar for Mulanay: Sa Pusod ng Paraiso in 1997 and Glydel Mercado for Sidhi in 2000.
On the other hand, the grand slam Best Supporting Actors were: Ronaldo Valdez for May Minamahal in 1994, and Piolo Pascual for Dekada ‘70 in 2003.
American pop artists record “We Are the World” to help end famine in Ethiopia. About 45 famous singers gathered at the A&M studios in Los Angeles and recorded the charity single, which was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson.
John Lennon of the Beatles was shot dead by Mark David Chapman as he was leaving his apartment in New York.
THE 1990s
Beauty and the Beast became the first animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. While it didn’t win the top prize, it did win for Best Original Score and Best Original Song awards. The Disney animated film changed the game for the Best Picture race and paved the way for animations to be seen as serious candidates.
Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg took home his first directing Oscar for Schindler’s List, while Tom Hanks won Best Actor Oscar for two consecutive years for his role in Philadelphia in 1993 and in Forrest Gump in 1994.
An instant cult classic, The Blair Witch Project became the most profitable film after it grossed more than US$125 million. The film cost US$30,000 to make.
Jack and Rose, on the other hand, became the love team of the decade after Titanic crashed into theaters and raked in millions to become the highest-grossing film of all time, as well as 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for James Cameron.
Cassette tapes became obsolete and the compact disc became the preferred medium for recorded music. The 1990s was filled with pop, rap and alternative music from MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, Nirvana, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and boybands such as Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, N’Sync, Hanson, Moffats, among others.
In the local scene, Pinoy bands, especially with strong college followings, rose from the underground movement to become mainstream favorites. Bands such as Eraserheads, After Image, Introvoys, Yano, Rivermaya, Rizal Underground and Parokya ni Edgar who pioneered the “tunog kalye” genre and shaped Filipino pop culture. Hiphop artists such as Andrew E and Francis Magalona led the golden age in Pinoy hiphop scene.
Friends, the TV series, became a favorite among twenty-somethings, while MacGyver taught viewers amazing life hacks, and the beach became everyone’s favorite summer destination after watching Baywatch.
The 1990s in the Philippines ushered in the era of telenovelas. With Mexican soap operas such as Marimar and Maria Mercedes pushing the craze, local TV networks began creating their own productions. Most popular were Mara Clara, probably the longest-running drama (it was aired from 1992 to 1997), Esperanza, Valiente, Mula sa Puso, and Villa Quintana, among others.
Who could forget the infamous “Take it, take it” scandal during the 1994 Metro Manila Film Festival? The 20th MMFF had been fraught with controversy, beginning with the absence of winners for the top awards such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Awards. Then, there was the scandal over the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, which were given to Ruffa Gutierrez and Gabby Concepcion, even though their names were not the ones on the winner’s cards. The scandal tainted the MMFF award-giving body.
THE 2000s
The teleserye craze continued to dominate the new decade. In fact, Pangako Sa’yo, which starred Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa, broke viewership records and its series finale became the all-time highest rated series finale. Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, starring John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo, was the first Philippine TV series to become a finalist in the Best Drama Series category of the 2003 International Emmy Awards. Among other notable series were Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas, the first drama that allowed viewers to decide its ending of the story through text messaging; Basta’t Kasama Kita, which ushered in the live finale format. Then came the slew of fantasy-themed series, or fantaserye. Among those that captured Filipino audiences were Mulawin, Encantadia, Dyesebel, and Lobo.
The Asianovela craze made its way to Philippine shores via Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden and Dolphin Bay. Then came the KDrama or Koreanovela craze, with the onslaught of hallyu favorites like Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Lovers in Paris, Stairway to Heaven, Jewel in the Palace. The koreanovela craze continues to this day.
Michael Jackson’s death triggered a global outpouring of grief in 2009. Google blocked searched related to the King of Pop for 30 minutes, while Twitter and Wikipedia reported a crash. AOL Messenger collapsed for 40 minutes. Programming was changed, with TV stations airing specials on Jackson. British drama series East Enders added a last-minute scene where one character tells aother about Jackson’s death. MTV celebrated the singer’s works, airing hours of Jackson’s music video, and culminating the temporary programming shift with the live coverage of the memorial service.
This decade saw the blossoming of the Filipino films in the international scene. Taklub, the 2015 film about survivors of Typhoon Haiyan directed by Brillante Mendoza, won a commendation from the ecumenical jury of that year’s Cannes Film Festival. Lav Diaz’s Ang Babaeng Humayo, which tells the story of a vengeful school teacher who was imprisoned for 30 years for a crime she didn’t commit, won the top prize at the 73rd Venice Film Festival. Filipino actress Jaclyn Jose also won the best acting plum at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival for her mesmerizing performance as a slum matriarch who falls prey to corrupt police in “Ma Rosa,” a film directed by Brillante Mendoza.
This decade also saw Filipino talents getting recognition in the international entertainment scene, starting with Charice, who became the first Filipino artist to land in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 for album sales and the first Asian to have a song peak at no. 1 for Billboard’s Dance/Club Play Songs. Then, there is Rachelle Ann Go who won plaudits for her portrayal of kim in Miss Saigon and Fantine in Les Miserables, both at the West End and on Broadway.