If
there is one person who loves show business more than
anyone, it must be German “Kuya Germs”
Moreno
Being in showbiz even during the days of vaudeville,
he’s definitely seen the rise, fall, and transformation
of Philippine entertainment. For years, he’s
been known as a star-builder and a person who puts
other people in the limelight first before himself.
He has starred in his own shows but boy, did we remember,
how he was able to help Sharon Cuneta and the likes
of Mariz become famous. A year ago, he shelled a few
hundred thousand pesos out of his own pocket to honor
the brightest stars of Philippine Cinema. (See related
story, next page.) Inside his GMA Network office,
the dazzling Kuya Germs crammed the walls with movie
memorabilia and photos of celebrities, old and new.
His famous clown collection, a set of happy clowns
given to him by friends after he made the movie Payaso,
adorn his window side tables. He says that at age
65, he misses the good old days of show business.
But his eyes show he still looks at the biz with much
passion, as with someone who’s been around too
long to give up on it, even when he’s lost his
primetime shows. And how was it losing the primetime
spot? “Masakit siyempre para sa isang tumangan
ng maraming show,” says Kuya Germs about losing
GMA Supershow, That’s Entertainment and other
programs. “I consider na lucky ako. Bakit? I
was given so many shows na iba-iba ang character na
aking ginagampanan.”
Long-running shows
He takes pride in having hosted long-running TV shows
such as Superstar which lasted 22 years; GMA Supershow
(starting from Germcide and Germ Special), 19 years;
That’s Entertainment, 10 years; and Negosyete,
8 years. And he was not just a host, he was as involved
in preparing the program as the show’s staff.
“Bihirang mangyari ‘yun,” Kuya Germs
adds. “Sabi nila kapag lagi kang nakikita sa
telebisyon, over-exposed ka. Pero different characters
nga ang ginagawa ko. So hindi ko naiisip na over-exposed
ako. At hindi naman ako ang bida.” And that
is the truth. In his years of hosting different entertainment
shows, Kuya Germs has been able to build up the most
number of stars than anyone in show business. He’s
put Lani Mercado, Princess Punzalan, Gretchen Baretto,
Mariz, Maricel Laxa, Manilyn Reynes, Sheryl Cruz,
Tina Paner, and hundreds of other stars into the spotlight
without overshadowing any of them. Even the now-UK-based
pop artist Billy Crawford, who first went by the name
Billy Joe Crawford in GMA Supershow and That’s
Entertainment, started under Kuya Germs’ care.
But as the saying goes, all good things must come
to an end. And it ended for Kuya Germs all in one
year in ___.
“Nangyari ‘yung nawala lahat ng show in
one year’s time. (Pero) hindi umiral sa akin
ang galit, hindi umiral sa kin ‘yung lumayas
ako, lumipat ako, gumanti ako,” narrates Kuya
Germs. Indeed, he stayed with the GMA Network despite
bigger job offers by other networks. He wanted to
prove that he’s got “palabra de honor”
and that his loyalty cannot be bought. He dislikes
the current trend in television where celebrities
hop to rival networks after getting offered a higher
price. Or networks trashing stars when they start
losing their clout. “We must always remember,
once upon a time, nagpasok ng pera ‘yan,”
says Kuya Germs of celebrities who’ve lost their
shows. “My boss here now (Atty. Felipe Gozon),
sinabi niya sa mga empleyado, ‘Ang unang unang
taong nagpasok ng pera dito eh si Kuya Germs.’
So that’s a big honor na manggaling sa presidente
ng isang channel na sabihing ganun sa mga empleyado.”
A hit with Pinoys in U.S.
But what’s good about Kuya Germs is that he
remains optimistic about his career in show business.
After all, everyone still knows who Kuya Germs is
and his late-night show, Walang Tulugan, still rakes
in viewers for GMA, especially for GMA Pinoy TV in
the United States. Aside from that, he also has a
radio program at dzBB entitled Walang Siyesta, a spin-off
of his late-night TV show. “I don’t think
na ‘yung salita na ‘Noong araw popular
ka, ngayon hindi,’ I don’t think na (valid
‘yun),” says the Master Showman. “Dahil
even in America, nung pumunta ako at nagsabi sila
(GMA) before I went there na, ‘Sino ba ang gusto
ninyong mapanood?’ ‘Si Kuya Germs, gusto
namin si Kuya Germs.’ After so many years, hinahanap
ka pa rin ng mga followers mo kahit nasa ibang bansa
na sila.” Indeed, he’s very proud of his
new role as representative of GMA talents in his tours
abroad. But he still continues searching for new talents
to build up or helping ex-artists get back into the
industry. Most importantly, though, he’s working
hard to help the entire showbiz industry get back
on its feet. “Alam nating namamatay ngayon ang
industriya ng recording because of piracy, even movies.
Pero susuko ba tayo?,” he asks. “Nalulunod
tayo, sinong sasagip sa atin? Siguro kung walang sasagip
sa atin, tayo-tayo na lang ang sumagip sa nalulunod
na industriya.” Kuya Germs as superhero? Now,
that’s another role to take. But for now, he
just wishes for world peace and for God to give him
a longer life that he can continue doing what he loves
doing—making show business a lot more entertaining.
“Gusto kong magpaligaya ng tao, ayokong magpalungkot.
Gusto ko lagi kayong nakangiti.” |
