‘TMZ’: Facets and foibles of the famous

(Published Aug.24, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit

Contributor

It’s hard to miss the daily entertainment discussions and paparazzi punditry of “TMZ,” as it’s already on a number of cable channels (ETC, Jack TV, HBO Asia, etc.). The TV version of the popular website is chockfull of brief discussions--sometimes smart, other times silly--centering on Hollywood’s a-listers, has-beens and also-rans, and even non-celebrities (the occasional oddball caught on camera).

“TMZ” (“Thirty Mile Zone,” originally a term referring to the filming area monitored by Hollywood studios in the ‘60s) is mostly irreverent. While typical entertainment news programs skip commentaries and snappy side comments, “TMZ” thrives on such opinions, made by a bunch of people in their 20s and 30s, in what looks like a small office area. Their host and ringmaster is Harvey Levin, who often has informed things to say about matters being discussed. Levin always holds a marker (for listing down celebrities’ names and whatnot), and a tumbler (which contains “tears of celebrities,” according to one of his staffers).

The group’s exchanges usually cover the latest showbiz news and mundane celeb sightings at various venues. One of the things that connect with viewers is its constant focus on the unglamorous side of entertainment personalities. Unguarded moments of stars, behind-the-scenes levity, and unscripted encounters make for interesting viewing, offering angles that may not be featured on regular entertainment news reports. The love-hate relationship between certain stars and the paparazzi (there are intrusive, clever, and polite ones) is an occasional point of discourse as well.

Pictures and footage of the foibles or follies of the popular are also talked about; for instance, there are collective yelps when cameras captured unflattering images of a young star’s unclean ears, and a singer’s imperfectly shaved armpit. Other times, there are joke-y short videos or jingles devoted to incriminating photographic evidence. Nothing is sacred.

But it’s not always about exposed imperfections. Levin and his kibitzers sometimes heap praises on celebrities’ looks, attitudes or works. The casual, comfortable conversations between Levin and his workstation commentators are a reflection of how non-celebrities look at that “other” world. Truth can be really stranger than fiction in this age of instantly beamed videos and snapshots, and everyone’s got an opinion.

“TMZ” airs on Jack TV (Tuesdays to Saturday, 7: 30 p.m.), ETC (Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00 p.m.), CS9 (Monday, 6 p.m. and Tuesday 11 a.m.) and HBO Asia (Tuesday to Saturday, various times).