Do showbiz politics and ‘brown presidents’ make a good mix?

Things haven’t changed much in Philippine politics despite efforts to impart upon Filipino voters the finer cognitive skills involved in choosing their leaders. Of course, it is really foolish to expect more from candidates like Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada and Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay…

jejomar_binay_erap_estrada_campaign
[Photo courtesy When in Manila.]

Some people may express “shock” at such spectacular insults on the already meagre collective intellect of the Philippine electorate. But, really, people like us who’ve been so long in the business of understanding the fundamental nature of the Filipino psyche quite simply are just bemused. It will take entire generations to engineer the stupid out of the Filipino mind. Even without the cringe-worthy daddy-groovy dancing on display today, you’d think Filipinos would at least remember how just 12 years ago, millions of their compatriots trooped to Edsa in a second take of their once-revered street “revolutions” to remove then President Estrada, at the time widely-regarded as a plundering womaniser.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY!
Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us.
Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider!
Learn more

Showbiz, indeed, is the opiate of the masses. It is a low-tech version of that contraption Will Smith uses to make casual kibitzers forget they saw aliens in the hit Men in Black Hollywood movie franchise.

The trouble with Filipinos is that even those who claim to be “intelligent” enough to revile the showbiz tactics used by agenda-laden politicians to con their constituents into literally dancing to their drumbeat also latch on to their own personal celebrity idols like barnacles — whether these be charismatic religious figures, self-appointed subject matter “experts” and “practitioners” and, yes, costumed shock “activists”. The predisposition to be dazzled by pomp, circumstance, colour, and costume is simply too deeply-ingrained in the Filipino mind. This psychological condition transcends class, gender, and sexual orientation in the Philippines.

Who needs substance when glitz, glamour, and coño airs work wonders on the vacuous mental faculties of the Filipino? That is the simple principle at work in the art and science of mass persuasion in Philippine society.

Perhaps, as politician JV Ejercito wistfully suggests to a Makati crowd (so I heard), Filipinos need a “brown president” to parallel the tradition of the journey US President Barack Obama (an African-American person, we are reminded ad nauseum) took to the American throne.

If that, indeed, is the case I say Kris Aquino needs to work on a serious tan to be in the running for the top job. If Erap can do it, so can Kris. The prospect of a Kris Aquino presidency isn’t entirely implausible in a society renowned for a consistent track record of electing bozos to lead and represent them. Indeed;

A highly credible source who serves as consultant of several political personalities says Kris is being groomed by a powerful group within the Liberal Party to be the running mate of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in the 2016 elections.

“But she’s too controversial and there are too many issues that would be used against her if and when she runs for vice president,” some would say.

Up to now, people apparently don’t realize that Kris is a Teflon public personality whose public career is punctuated by scandals and major controversies. Still, she remains impervious to blame and criticism.

“Impervious to blame and criticism.” In short, Kris is Philippine President material. Why go for the Vice Presidency, Kris? Go for the gold. Run for President in 2016. It’s a sure thing.

Sayaw Pinoy, sayaw

Gimme a line!

43 Replies to “Do showbiz politics and ‘brown presidents’ make a good mix?”

  1. David beckham for prime minister of uk.
    Kobe bryant for president of us.

    If it was down to filipinos

    No country is as politically stupid or backward as philippines ( and a couple of african banana republics), and hence gets the worst ‘politicians’ imaginable.

    And if 81% of people are happy ( 95% of A,B,C groups ) according to pulse asia! then the dynasties will continue to grow and steal at will.
    Nobody really cares, or cares to think.

      1. So does the Arroyo-Cojuangco clan. Hacienda Luisita, hello? 😛

        Oh yeah, not to mention Bam Aquino. I have my sources while you have none. All hearsay crap.

        1. Lies. Bam Aquino is just an opportunist; he’s more like a pawn in order for his father to have an influence in politics. Bam Aquino is the son of Paul Aquino, who stole all the geothermal plants by selling them into a corporation while he was DOE secretary; he resigned and later he re-emerged as a CEO of Energy Development Corp. which charges us, POOR CONSUMERS, with the OST EXPENSIVE ELECTRICITY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!

          Also, the surveys are totally biased and manipulated. You can’t accept the fact that another Aquino is playing some dirty games while you are still brainwashed. Also, thanks for the lies. 😀

      2. dey all a bunch of crooks mon. Mista mon, watchew be smokin, ah? Mista mon? you so numb in da skull that you not be knowzin dat mang?

