Showbiz Lingo

Showbiz Lingo (later Showbiz Lingo Plus) was a weekly entertainment news and talk show in the Philippines. It was first broadcast in January 19, 1992 under the name Showbiz Lingo and in May 11, 1997 as Showbiz Lingo Plus due its reformat. It was the hit Sunday afternoon talk show June 6, 1999 on ABS-CBN for 7 years and was originally hosted by the tandem Butch Francisco and Cristy Fermin. It features local celebrity gossip and news. ^[1]

History

Rumors: Facts and Humors ended in 1988 and ABS-CBN had managed to premiere 2 other showbiz talk shows namely Showbiz na Showbiz (1986-1987) and Sine Sine (1988) but didn't last long. The network conceptualized a new talk show that would be perfect for the masses. In 1992, Showbiz Lingo was then premiered on a Sunday. It was originally hosted by then ABS-CBN talent Butch Francisco and entertainment columnist Cristy Fermin. Ogie Diaz and John Lapus (then researcher of the said show) were introduced as the first reporters, but Diaz emerged as co-host of the said show.

The show's concept is somewhat similar to its predecessor Rumors: Facts and Humors wherein the hosts try to dish out the latest showbiz news, controversies and intrigues, but what is different is that the hosts try to interview the stars of the 1990s generation (thru a live-panel discussion) about certain issues they are in.

Christine Bersola, who was then the anchor of Star News, a segment of ABS-CBN's flagship newscast TV Patrol, in 1996 to add spice to the said show and stood as a co-host for a year.

The show's name was changed to Showbiz Lingo Plus in the same year and the opening segment was presented by three showbiz writers, Pilar Mateo, Aster Amoyo and Dolly Anne Carvajal, daughter of veteran showbiz reporter Inday Badiday. They joined Butch and Cristy in the team of reporters due to the reformat. From there, the show dealed with the juiciest issues and stories of showbiz has in their generation. The launch was made in 1997, but Bersola left the show to focus on the morning show Alas Singko Y Medya. Francisco left the show as well in 1997 to migrate in the United States. He was replaced by Edu Manzano who only stayed for one season due to his ongoing term as vice mayor of Makati City (he was elected in 1995). Roderick Paulate came on board as Fermin's latest male co-host and stayed on until the show's last episode.

The show plummeted in the ratings for the Sunday afternoon slot in 1995 when rival network GMA premiered Startalk hosted by Lolit Solis, Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino. The said competing show eventually succeeded Showbiz Lingo on top of the ratings. After Aquino left Startalk in 1996 and some reformatting changes on the show, Showbiz Lingo regained top-rating status, thus resulting Startalk to be placed on the Saturday afternoon slot. The program that replaced the slot of Startalk was S-Files, hosted by Paolo Bediones and Lyn Ching, where it gained a lot of good comments and reviews including the 1999 PMPC Star Awards for Television for Best Showbiz Show.

Showbiz Lingo Plus aired its last episode on June 27, 1999 after a successful 7-year run on the Sunday talk show slot. The management tapped former "Startalk" host Boy Abunda to host its new entertainment show, The Buzz. Cristy Fermin's daily solo talk show, "Cristy Per Minute" was also axed months after "Showbiz Lingo Plus" ended its run.

Cristy Fermin's return

In March 2003, Cristy Fermin returned to the ABS-CBN's formidable roster of hosts when she was named main host of the new Saturday gabfest "S2: Showbiz Sabado". To add more noise to the show, her erstwhile nemesis Alfie Lorenzo was named her co-host. It can be recalled that the two had a word war over the loveteam woes of Judy Ann Santos and Piolo Pascual. The warring duo was joined by Edu Manzano (Fermin's former co-host in "Showbiz Lingo Plus") as the show's "neutralizer". "S2" managed to steal "Startalk"'s loyal viewers for a while but the fun stopped in September 2003 when "S2" was axed due to management decision to reformat the Saturday afternoon time slot. Eventually, Fermin was absorbed in "The Buzz" to form a controversial trio with Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino, marking her return in the Sunday late afternoon time slot.

The Showbiz Lingo Panel of Hosts

• Butch Francisco (1992-1999)
• Cristy Fermin (1992-1999)
• Ogie Diaz (1992-1999)
• John Lapus (1992-1999)
• Christine Bersola-Babao (1996-1997)
• Pilar Mateo (1997-1999)^[2]
• Aster Amoyo (1997-1999)^[3]
• Dolly Anne Carvajal (1997-1999)^[4]

References

See also

• The Buzz
• S-Files
• Startalk
• Cristy Fermin
• John Lapus
• List of programs aired by ABS-CBN