Pinoy Big Brother

There is no escaping Pinoy Big Brother these days.

While I was having a medical check-up some weeks ago, the cell phone of my internist’s assistant rang. My internist immediately recognized the ring tone. Amused, he remarked, “That’s Pinoy Big Brother.” The assistant replied, “I got this from you.”

Past 9 p.m. at home, I would be preparing to sleep but I could hear Jason’s jokes, Say’s whining and other housemates voices because my sister-in-law, nephew and niece are ardent followers of PBB.

Two weeks ago, we (mostly non-showbiz columnists) had the pleasure of being brought to “Bahay ni Kuya” by director Lauren Dyogi, the young and good-looking business unit head of the hit show, and the well-liked Boy Abunda. We visited the PBB house on Eugenio Lopez Drive in front of ABS-CBN’s The Loop.

The PBB set is a marvel. It’s a house within a house. Enclosed by a wall with one-way mirrors is a tastefully furnished living unit with two bedrooms, one bath, large living room, kitchen, a garden and a swimming pool. Twenty-six cameras record all the activities within the house including the bathroom (they, however, devised a way that the housemate’s privacy is respected while taking a bath).

Beginning last Aug. 21, 12 persons (from 25,000 applicants) coming from different economic and social backgrounds were brought to PBB house to live together, interact with each other, with absolutely no contact with the outside world in 100 days. No TV, radio, newspaper, cell phone, computers, or watches.

But they will be seen by millions of viewers. Every bit of gesture and emotion under scrutiny by the public. They are no different from laboratory rats at the mercy of the scientists’ intense scrutiny.

Every other week, one housemate is eliminated through nomination by fellow housemates and text votes from viewers. They are now down to 8 and the winner is expected to be known Dec. 10 or 11.

The survivor on this unreal reality show will win one million pesos in cash, a brand new Nissan Frontier Titanium 3 and a house and lot in St. Monique Vallais. All housemates are given a weekly allowance deposited in their bank account. It must be substantial allowance because when we asked Direk Lauren how much, he replied, “Parang na ring nagtrabaho sa abroad for 100 days.”

Evicted housemates do not go home empty-handed. They get consolation prizes consisting of a TV set, karaoke, electric fan, a Norkis Yamaha motorcycle plus a shot at a showbiz career. Last week, I saw evicted housemate, Rachel, the teacher, in a teleserye doing the role of, what else, a teacher.

The “Big Brother” reality show was invented by Dutch John de Mol six years ago and was developed by his company Endemol. The show’s title comes from George Orwell’s novel “1984” written in 1949 which warned of a dysfunctional society controlled by an all-seeing leader.

De Mol’s show was an immediate hit in Europe, then extending to the United States, The Philippines is the 31st country to host Big Brother and second in Asia after Thailand.

But the Philippines has already broken a Big Brother record of text votes. Some weeks ago, some 1.2 million texters were recorded dislodging Brazil and affirming the Philippines position as the texting capital of the world.

The success of Pinoy Big Brother in a nation that is not known to be exhibitionists surprises even ABS-CBN executives. Maybe it’s because of the station’s all-out promotions. Or maybe our culture has changed. Or maybe there’s a voyeur in each one of us and PBB has ingeniously tapped that.

To Direk Dyogi, the show is a study of human drama and group dynamics and we learn from the housemates as they struggle to survive the contest.

Or maybe, without our being conscious of it, our fascination with PBB is our way of checking our own set of values. Many were turned off by the kissing of JB (he has been eliminated) and Say, who became lovers a few weeks after they met. We are not yet that liberated.

I like Nene’s sense of independence. I find Sam’s naiveté endearing and Jason’s naughty tricks, amusing. Uma is fun. I’m irritated by Say’s “kaartehan.” I tried watching the part when she was to cut her hair by three inches as a “sacrifice”. I changed channels after a few minutes. It was such a waste of time.

I asked my doctor what he likes about PBB, “Don’t you find it ‘walang katuturan’ (senseless)? He replied, “Isn’t that what life is in this country?”

Come to think of it, PBB is a mirror of our lives and we can’t feel superior than what we really are.