Quick ReyViews atbp

October 29, Wednesday. I thought the ABS CBN crew will be at our place around 9am.  Good thing I called up JR and found out that they were just leaving the studio.  And that was like around past 10am already.  At least that gave us time at home to tidy up.  My uncle came by just in case they need more people to tape. A hi-ace van brought JR and his crew to our home.  They didn't have a generator with them and they were a company of six, as JR mentioned.  JR asked if he and the crew can go inside the house, I told them to wait because Bogart (our dog) needs to be transferred to the kitchen.  After that was done, they all went in.  I introduced my dad and uncle to JR and his crew.  JR introduced me to his crew, "Sya yung maglalaro."   (He's the one playing.)  As if the crew was thinking that  it was either my uncle or my dad who's going to play. JR asked for my photo albums.  He b...

October 28, 2008. Wednesday. 2:36pm. My cellphone rang.  The caller's number was not in my cellphone directory. "Good afternoon. May I speak with Rey Beltran, please?" "Speaking.  Who's this?" "JR from ABS CBN." "Okay."  I stood up from my table and went out in the veranda of our office. "Yes?" "Is it okay kung pupunta kami sa house nyo for VTR tomorrow morning?"  (Is it okay if we go to your house for VTR tomorrow morning?) "Ha? S-sure!" "Sa Deal or No Deal kami..." (We're from Deal or No Deal) "Yeah, I know... what time?" "Mga 9am?"  (Around 9am?) "Yes, yes!" "Pero may pasok ka bukas, di ba?"  (But you have work tomorrow, right?) "A-absent ako.  Magli-leave.  Pwede ako bukas!"  (I'll go on leave.  I'm game tomorrow!) "Ok!" "What's your name again?" "JR." "JR, tha...

"Choose six suitcases," Jim told me. I can't remember what number I picked but what I do remember was that I picked out the paper suitcases with the high amounts first.  I got the P1 million in the first round of choosing.  On my second round, I got the P2 million.  The screeners were disappointed.  "Naku! Wala ng manonood nyan! Nakuha mo na yung mataas na amount!" (Oh no!  No one's gonna watch the episode anymore! You got all the high amounts!) So Jim said that perhaps, I needed the help of my "kapamilya" --the friends and relatives I brought with me to the mock game.  "Papapasukin na ba natin sila?" (Shall we call on them?) "Sure!  Ingat, ha? May kasama akong indie film producer at producer ng mga commercial!"  I cautioned Jim, thinking that he'll tone down his vulgar humor once people like Erwin and Mimi were there--who knows they might give Jim some work in the future, right? (Sure! Just be careful! I have with me...

We were told to wait in   the anteroom of the studio.   Erwin found that day's Inquirer newspaper lying around the room and read it.  The rest settled themselves on the seats.  We were all hearing the players inside the studio yelling and screaming.  "Lower!!"  "Higher, banker!"  Laughter.  Then the yelling and screaming began again.  It lasted around 10 minutes. Soon after, the potential player and her entourage exited and wished us good luck.  The event marshall separated me from my support group (heheheh).  He then led me to the entrance way where the players emerge.  Jim was there and briefed me.  As far as I remember, this was how the conversation went: "Rez Cortez!" He greeted me, "'tol, ano name mo?" (What's your name?) "Rey." "Ok. Rey, papasok ka na mayabang ang dating.  Tapos punta ka dun sa may upuan at may marker.  Pagdating mo dun, sabihin mo pangalan mo, bakit ka sumali at san mo da...

October 15, Wednesday.   Of course, I didn't go to work. Hehehe.  Tita Chona and Tito Bine arrived early, around 11am.  My dad was taking a quick nap then.  I just had a late breakfast and asked them if they ate already.  Come 11.30, the four of us (my dad, my aunt and uncle) rode an FX to Cubao.  From there, we took a cab to ABS CBN.  I texted Mimi, Waldy and Erwin that we're already on our way to the studio. It took us an hour to arrive at ABS CBN.  Mimi was there first.  She waited at Panaderia Pantoja and I asked her to join us at Joey Pepperoni  Both establishments were in front of the Mother Ignacia entrance gate of ABS CBN.  Waldy and Erwin were still in transit.  We had tuna al olio for lunch.  When the gates opened, I saw that among those who got interviewed from my batch, only three familiar faces were called to return for the mock game.  All in all, 13 potential players were called back.  And f...

October 13, Monday. After almost three weeks of waiting, I got a call from ABS CBN from a certain Em.  I am going up to the next level of screening on Oct. 16... the mock game! Yay!  Call time was 1pm.  The requirement was for me to seek out six  "kapamilya" members to play with me... Hmmm... I called on Waldy del Rosario (our Tagalog Praise and Worship Leader), Erwin Navarro (our resident bass who produces indie films on the side), Mimi Gahol (producer of tv commercials I've done), my dad, my aunt and uncle.  All of them agreed to join me. Am so excited!  -oOo- The following day, October 14,  I got another call from ABS CBN.  They told me that the taping for the game was moved a day ahead and was now scheduled on Oct. 15 instead of Oct. 16.  Same time.  I almost fell off my seat.  Arrrrgggh!!!!  Will my team members be available on Oct. 15?  So I called up my kapamilya  again.  And one by one,...

Those left behind were grouped into three (ten people for each group). We were all led through a long hallway where the dressing rooms were.  They weren't able to find a place to hold an interview for each of us.  So we all waited in the long hallway.  The ten of us.  We were all kinda nervous and tense and delighted. The girl who's going to be interviewed first expressed her nervousness about the interview and we assured her that she'll do fine.  I was fourth in line.  And it's only around 3pm.  Soon, ten seats arrived, courtesy of the maintenance guys.  We seated ourselves comfortably and made small talk.  I learned that the guy on my left (fifth in line) was a seminarian.  To my right was an ex-professor in CSB who's taking up his MBA (Roby is his name).  The seminarian was starving already.  I took out my Sky Flakes and handed them out to my batch. I got out from my knapsack a bottle of water and told them t...