Canfeeermed

By Netnet Camomot

FALLING asleep while watching the Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant last Sunday night could mean the show was boring.

However, to wake up with “The Voice of the Philippines” Season 2 winner Jason Dy serenading the beauty candidates, and still managing to fall asleep right after could mean you’re simply tired and sleepy.

And to wake up again in time for the announcement of the Bb. Pilipinas Universe winner could mean that, unlike its “canfeeermed” gay fans, you don’t care anymore about beauty pageants and may begin protesting against this anti-feminist focus on pretty faces and sexy bodies, especially with former President Erap Estrada’s “eraption” that says, “Don’t judge a book for you are not a judge.”

But the contest had judges, of course, including Rep. Leni Robredo, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Vice Ganda, and General Gregorio Catapang, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Some beauty pageant candidates could keep on going like the Energizer Bunny. If they lose this year, they come back again to compete in that same beauty contest next year, their motto must be, Try and try until you succeed. Their only enemy is age since such contests do have an age limit unless it’s for Binibining Senior Moment.

There are smaller beauty contests where beauty candidates can gain much-needed experience before going for the national level. They can always start in their school, barangay, town, city, province, region. Even some singers have to go through the same route, hopping from one singing contest to another, from one barangay to another, thereby honing their skills and gaining more confidence along the way. Charice Pempengco supposedly went through about a hundred singing contests. Yes, try and try until you succeed, which is true for all other endeavors since not everyone is aiming to be Miss Universe or for Billboard’s No. 1 slot.

But it was Bb. Pilipinas co-host Toni Gonzaga who seemed to grab the attention of the audience with her a la Cinderella blue gown. When she glided on stage in it, we could almost see her running down the palace’s steps and leaving her glass slipper behind, with the golden coach, coach driver, horses, and footmen morphing back to a pumpkin, goose, mice, and lizards. It was a beautiful gown but it was too much for a co-emcee of a beauty contest where the focus should be on the beauty candidates and not the emcees.

In one video taken by an audience member at the pageant’s venue—Araneta Coliseum—while the TV cameras were off, she was entertaining the audience with the “Frozen” theme song “Let It Go” and other songs, and said, “Hoy, grabe, alam nyo pag-uwi ko pagod na pagod ako. Nag-host, nag-jester, nagpalit nang tatlong gown. Nakita nyo yong first gown ko? That was my Cinderella moment. Nakita nyo po ba kung sino yong fairy godmother ko? Si Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Nakita nyo po ba kung sino ang stepmother ko? Si Vice… Pag-uwi ko talaga pag tinanong ako ng Mom ko, Kumusta yong Araneta? Whew! Super hirap mag-concert. Di ba nag-host ka ng Binibini? Hindi po, nag-concert. I sang mga five songs…”

There’s negative chika about her adlibs and comments during the pageant but for me who was asleep most of the time while trying to watch the beauty contest’s TV coverage, the dilemma now is I could not relate with the feedback vented through social media. Ho-hum.

But those adlibs were probably a continuation of her adrenaline rush after all the mini-concerts and stand-up comedy she was doing off-cam. If that was part of the script, then she’s not entirely responsible for ruffling the feathers of those who believe a beauty pageant should be a formal occasion and not be hosted like a noontime variety show.

Once the chika on Gonzaga vanishes, the focus will definitely shift to the new set of Bb. Pilipinas winners who will represent the country in international beauty pageants. Whether they win or lose in the international arena, they can always have a career in Pinoy show biz as long as they seize the opportunity while it’s there. That’s after all another secret to success—carpe diem, seize the day.

So, you seize the day, and try and try until you succeed.