Giving Us the Willies: Revillame and the Pinoy psyche
My column last Sunday in the Philippine Star.
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Triptych by Leo Abaya
At the Philippine Star-National Bookstore event F. Sionil Jose wondered why Willie Revillame is famous. It can’t just be the cash handouts—there are other TV personalities who give money away. The controversy that he generates—from suspensions for offensive behavior or language to sexual harassment charges to his ongoing legal battle with his former network—has not only failed to alienate his core audience, it seems to have made him more popular. His long, rambling speech before he went on leave from his show, pending yet another MTRCB review, may offer some useful clues.
Willie Revillame assumed the role of victim as he had many times in the past. He asked why he was being persecuted. He took issue with show business personalities who had criticized him on Twitter over the episode of the dancing 6-year-old boy. He was particularly offended by the statements of former child stars Lea Salonga and Aiza Seguerra. “Why are you doing this to me?” cried the “victim”, whose current network contract is said to guarantee him billions.
These are familiar statements because we have heard them from many mouths. They are the stock defense of every sidewalk vendor arrested for not having a permit, every policeman suspended on graft charges, and every politician caught stealing. “Why are you persecuting me?” and “I am the victim here.”
Politicians everywhere cry harassment when they get caught, but seldom do they wallow so deeply in claims of weakness. “You are oppressing me because I am small and helpless while you are big and powerful. Kawawa naman ako (Poor me). Ako ay maliit na tao lamang. (I am puny.)”
Where does this sense of victimhood come from? Is it a consequence of colonialism—the mindset that our survival is subject to the whims of a ruling power? Is it our Catholic upbringing that emphasizes our frailty and advises us to throw ourselves upon the mercy of a higher power? Or is it the feudal structure of Philippine society, dating back to pre-colonial times and firmly in place, unchallenged, to this day?
Whatever—our relationship to power seems to be: I don’t have it, you have all of it, and you use it to oppress me.
It is widely assumed that Willie Revillame is popular because the masses want to be him, the guy who was reportedly planning to give away fifty cars on his 50th birthday. But what if we have it backwards? What if Willie Revillame is actually the embodiment of parts of our collective psyche that we refuse to acknowledge because we find them reprehensible? Do they idolize him because they want to be him, or because they ARE him?
He does seem to have an instinct for what will please the “masa”, an instinct that may have been schooled out of the educated classes. For instance we would die of embarrassment if we had to go on TV, reveal that we are destitute, and accept money from Willie Revillame. The lumpen proletariat do not have such qualms; in our country embarrassment is a middle-class affectation. Our notions of poverty are completely different: we view it as a temporary problem, but it is their constant, non-updating status. They will describe their misery to millions of strangers, weep on camera, take the money and jump for joy.
Consider, my friend the amateur sociologist says, how Willie Revillame hands out money. Certain forms are observed. He reaches into his pocket as if he were giving away his own personal funds, and he adopts a “confidential, just between us” manner, never mind that the cameras are all on him and everyone is watching.
It is also very Filipino Catholic, this notion that everyone is automatically entitled to pity and a handout. All you need is. . .need. And many of our people are always in need. At the same time, the definition of “helping” is forking over cash. Not jobs, not education, but cash right here and now. Recall the balikbayans lining up on Willie Revillame’s old show to give him dollars to distribute to the poor.
In one episode of his game show all the contestants were scavengers. First Willie Revillame asked them how much money they made from rooting in landfills. Then he asked them how many times they could afford to eat in one day. Finally he turned to the cameras and said, “That is the true state of the nation. You don’t need to watch the news to know that.”
No wonder the primetime news programs were worried. In an industry that regards ratings as the sole measure of success, ignorance is an asset convertible to cash. They have no moral authority over him. Hell, they made him.
It would be a disservice to the Filipino audience to say that they love Willie Revillame because he buys their affection. Clearly, he taps into the Pinoy psyche in a way that politicians can only dream of. He is not the problem, but its gaudiest manifestation. The problem is much bigger than a unfunny comedian with wads of cash, but no one will admit it because they need the ratings, they want to be politically-correct, and they aspire to get elected.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
April 20th, 2011 at 03:31
Potato – Potahtoes, more often than not they would still be miserable after getting cash handouts from Willie. He did something wrong and played possum. Someone still made that boy cry and force him to dance like that. Someone should get those parents in jail too.
“Drama” is certainly a good defense in Philippine courts.
OT: saw your Jedi master in Saint Claire. Me starstruck!
April 20th, 2011 at 06:30
“(Willy) is not the problem, but its gaudiest manifestation. The problem is much bigger than a unfunny comedian with wads of cash, but no one will admit it because they need the ratings, they want to be politically-correct, and they aspire to get elected.”
amen.
