There’s nothing to laugh about on GMA these days.
Last Saturday, GMA’s newest comedy game show ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’ officially premiered on the network’s Sabado Star Power block. Hosted by Betong and Sheena Halili, the show features two aspiring teams of comedians in a showcase of unscripted and improvisational comedy (sample video from episode 1 below).
A lot was expected on ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’, considering its purpose of putting up-and-coming comedians on the spotlight. Unfortunately, the show’s debut episode failed to impress the entire nation, as it scored a paltry 8.2%.
The initial performance of ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’ was similar to the finale of its predecessor ‘CelebriTV’, in which it scored an 8.1% rating. At this point, it’s hard to fathom why the 4:30 p.m. timeslot on Saturdays is a bane for the Kapuso network, and why GMA was not willing to pit ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’ with ABS-CBN’s ‘Family Feud’.
Any critical viewer knows that ‘Family Feud”s overreliance on celebrities as its contestants does more harm than good. If GMA were smart and daring enough, they would have placed ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’ (whose purpose is different from ‘Family Feud’) opposite the former, in hopes of drawing any disgruntled viewer who doesn’t like ABS-CBN’s ‘un-Kapamilya’ act.
But as it turned out, GMA is not willing to make that possible, all because of ratings. ABS-CBN’s obsessive celebrity approach to game shows continues to pay off no matter the harm it causes, and thus GMA wants nothing to do with this matchup.
With episode 1 behind them, GMA can only hope that ‘Laff, Camera, Action!’ will show some semblance of improvement. Given ABS-CBN’s more impressive afternoon and beyond lineup, it will not be an easy task, but with smart promotional strategies, it should pay off.
From the Tube 
I would suggest that GMA should bring back Bitoy’s Funniest Videos (but someone will host this show instead of Michael V), that my opinion.
Problem is, do they have one capable of hosting it? They don’t even have an equivalent of Marc Logan in the first place. The only other comedians aside from Bitoy on GMA can be found on Eat Bulaga and Sunday PinaSaya, but their contracts are with TAPE and APT, not GMA.
Betong may be a good bet, but he still needs to improve. Right now, there’s no pure comedian or humorist in GMA, which is not good.
Improv or comedy-bar type comedy?
More like improvisational comedy.
Siguro dapat ang mga comedians (maliban kay Bitoy) ng GMA magwo-workshop para mapagbuti ang kanilang ginampanan. Dahil sa totoo lang, naawa na ako ni Bitoy, overexposed na siya (meron pa siyang Pepito Manaloto, Bubble Gang at Lip Sync Battle) dapat concern sila sa kanyan kalusugan at magkakasakit siya kung hindi maagapan. Bitoy, I salute you.
Mas maganda siguro kung sa mga comedy bar sila mag-scout. This is what TAPE and APT did in discovering Allan K, Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola, among others. Most of the GMA talent right now are multi-dimensional, meaning pwede sa comedy or drama. They don’t have a well-recognized talent na exclusive to comedy lang; Chariz Solomon and Betong may fit the bill, but they’re not as proficient as Bitoy.
True Ralph, kailangan nila mag-evaluate kung saan sila malakas o mahina, para ano man ang kinalalbasan nito, nakabase sila sa evaluation report parang psychological test kumbaga.
Indeed.
Sana magawa nila ang ating suggestions kahit paano makatulong. Kung hindi nila matugunan ang mga hinaing ng ibang artist para lang ma-enhance ang kanilang kakayahan, lalo pa magkalamat tulad nila Aljur(noon) at kay Sarah Lahbati. Sayang naman kung nakatengga lagi ang iba dahil heavily focus sila sa ALDUB, the truth hurts.
They don’t have an equivalent of a Johnny Manahan, so they need to find someone who can hone talents well.
Siguro it’s time to hire another talent director, pero dapat all-around, adaptable, flexible and most of all…approachable din dahil sa ngayon, minamaltrato nila ang talents kay in reality… Nagprotesta ang mga Talent Assoc. of GMA dahil nagbawas sila ng empleyado at hindi sila inaabiso nga terminate sa sila sa trabaho, kaya ganoon. Puro lang kayo interes, wala puso. Sorry ralph, i am expressing my feeling. That’s it.
Iba naman yung case sa TAG. That should be the news department’s responsibility. We’re talking about GMA Entertainment here. Yung ‘talents’ which are the Kapuso artists should be differentiated from ‘talents’ na off-screen personnel per se. Like you said, they need a talent director, kaso he’ll be the one responsible for honing and preparing the Kapuso actors and performers.
Yeah, sa talent director naman, mag-evaluate din sila tulad ng nabanggit ko sa mga pag-scout ng mga comedian.
Yung binanggit mo pala..my apologies