Brazilian Model Arlen Gaspar on Going Shirtless in Manila Parks

GMA News TV's Balitanghali reported yesterday about Arlen Gaspar, a Brazilian model who did a social experiment in Manila Parks & public places like BGC High Street. His experiment: to try going shirtless in these public places during summer when it's actually really hot. Did it go hot for his experiment? Or were the guards cold with him?

Check out the report from Balitanghali.

Watch the whole social experiment documented by Arlen Gaspar himself.

If you think you've seen him somewhere, maybe you did. Check out one of his commercials.

Docu-Drama Ilustrado airs on GMA Telebabad

As GMA News TV released its lineup of upcoming shows this year, Ilustrado is one of the most promising. 

Following the success of Katipunan and Titser which aired weekly on GMA News TV, the network is again releasing another docu-drama which is not just slated to be a weekly show but daily. Yes, you have read it right! And it's not going to be on GMA Network's news channel. It's going to be on GMA 7 itself. Take note: primetime!

What's in it for the viewers?
For Kapuso viewers, this means that their nightly viewing habit will have some transformation. It's a fact that GMA News & Public Affairs department has proven that they can produce better quality in terms of executing a drama show. And now that GMA Drama has been dwindling in terms of ratings, it may have been an executive decision to provide a rescue team in the guise of GMA News & Public Affairs.

This will also pose a good competition to the Entertainment Department (GMA Drama) of the network which hopefully will up their game. Like it or not, the ratings of GMA Telebabad these days are down and walking (otherwise up and running).

To give you a better idea of what Ilustrado will be about, here's an excerpt of their official update.

Following on the heels of the successful "Katipunan" series, GMA News TV presents another period drama in 2014—"Ilustrado." The series takes viewers through Jose Rizal’s travels in Europe, including Rizal’s many romances, his rivalry with Filipinos abroad, his poverty and homesickness and his passion to write about his homeland.  -GMANetwork.com

There's no update yet as to who's playing Jose Rizal but fans are requesting to give the role to Dennis Trillo.

From PinoyExchange.com, an update was posted as well showing the involved parties brainstorming for the docu-drama soon to hit GMA Telebabad this 2014.

Watch out for updates of this promising historical docu-drama here on The Showbiz Outsider.

Is MTRCB's SPG rating really working? The Aftermath of Walang Hanggan's Rape Scene

With the latest buzz in Philippine television on the rape scene in Walang Hanggan topping the ratings, we question.

Walang Hanggan garnered a national TV rating of 38.7% by Kantar Media last August 1 for their episode that featured the rape scene between Nathan (Paulo Avelino) and Katerina (Julia Montes). The scene showed Paulo Avelino's character topless, sweating and devouring the still clothed body of Julia's character. It was not as explicit as the other rape scenes but the inuendos definitely led to the viewers' lucid imagination.

Here's the catch. Just before the said part of the show, the Kapamilya network warned the viewers with MTRCB's rating SPG (Strong Parental Guidance or Striktong Patnubay at Gabay). Despite the warning, the show still garnered a whopping 38.7%. That means that millions were able to watch it. To prove the point, the show even went trending on that night over Twitter world.

Reviewing the tweets, most of them came from students who were watching the said show. Students who are still living with their parents. Students who are supposed to be guarded by their parents.

Nothing is wrong with MTRCB's rating. Nothing is wrong with a show garnering such a high turnout of viewers for the said scene. But there are a few realities we can deduce (theoretically at least) from the results.

1. People liked Paulo Avelino's character going topless. SEX content.


2. Tweets were more of "Sana ako nalang ni-rape ni Nathan" than "kawawa si Katerina."


3. MTRCB ratings are just ratings, they don't have teeth.

For the third reality, we give the challenge back to the parents. As Winnie Monsood once said in her show at GMA News TV, it is still the responsibility of parents to watch over their kids and MTRCB is just a partner.

Tell us what you think. Tweet us @outsidershowbiz and hashtag #WalangHangganSPG