Controversies Haunt MTV Pilipinas VJ Hunt

Looks like MTV Pilipinas VJ Hunt 2007 is haunted by controversies as to the choice of winners.

In a Philippine Daily Inquirer article by Pocholo Concepcion he criticized the choice of andi and kat:

Andi, on the other hand, didn’t make much of an impression. She had an awkward smile and actually looked like a gangling kid in shorts, sneakers and knee-high socks. Her nervousness showed each time she walked offstage after doing her spiels. But it helped that she was a radio personality who knew her music. And she was mestiza.

Before the winners were announced, Andi ran off with two special awards from sponsors: the Samsung MP3 Music Personality Award and the Pond’s Fresh Face Award. (She was once a Pond’s model.)

Kat didn’t look like a winner, either, though she was loudly applauded. It helped that she was a familiar face on TV and struck a very provocative pose after doing one of her spiels: “I’ll show you why I’m hot.” And she was mestiza, too.

If anyone shattered the Caucasian-looking MTV VJ stereotype, it was Sib. Although he wasn’t exactly moreno, he projected individuality and confidence without shrugging off his being Pinoy.

On the choice of Sib Sibulo, a Pexer, Pechay69 had these to say:

Sib won. why am i not surprised?

dont get me wrong. Sib’s amazing. very unique. great energy.

but this whole thing was so obviously rigged in his favor.

Sib was OVER the age limit. but you know why he was still allowed to join? Sib didn’t audition for this like the rest of them. MTV approached Sib and asked him to join the VJ Hunt.

from that alone, you just knew Sib was going to win. and that just defeated the whole point of the contest.

i wanted SHEENA to win. damn, that girl had such a strong presence. she carried herself well. and stood out from the lot.

Andi’s pretty and all. but she’s so plain and typical. she’s like one of those girls you’d see doing Pond’s commercials. nothing special. plus her voice is so damn nasal. Kat Alano’s alright, i guess. different enough. but she’s no Sheena.

but hey, thank God that Nina girl didn’t win. she sucked so bad. with her speech pattern and all.

as for the guys, had Sib joined the contest fairly, i would’ve rooted for him. but ever since i found out that he didn’t have to go through the auditions, i was disgusted and rooted for ERI instead.

Francis Magalona posted in his blog a reaction about his judging the Hunt:

I JUDGED for the 2007 MTV VJ HUNT FINALS w/c was held at Mall of Asia. I was one of the judges along with Francis Lumen-MTV Top Honcho, Georgette Tenco-MTV Maven, MTV VJdom veteran-Marc Abaya, Lizette Claudio and yours truly + two other cats who’s name I kinda forgot.

Well OFF the top of my head, I remember a couple names and I know that distinct MTV style and brand of wit, candor, spontaniety, and delivery.

After all I WAS THE FIRST FILIPINO VJ for MTV Asia, and the first FILIPINA was Regine Tolentino. I served from 1997-2000, and worked with the likes of VJ’s Mike Kasem, Nadia Hutagalung (who WAS very BEAUTIFUL), Sonia, Danny McGill, Kamal (who was a looker too and Danny’s wife), VJ Jamie who was very funny and cracked me up. Locally there was me, VJ Jon (aka Jamie Wilson), Shannen Torres and G Toengi.

I’t NOT about you-speaka-da-english well, it’s NOT about being handsome or beautiful. It’s NOT about fashion, and it’s DEFINITELY NOT about SHOWBIZ or being an “artista” ( I cringe at the term because back in my dad and mom’s time an artista was someone who could do it all, act, dance- like the cha-cha-, the mambo, tapdance, do the boogie, sing, host, project well, and had to be TALENTED)
MTV VJing (or Vjing in particular) is about being extemporaneous, being a good LISTENER, being well read, knowing something about music, being a quick thinker, and had to hold his/her own when interviewing FAMOUS PEOPLE.

Check my list of famous people THAT I INTERVIEWED- Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters,The Beastie Boys, Shaquille O’Neal, Gavin Rossdale of BUSH, Claudia Schiffer, Kobe Bryant, EVEN THE David Hasselhoff was in my list.

THIS YEAR I ONLY REMEMBERED SOME DISTINCT MTV VJ-ISH FINALISTS. ANYONE WHO WAS STIFF AND FUMBLED WAS CROSSED OUT IN MY LIST.

LUSCHIA FISCHER, ERI NEEMAN, KAT ALANO, SIB SIBULO, ANDi MANZANO, MARC BORROMEO just to name a few.

Final Score? Dapat 2 VJ’s lang it ended up being 3. Tied for first place was Kat Alano & Sib Sibulo. at second place was Andi Manzano (who said MY GUILTY PLEASURE WAS ASHLEY SIMPSON?-NOT!, where’d she get that spiel from?)….she almost lost my vote hadn’t it been for the pleading of my children who I was texting during this “search”.

Well it was all in a day’s work. A job’s a job, whether i judge for Philippine Idol or The MTV VJ HUNT, it’s an honor, and a guilty pleasure to make or break dreams.

Congratulations SIB, KAT & ANDI.

PS: I worked my way to the top of the food chain. MY WAY. From staff artist, to dancer, to actor, to music, to directing, producing, writing, shooting, to being an MTV VJ up to being a JUDGE.

No backer, no hype, no machinery like what my peers had. I just had the name of my parents, guts, and SKILLS to PAY the BILLS. Now looking GOOD? Now that’s another POST.