But one story caught my attention last night. It was, at first, interesting and at second glance, FUNNY.
The TV Patrol headline talked of a bill from the House of Representatives authored by Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., first term representative of the third district of Pampanga, “expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to appeal to the local TV and movie industry to minimize, prevent, or stop typecasting congressmen and congresswomen as villains or crooks in movies and television telenovelas, in order not to create stereotypes or negative public perception against members of the House of Representatives.”
“Whereas, as the people’s representatives, majority of the congressmen and congresswomen do their best to bring excellent public service to their constituents; Whereas, there have been a few congressmen who may have been involved in crimes but these are the exceptions, rather than the rule; Whereas despite the good deeds done by many, congresspersons are often portrayed as villains in movies and telenovelas; Whereas, these portrayals are unfair and at the very least, sully the good name of honorable congressmen and congresswomen who work hard for the welfare of their constituents; Whereas, these negative typecastings influence the general public, especially the young children, into forming a negative impression about the members of the House of Representatives.”
And I said WHAT?
That House Resolution 2140 is silly. How can the TV and Film outfits be restricted in portraying political characters, especially Congressmen as villains?
I have learned as a Literature student that Art, specifically Literature mirrors Life. And TV and Films, being modern artforms are mere representations of what writers and directors perceive is true. How can we then argue that the portrayals are misrepresentations?
Typecasts and stereotypes become so because they are evident in the society. Just like kids begging on the streets, or teenage parents, battered wives. Congressmen can’t complain that the portrayals are unfair just because they are stereotyped as evil and villainous.
Rather than complaining over the artistic characterisations, why don’t they work hard to clean out their names and reputations?
What this bill could do is put a limit to the rights of the artists behind the cameras, or simply the freedom to express thru a medium called TV and film.
Perhaps Congressmen are just afraid that TV and movies will have more truth than what they could tell the public. And the public cannot be blamed. They can see the resemblance between the real and the reel.
On the contrary, this tells one thing. Media is now thousand times more powerful than anyone with authority. As such, even poor telenovelas that try hard to imitate life are worthy of a legislation specifically pertaining to how characters should be portrayed, or not.
Why doesn’t the congress produce a film that will depict the “good” side of theirs? And let the public watch it, that is, if they want to.
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