GMA should let Alden Richards choose his handler

GMA Sparkle Artist Center owes a significant debt of gratitude to the online program “Showbiz Now Na” (SNN). This show — hosted by Cristy Fermin with co-anchors Rommel Tsika and Wendell Alvarez — exposed the brash behavior of Alden Richards' handler.

Cristy opted not to drop the handler's name on air until she personally spoke to Alden. However, she cited at least two specific instances where the handler seemed to have gone overboard, apparently without the actor's blessing.

The first was when Alden was then doing GMA's “Start-Up PH” opposite Bea Alonzo.

According to Cristy's sources, the handler — who she later identified as “Sam” — would not let Alden come out of his dressing room even if his co-stars in the series were all gathered for the take.

At the very least, the ‘Asia’s Multimedia Star’ should be able to pick his handler. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/ALDENRICHARDS02

“He's sleeping inside, he shouldn't be woken up,” Sam told the production people, “Just come back later, he might be awake in a while.”

If the prod team knew Alden's work ethic, he wasn't the type of artist who could afford to make his co-stars wait until he was ready to buckle down to work.

A program staffer who once worked with Alden was quick to take the cudgels for the actor, “He doesn't have that kind of track record. Alden will wait, but he won't make his colleagues wait!”

The second incident — as told by reporter-friends to Cristy — took place inside the GMA compound. It was at a media conference where a handful of entertainment writers hurtled toward Alden to interview him.

But even before they could go near the actor, Sam reportedly got in the way.

Sam led Alden away from the reporters' group. Albeit without saying a word, Sam shook his head short of saying that no interviews were allowed.

Admittedly close to the actor, Cristy gave Alden the benefit of the doubt, “I know Alden to be kind, polite, and respectful, so it's impossible that he approves of what Sam is doing. How could he deny the press a little time when he has always acknowledged how much help the press has given to his career?”

Cristy promised the SNN viewers to give them updates as soon as she got a word from Alden, who was then busy doing the movie “Five Breakups and A Romance” with Julia Montes.

The veteran writer lamented that such stories — even not the actor's doing — could adversely affect Alden, not Sam.

In less than a week since she broke the story on SNN, Cristy delivered her promise, “I've already talked to Alden, and I did mention the complaints to his handler Sam.”

The showbiz veteran said Alden has already reprimanded Sam, who turned out to be a senior Sparkle artist handler.

Cristy sounded less than happy to know that Alden had reprimanded Sam, “Alden should also know where Sam's scope of work begins and where it ends.”

It was at this juncture where Cristy volunteered some tips that may help other artists in dealing with handlers assigned to them.

“I believe it's imperative that handlers in general know where they stand. The problem is, they feel like they're the artists being handled. In the process, handlers have this mistaken notion that they're just as popular.”

But shouldn't the Alden-Sam case be more of GMA Sparkle's concern? And it's only this network's talent arm which can mete out what's due its erring staff?

Isn't the least Alden can do is to pick who he likes to handle him, and should not be the network's call?

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GUESS WHO? More concentrated on managing her celebrity children's careers herself, it is understandable why this feisty showbiz mom (FSM) is not so much familiar with this top-calibre performer (TCP).

For one, she hasn't seen TCP perform. Since she also produces shows on the side, the FSM bought two tickets to the TCP'S show at a popular hub somewhere in Quezon City.

She was so eager to witness the TCP do her show-stopping numbers, “Because I have plans to get her for the show I will produce next. That's why I included her (pointing to a fellow showbiz mom) so I can personally assess how good she is.”

Sadly, for some reason the TCP was no-show. Not only was the FSM disappointed, she was also furious.

“What is this? Her own show, and she won't even show up? Such a waste. As I said, I came to watch and get her for a show, but now, the 'get' part, forget na [already]! My companion's advice was right, she should just go back to Cebu and sell fish at the market! Grabe, 'Day!” the FSM ranted in her crisp Visayan twang.