    1. U r correct, filipino’s vote for the two jack-asses pictured above dancing with Femmes(who probably want to vomit from their oldman stench!)who could be their grand-daughters!!!!….just hysterical.

  2. I would have expected gordon and casino to do better (if surveys are correct)
    They would seem to be more representative and supportive of the masses, but obviously not reciprocated.

    Nancy binay!! Bam aquino!! Cynthia villar!! Grace poe!!
    These people are an insult to the electorate

      1. Lies. Gordon is a man of action. Only delusional fools would believe that LAST NAMES and CELEBRITIES would make things better. In reality, it’s not.

        You’re totally wrong about Gordon. That’s a fact.

  3. Ours is a reactionary society. We, Filipinos, are not taught to think critically. We are just being spoon feed by our educational system and the stream line media in general. We ought to think what is good for our country first rather than be subservient to the interests of foreign powers. It’s good the western powers exported to our shores, this English language.We can positively exploit this advantage to present our true Filipino identity rather than to be controlled by others.

    1. What do you mean ‘not taught to think critically?’. If that is so, then why did PNoy win? Every Filipino knew that he won’t steal and he will remove corruption which were rampant and felt by us during the GMA regime..

      1. Why Noynoy win? That’s because of Cory’s death and nothing else. EMO politics to be exact.

        Noynoy is totally wrong on corruption and so are YOU. BTW, where’s Hacienda Luisita and how about his pork barrel? The reason WHY there is rampant corruption is not because of GMA because of how the people VIEW the government as a spectator sport, put people like Noynoy, other affluent familial last names and former showbiz people to politics, then when SHIIT breaks out, they react as if they weren’t aware of the repercussions.

        Sorry, but that’s the truth. Thanks to the biased media and the dysfunctional culture, they thought Filipinos on the refusal to think critically. For example, you are trolling since you use Yellow Propaganda and just like the rest of your fellow morons, you always resort to EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS rather than logical thinking. And that’s the reason why PNoy won: the likes of you use EMOTIONS, not brains.

        Correct me if I’m wrong. 😛

      2. “remove corruption”?? More like bring in more. Look at his appointments. Spew out yellow colored puke. Hardly objective. Besides Fishnuts, you work for Malacanang.

      3. Penoy can think critically that’s why he won the election?

        He does not even know that critical thinking is a requirement to think critically.

        I mean eduardo. Not Penoy.

        Pwe!

      4. Tsk,tsk,tsk eduardo, do you realize now that nobody sane will believe your propaganda?
        Maybe its time for you to get a REAL job instead of posting yellow propaganda in a place where it won’t have any effect.

        Troll Harder, eduardo

      5. Proofs of BS Aquino’s inability to think critically are his invisibilities during the Hostage Bus Crisis and the Sabah Incursion.

    1. Kris Aquino for VP a bad news? I think not. As long as she is qualified and promise a good agenda, then she has a big chance to win. Isa pa, siya ay isang Aquino.

      1. And that is why the Philippines is going down the drain. Only a deluded fool would believe that LAST NAMES makes things better.

        This is what the delusional eduardo wants: a SHOWBIZ GOVERNMENT. 😛

      2. only appeals to the uneducated – like yourself, who clearly knows nothing about politics, or anything, judging by your inane comments and are happy to be cult members. what a sad specimen.

      3. The problem is her mother, St Cory, rigged the constitution so that any Filipino above forty years of age can be president. Kahit na taho vendor ka lang (not to look down on manong magtataho), since then it was free for all willing. The 1973 constitution, on the other hand, somewhat filtered the undesirables as you have to be a member of the National assembly first.

        But for Kris, VP agad, panalo…!

        A good agenda? For what? Meeting ba yan? Or interview with Boy Abunda? Even if she has a good platform, does she even have a good track record of her previous performances putting her plans to action? Performance ha, hindi yung acting niya sa mga mabababaw niyang pelikula. At eto, sagutin mo eduardo….sarili nga niyang pamilya wala sa hulog, patakbuhin pa Pilipinas, saan na tayo pupulutin niyan? Same goes to all who are running for office this coming elections…. make sure how they run their families because it will say a lot how they will perform their jobs. (not unless panay press release ang tungkol sa buhay niya)

      4. “I think not.”

        This is the first honest thing I’ve ever seen eduardo post. He certainly DOES NOT THINK!

