klasmeyts: a mini-review

I watched Klasmeyts, ABS-CBN's latest offering on the boob tube tonight. It is on its third week, I think, so I decided to see whether the hype that the network has been trying to pump has at least some sort of basis. They are propping it up as a live comedy skit show , a la SNL, I suppose. It is topbilled by Paolo Contis, Bayani Agbayani, Michael Flores, Keempee de Leon, and Herbert Bautista.

The show is not entirely live, of course. There are pretaped skits, interspersed with the live *antics,* if you can call it that, of the five mainstays. The live parts are mainly of them standing around in the set, talking to each other, and shooting their mouths off whatever topic. One of the live segments also included an interview with Joyce Jimenez, which served to tittilate the male part of their viewers. In fact, most of the show seemed geared to the male population. As is the case with most of the comedy shows here, scantily clad girls are part of the decoration. Regardless of whether they know how to act or not, they're there for eye-candy.

Speaking of acting, there was nothing spectacularly comedic about the actors there. Some might have a few funny moments, but for the most part, they just seem to be trying too hard. The jokes and gags on the different skits feel tired. They've been done and rehashed in various shows. Going Bananas/Bad Bananas, Tropang Trumpo, and Bubble Gang come to mind. The jokes have been passed on from person to person before that; whether by people casually joking around, joke books, or e-mail.

There is still a lot of room for improvement for this show. Hopefully, the writers, and everyone else involved with this show, will realize it despite the loud ring of self-congratulatory applause in their own network.

Local hosts and shows get recognition at the New York TV Festival.

• Arnold Clavio's Emergency was a finalist in the Best Public Affairs Program


• Vicki Morales was nominated in the social issues category for the I-Witness episode, Sabah.


• A report coverage by Howie Severino about journalists caught in the crossfire in Southern Mindanao was cited for breaking news coverage. The report was broadcast via The Probe Team.


• Che-che Lazaro was awarded the silver medal in the social issues/current affairs category I-Witness for her report, "Bahay na Pula."



• GMA's Sunday noontime variety show, SOP, was a finalist for the Best Variety category.


• Mel and Jay was cited in the best talk/interview category.



• Meanwhile, the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2001 pageant was finalist for best variety special.