Survivor Philippines
GMA 7

Philippine Franchise
I've heard sometime back that there will be a Philippine franchise of the hugely popular reality tv show, Survivor. I'm familiar with the show format (as most people talk about it) but admittedly, I haven't seen any episode. I have no tv and in the rare chance I do watch tv, it's only either National Geographic or Discovery. Naturally, I paid no attention to the hype.

A Little Help From my Friends
But friends started calling my attention to it. Remy (of Recreational Outdoor eXchange) texted me saying the show was for me. Ariane (of the All-Female Abs Showdown) even emailed me the url where I can get the information. Other friends started goading me to join...that given my penchant for the outdoors, I was a natural candidate. It was flattering and all, but still, I wasn't interested.

The Flow
But then, I became aware of 2 things - that as a general rule, I don't say no when an opportunity presents itself. The least I can do is to peek at what's inside and see if there's anything out there. By doing that, I'm always with the flow...the ethereal energetic current that takes you to the proverbial waterfall. Corollarily, if I say no at the outset, the flow is disrupted and chances are, it'll take a longer time for another flow to happen. I know this to be true given the many wonderful yet unexplainable things that have been happening to me. Am I sounding too spacey already? Hey, I say it just like it is. Another factor was that I happen to be here in Quezon City where the audition is taking place...not in Sagada where the spectre of a 12-hour bumpy ride for an audition is a deal breaker. More? That I am at a point where I can be gone for 39 days (the length of the challenge) and not suffer a serious repercussion on my deliverables and commitment.

May 21, 2008

Getting On Board
Reading into that convergence, the metaphorical path being cleared for me was to give it a fair shout - to actually audition and see if anything comes out of it. And that's what I did. May 21, the first of 2 audition dates, I was in front of SM North lining up as early as 7:30am even though the audition wasn't to begin until 10 am. Even at that early time, the line already spanned the length of SM City, at some sections, even going 5 deep. The line got so long as to tangle traffic. Management cut the line after about 4000 people and the rest was pooled at the 5th level parking lot behind SM. That pool later swelled to 6,000 hopefuls. We're talking about 10,000 aspirants on that day alone, all wanting to be the first Pinoy Survivor.

Walks of Life
My small talk with people around me revealed a little of their plight - poor, dead-end jobs, unemployed, bored, broke, wannabe star, etc, all of them looking for a ticket out of their quagmire by being one the 16 chosen ones. While all of them were hopeful, a great number will have to come back to a world they'd like to leave behind. When they asked me why I was there, I couldn't just tell them I was riding an energetic flow. They'd think I'm a fruitcake (hey, maybe I already am!). I humbly said, "suntok sa buwan, pero kailangang kumita" (a long shot, but a guy needs to make a living).

Making It
I stood in line 8 long hours (from 7:30 to 3:30) before my interview took place. 2 questions where asked. If I tried to say things they wanted to hear, they'd smell me a mile away...they're not stupid. So I was just chill saying it like it is, not thinking much into it. While most hopefuls were being escorted out after the interview, a numbered plate was pinned to my chest. I guess the interviewer liked whatever I said. I was in. Whoa! After a VTR was taken of me, I was then ushered to another room for the next elimination. Wow...I was getting excited.

Making It...Again!
In the next interview, it was with the spotlight, a camera rolling, mall audience from above looking down, and with Paolo Bediones himself asking us (10 pax) the questions together with a panel. 2 questions were asked. I wasn't even trying to win (maybe that's the key) and didn't bother talking about my fitness or my mountaineering background. I was already looking for the exit door. Before I knew it, 8 were ushered out leaving just the 2 of us to attend the final elimination round at GMA on Sunday, May 25. We were asked to fill-in a 4 page form about ourselves. They said, "be honest".

Homina...homina
As I left SM around 5pm, a long line was still going around the mall edifice. I could imagine it'll be another 8 hours until these guys get called. In the meantime, I was in disbelief that of the 10,000 hopefuls, I managed to make it that far. When the giddy excitement settled down a bit, a frightening thought entered my mind. If I do get in, this could change my life!

May 25, 2008

3rd Elimination
I was at GMA at 12 noon sharp. I took my place in line with all the others who have successfully passed the audition. It was nice seeing all the other candidates, cheerful and supportive of everyone else. Ha-ha. You wouldn't think we'd soon be selling each other over 30 pieces of silver. But hey, that's the game.

Someone to Watch Over You
These GMA guys are not just smart, they also do their homework. The first thing they said during the interview was that they've already read this blog. They even know I'm TheLoneRider. I guess they have a team of people who scour the internet Googling about the show and checking if the game confidentiality has been betrayed (such as disclosing the place where the shooting will take place, etc.). That's understandable. They even asked me to stop this blog. That's also understandable. But here's where I'm coming from, and at the same time, this is my appeal to GMA (because I know GMA is going to continue monitoring this blog).

Appeal to GMA
The fact that they (GMA) have read my blog and found that I have not disclosed any information betraying the confidentiality of the game should account for something. In fact, this blog is not doing anything different from what GMA itself is doing - building up the frenzied hype about the show for increased viewership without giving the program away. Right now, based on my user comments alone, people have already said they'll start watching Survivor. Even Pinoy friends from as far away as France, USA and Switzerland said they'll now watch Survivor. That should account for much. To a network besieged by a Goliath (ka pamilya?), every acquired viewer counts. Without this blog, site-user interest about the show wanes and consequently, we (me and GMA) both lose. So, how about it GMA? I continue this blog and you get free advertising to a market segment not necessarily reached by your advertising peso.

The Interview
The interview still focused on the personality. They simply wanted to know more about this person...what he thinks, what makes him tick, etc. I was defintely being sized up. Whatever they were looking for in the interview, they didn't say, nor was it obvious. I didn't care anyway. I would have answered the questions the same way. Maybe it lasted from 10 - 15 minutes. At the end, they said if I don't hear from them within 2 days, that I should not quit my day job. Fair enough.

I thought this interview/elimination round would decide who the 16 hopefuls will be. I was wrong. From the looks of it, there will be more tests to come. How many, they didn't say. They're keeping their cards very close to their chests.

May 26, 2008

I got a call from GMA. Let's just say this blog stays and I will continue to post your comments, BUT I can no longer talk about Survivor from here on. It doesn't mean I'm in. It only means I'm bound by the confidentiality agreement I signed with GMA to keep things under wraps whether I make it or not.

Let me thank you all for your kind hearted support. Your cheers and encouragement went a looooooong way!

--- TheLoneRider

Related Links:

• Official blog of Survivor Philippines (GMA)

Comments? Email webmaster@thelonerider.com

Reader Comments:

Karen
(June 18, 2008) i really hope you that you mean you're goin to that remote island somewhere in asia!! coz i would then be looking forward to watchin that paolo bediones show! anyway, may the force be with you.

Fredd

Vanessa

Nan

Charrd

Bambi

Rio

Mcar

Vyxz

Paul Villegas

Dennis Lopez

Charrd

Reggie

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