I WON'T comment on the precise schedules because what's the point anyway of bringing it up, what's essential are the show themselves and the way we were. My most resonating memory on the choices timeslot for me then is between 10 am to 12 pm in 1981. Thats the time where one finds CAFETERIA AROMA with the late APENG DALDAL (no other comedy show has topped this one obscure laughter-fest in my book). By 11 am, I switched the channel to RPN 9 to get mystified by IN SEARCH OF.... - an investigative program on the supernatural, the strange, the weird, the unexplained. It talks of such topics like UFOs, ancient astronauts, magic, the occult, missing persons, Fortean phenomenas, and some such weirdness. By 12 pm, most Filipinos doesn't have much TV choice then but to choose between two main variety shows, STUDENT CANTEEN & EAT BULAGA. The Eat Bulaga trio is the certified progenitor of vulgarity, swardspeak, street/kanto language, bawdy/double entendre songs and scoundrel behavior on TV. They even raped a poor "bold" starlet named PEPSI PALOMA in around 1985 of which they were haled to court, but the case has been pending for the last 23 or so years - NEVER DISMISSED - because, one, Paloma has committed suicide shortly thererafter because of the trauma and her inability to gain justice; and two, as a result of Paloma's death, then lawyer RENE CAYETANO who represented her pro bono, could not effectively pressed for the case. The "ungas" trio also has powerful backers & connections. But in the second quarter of 1981, Eat Bulaga, amidst the execrable characters of its hosts, has given me an embarrassing source of pleasure - the CARRIBEAN DISCO SHOW DANCE CONTEST. This is that obscure, totally-forgotten-in-time, short-lived dance contest where a lovely lady dances with smoldering Latina flourish to the tune of Lobo's "Carribean Disco Show Medley." Remember that? "Come Mr. Tally Man, Tally the Banana, Daylight Come & We Wanna Go Home...." I even skipped school just to catch that contest during its entire season run. It was just a hilarious contest, nothing more nothing less. But two decades later, I came to realized that what those ladies were doing is copy the 1950s Argentinian star CARMEN MIRANDA in her exaggerated customes and choreography, the only thing they skipped doing is to quote Miranda's famous line, "Banana is my business." At the very least the contest has a vague Broadway/Hollywood pedigree or at least pretensions. Today, Eat Bulaga still holds dance contests - but the inspirations is borned out more by the shameful Japayuki and burlesque cultures.
On early evenings, you catch CHAMPOY with Subas & Noel. Very well-written & thought-out jokes & skits, no green, bawdy stuff. Just decent, dignified laughter inducers that doesn't resort to the toilet or the bodoir. In our province by the time Champoy airs, we can't view it anymore in color because the voltage steps down to 150watts and when that happens the TV becomes momentarily black & white with distorted signals. By 7 pm, all channels air the news - and that's actually a decree by President Marcos. I had no problem with that, 7 pm primetime just seemed to be the best time to air the news.
On Friday late evenings in the same years (1981 to around 1984) if I remember it right, the most anticipated program I hold unto is AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. It begins around 10 pm, right after reruns of the 1960's AVENGERS. I remember closely the grapplers of old: Tony Atlas, Andre The Giant, Pedro Morales, Antonio Inoke and many other superstars.
Thats how I remember the old TV timeslots. And I also got my Spiderman drawing printed inside the pages of the TV GUIDE. The old days were indeed better.....