“in our country embarrassment is a middle-class affectation.”
not just in our country. John Cleese & Monty Python made a career out of lampooning English middle class norms & sensibilities.
April 20th, 2011 at 09:03
“At the same time, the definition of “helping” is forking over cash. Not jobs, not education, but cash right here and now.”
I am not a fan of dole outs; I prefer spreading the/a culture of work and capacitating people.
April 20th, 2011 at 11:31
I guess i’m one of the few who doesn’t hate willie. the guy has talent to connect with his audience. he empathizes with their plight. his masa fans see him as one of them. i wouldn’t be surprised if he runs for office someday–Senator Revillame? too easy…
April 20th, 2011 at 13:28
i don’t hate him…i just can’t bear to watch or hear him (phony-ness vibes emanate through the tv)..sure it’s easy to proclaim empathy with the masa when you don’t actually live their lives..
April 20th, 2011 at 13:54
Katawa lang about two Fridays ago I heard Radyo 5 commentators on a taxi kind of trying to diffuse the mess by discussing the definition of ‘malaswa’ and that the proper term for the dance is actually ‘body wave’, not macho dancing, and to please cut Willie some slack. Anybody with YouTube can see it was Willie himself who said the little boy was macho dancing.
April 20th, 2011 at 14:03
Sorry, I lack practice and sleep these recent years, have been thinking in terms of photographic lighting, and am confused in most wakeful states. Maybe I should have typed defuse.
April 20th, 2011 at 15:17
“They have no moral authority over him. Hell, they made him.”
– …and in return, he gives them what they need. Mr. Revillame is also a victim (of his employers) – as evidenced by the way he has become the network’s scapegoat. **I haven’t seen the clip in discussion but have heard so much about it.
– Have the moral officers gone after the network at all?
– In the world of drugs, it is often said that authorities should go after the pusher and not just the user.
– But we all know that in this country it is almost futile to go after the moneyed. Especially if the contract is well-drawn in their favor and the network has a disclaimer that says something like: ” the views expressed in this program are the hosts and not necessarily of the network.” Something like that.
– Mr. Revillame knew very well what he’s getting into when he sold himself to the powers-that-be.
– He has a right to express his feelings and sentiments though – but so do the educated public.
– In a country that’s still somewhat “religious”, morality would always be an issue. In a country that doesn’t seem to grasp yet that ethics needs not just be for the learned & well-to-do, incidents like that must be put on the spotlight.
– Mr. Revillame is just this big target. People can’t resist taking a potshot at a successful & very FARRRR from perfect guy. He makes it easy.
– In the end, it’s only good that the seemingly innocent incident has reached the level of public discussion.
April 20th, 2011 at 17:12
most of us knew better. But heck, most of the people who watch Willie still needs cash. This is money over logic.
April 20th, 2011 at 17:21
Thanks for this article.
I dislike Willie intensely because of his manipulation of the public, his over-the-top belief in himself, the lack of humiliation, and his treatment of women (and even men!) in his show. Even back in his MTB days when I was still a teen, I knew that there was something very wrong with how he spoke to the Calendar Girl contestants.
Though, objectively speaking, ABS-CBN is so obvious in their cause to bring Willie down. It’s like watching two annoying giants putting each other down.
Willie can still change. But then a nicer, more respectful Mr. Revillame wouldn’t raise the ratings.
April 20th, 2011 at 21:11
He makes you cry tears of sadness, then forks over the cash to make you cry tears of joy. This is the formula for making someone fall in-love with you: Sad => Happy => Sad => Happy… Put that formula on TV, and whoever watches falls under the spell. The one thing I don’t like about it is that money gets brought into the equation.
He does stupid shit. He says stupid shit. He suffers the consequences. He is confident and believes in himself, which is the preferable state of mind than the pathetic sheep who constantly gorge themselves on humble pie. He is an individual among a sea of collective consciousness (the Filipino People). He is the physical manifestation of the Filipino’s subconscious desire: to become an individual, free from the oppression of collectivism, the pressure to conform and agree; to be free say and do what he wants regardless of what he’s told. The Filipino People live vicariously through him.
I want to shake his hand. Long live the individual.
April 21st, 2011 at 02:06
The burgis bloggers who are hounding Willie Revillame right out of television are going to regret it. Revillame will have no choice but to follow the well-trodden path from showbiz into politics. He’s more popular than Noynoy, Binay and the whole Senate put together. Get ready for Senator (or even President) Willie.
April 21st, 2011 at 02:06
maybe he’s the filipino equivalent of charlie sheen..
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:28
Inendorso niya si Manny Villar hindi ba? Pero hindi pa rin nanalo.