The Philippines’ Obsession on Showbiz titles: A Lasting Trend

Gone are the days when box office receipts and big crowds in concerts and mall shows are the [practically] only claim to the popularity of big-name celebrities. 

Now, showbiz titles are the real thing in the local entertainment scene. You get one, either when you have a strong following or when you have bagged numerous awards enough for you to beat your contemporaries.

These usually fan-coined royal prefixes have been increasingly making any newbie capable of staking their claim to fame.

It’s worth noting that even in the dawn of Philippine showbiz. We had Kings and Queens of the Kundiman, of the Bodabil, and early Movie Kings and Queens during the golden ages of the Philippine cinema. Who does not know who the King of Comedy is–or the Action King of Philippine movies? Of course, everybody remembers the geniuses of Dolphy and Fernando Poe Jr, more popularly known as ‘Da King’. They are pioneering greats in their respective film genres.

The local entertainment scene has seen the rise and eventual reign of the recording and movie industry royalties. From the golden ages of the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s to its struggle during the arrival of the new millennium showbiz prefixes have been a staple means to recognize the industry’s greats and giants.

As fans become increasingly engaged in honoring the rising and the established celebrities with extravagant monikers, some titles inevitably become [awfully] redundant.

Let alone baseless and undeserved. However, some that bear enough merit deserve to keep even after the stars pass away.

Regine Velasquez, whose popularity soared in the 90s and early 2000s, has been known as Asia’s Songbird. Similarly, Lani Misalucha takes pride in being called as Asia’s Nightingale.

Asia’s Queen of Songs, Pilita Corales, is even more impressive for being around, in the last 50 years. It is perhaps, based on this tradition, that Asia’s Soul Supreme, KZ Tandingan and Asia’s Phoenix, Morisette, got their kick-ass monikers, too.

In the film, the ‘real’ royalties are the ones who bagged the most acting awards and those who starred in the biggest-grossing movies of all time. Vice Ganda, for example, whose streak of MMFF movies made him the only Filipino movie star to be named the Phenomenal Box Office star on eight awarding occasions. The ‘Unkabogable Star’ title he earned may not suffice as a satisfying title to honor his record-breaking feats.

It is also for similar reasons that Niño Mulach was hailed as the Philippine Cinema’s Child Wonder, having pulled off stellar feats in both box-office and acting awards. Richard Gomez and William Martinez are among the Original Heartthrobs and Leading Men of Philippine Showbiz, while Robin Padilla takes pride in his ‘Bad Boy of Philippine Showbiz’ title.

Similarly, modern movie king and queen Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo can keep their labels until the next young showbiz couple becomes capable enough to match the towering milestones they have so far accomplished in both movies and television. But it’s hard to be convinced their time would be up anytime soon.

There is a compelling reason why Nora Aunor remains the Superstar, and Vilma Santos and Maricel Soriano still deserve to be called the ‘Star for all Seasons’ and the Diamond Star, respectively: their brilliance never faded.

Brilliance is a quality that not too many stars could keep. If anything, only a few manage to have it. It’s the same brilliance that makes Judy Ann Santos worthy of keeping her ‘Young Superstar’ and ‘Queen Pinoy Soap Opera’ titles. 

Similarly, Sarah Geronimo is worthy as the Popstar Royalty, the same way Coco Martin can keep his ‘Philippine Primetime King’ crown. 

It is a powerful testament that a name, as simple as ‘TVJ’ or ‘Dabarkads‘ that of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey Leon can sound so regal. As far as noontime shows are concerned, they are the trio to beat.

In the last few years, more industry newbies arrived with titles that fans [mostly] coined. Royalty prefixes were increasingly adopted to honor surprising new acts. As they may both feel unwarranted and deserved, the local entertainment scene’s obsession and fascination with titles become an even more [mystifying] idea to tackle.

Asia’s Whistling Diva, The Ultimate P-Pop Heartthrob, The Breakthrough Soul Diva, and The Heiress of Philippine Concerts–nope, no one carries these titles yet. But stick around in the five years and so, and you might be hearing from them too.

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