QUESTION: Sir John, ano ang impression mo sa segmant ng Willing Willie show featuring Janjan the agogo dancing child. Can you smell child abuse or not? (see embeded video below or check out Youtube title "Willing Willie feat. JAN-JAN ang batang ASTIG sumayaw! (March 12, 2011)"?
Answer: I can't smell child abuse in that specific show. Although the presentation is tolerably BITTER, that is a GOOD expose' of the REALITY of poverty in Philippines that forced many young boys to be OPEN to the possibilities of dancing for a fee. There is no child abuse in that presentation at all.
I am a very sensitive person. But I can't see any degradation there. Neither the parent/administrator/guardian of the child. That is Jan-jan's talent, that is his dance step, so we must appreciate it. If his dance step looks familiar in shows in Gay Bars, then it is your isolated imagination. If your husband will do that dance step in a fun show in their Christmas Party, as long as he is not naked, I don't think there is a problem.
There are rich families, though, that thinks that it is already DEGRADING if their children will fall in line with the poor people to get a game slot in the Willie Contest.
Sa audience entertainment yan, sa dancer hanap-buhay yan, wala yan silang sinasaktang tao. At the end of what they are doing, merong sumaya, at merong makaka-uwi ng pagkain sa lamesa.
Everybody laughed because everybody was ENJOYING and having FUN!
The boy was briefed before the show. "Pag tumugtog ang music, sayaw agad at mas maganda may pa-iyak-iyak pa". It was scripted, dudes, and the audience enjoyed the impact. Hindi pwede sulsulan ang bata or guardian na mag-complain. And it was just "a dance step".
I was told that I will get bad comments for not supporting the condemnantion of that show. Do you think I am your traditional politician who LIE because they are afraid of bad comments? No one can stop me from telling the TRUTH about how I feel about that show. I tell you, there is nothing wrong in that show. That segment is a good show.
Hindi scandalous nor malicious ang dance step na yan. Ehhhh yong Otcho-Otcho diba mas malaswa pa yan kesa sa dance step ni JanJan, wala namangnag-over-react. Ehhhh yong Otcho-Otcho diba mas malaswa pa yan kesa sa dance step ni JanJan, wala namangnag-over-react.
That is just a one-day affair. Isang araw lang yang pasayaw-sayaw niya sa TV eh. Aside from our social obligation to share our talents, children with talent also have a right to earn money. Malay mo ma-discover yan ng mga scouts eh maging artista pa yan kasi marunong sumunod sa briefing eh at malakas ang loob umarte.
xxxxx