      5. “Kris Aquino for VP a bad news? I think not.”

        Yep, you definitely don’t think AT ALL.
        You don’t even try to think for yourself.
        What a delusional coward you are, just like your cowardly twat of a president.

        TROLL HARDER

  4. It’s really amazing how people with mind set like eduardo can say 1+1=3. How many percent of Filipinos think like him? Because in the end, it will determine how the Philippines will be like a few years from now.

    Nakakainis na nakakalungkot. Sarap tirisin e!

    1. Now is the time for benigns to delete his/her posts since he contributes nothing but Yellow Propaganda crap.

      Emo flips are the bane of Filipino society.

      1. i agree.
        trolling, ridiculous and repetitive comments, disrespect for tge site, and dumbing down the discussions negates someones freedom of speech when it is not speech but simply slogans.
        enough is enough.

        1. Eduardo is getting desperate now.
          Just like the trolls that came before him, he is just grasping at straws whenever he posts here.

  5. I’ve never encountered surveys, not even once. Sadly, some of us haven’t either..this is really sad if “survey-says” that most of us would vote for that person when it is the exact opposite. In this case, it is really a sad state of affairs..

    Showbiz and politics are not a good mix in my opinion..especially if that person can’t prove himself worthy of it. It is also sad that are other individuals who are truly more deserving to do such service but instead they get relegated elsewhere in which the public barely knows what they even did because the media is just too busy focusing on things that don’t really matter.

    People say that the church should be separated from the state, if people agree with that, then they should also agree that showbiz must be separated from politics.

    Now if they are really serious about this, then they should prove themselves first.

  6. ROTFLMAO

    “It will take entire generations to engineer the stupid out of the Filipino mind.”

    Holy geezuz. That made me laaaaaaugh (but cry inwardly at the same time)

    1. LP are now blatantly buying votes in many areas.( or giving gift certificates)
      i am taking video every time i see it.
      others should do the same.

  7. Two old ‘hoodlums-in-robes’? dancing with Ladies who could be their Grand-daughters? wtf, wait, HA HA HAAHAHAHAHAHA, I mean BWAH HAHAHAHAH!!!! in the Philippines this is the sort of people that get elected, well I guess people who would think they are despicable for doing that are probably just jealous they do not have dates with 19 yr. old Femmes!!! I mean, ask any old dude:”Yo Gramps, how would you like another shot at a 19 yr. old hottie?”.I bet Gramps would say:”You bet your ass I would.”. so two ‘hoodlums’ are just doin what any old guy would do, EVEN IF THEY LOOK RIDICULOUS DOING IT( and they do look ridiculous, “don’t fall and brak your hip gramps!”.)!!! or the fact that those hotties want to puke all over their old man smellin asses, HAHAHAHAH!!!
    its funny anyway I look at it!

  8. Reading these comments is enjoyable, fun time reading.

    This eduardo guy, he is a malacanYUCK plant? that is that he is sent to comment here by the Malacanyuckers?

    IDK, people really think they give a shit about what people write or think about them? They are in power now and have the backing of the military so it is a li’l unlikely that would really give a shit what anyone says.
    Any proof of this guy being a mole? I mean afterall, this is only a web-site blog!

  9. a black president in US has just meant more ghetto blasters and basketball players at the white house.
    no one takes obama seriously – other than other blacks.
    and no one would take binay seriously – other than other crooks

    1. I don’t know if the black community as a whole takes Obama seriously. Based on the loudest noise makers of the chattering crowd he’s been equated with the second coming. Something BS Aquino has been trying desperately to emulate. And it seems a great majority of the admirers are white folks — more than blacks? — who seem to be desperate to prove that they are sorry for the racism in America. From a real world point of view: Obama is responsible for raising poverty levels among the black community to much higher levels than his predecessors. He’s in the process of accumulating a massive $20+ Trillion debt that will get kicked down the line to the next 3 generations. God only knows how that will affect the rest of the world. And he’s a clueless coward the Chinese are taking advantage of to extend their influence in southeast Asia. And a seriously inept free throw shooter.

      In Binay’s case — anyone who’s had dealings in Makati realizes this homunculus has his hand in EVERY deal. And that his part can change at a moment’s notice; usually upwards of the originally agreed to graft. It’s a recipe that will force even corrupt businessmen to turn down the Philippines. Especially as you can’t trust the word if the top official in the land.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.