Star Obsession
In the last days of March and the first few weeks of April, one name was the buzzword among Filipinos all over the world: Rico Yan. Believe me, I hate joining the bandwagon, but I felt in this case I just had to put in my two cents worth. The news that spread like wildfire concerning this individual had a tragic coloring. His was a life taken too young and in a manner that seemed regretfully unremarkable.
Who was Rico Yan and what was so special about him? The facts were as follows: he was a matinee idol in the Philippine Cinema. He was vacationing at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan during Holy Week (an eyebrow-raising fact for most devout Catholics who observe Holy Week with solemnity). He died of hemorrhagic pancreatitis in his sleep. For most Filipinos, that was known as "bangungot," or sudden death nocturnal syndrome.
Personally, I have no idea how he was as an actor. He certainly did not seem to be at the same level as Christopher De Leon a well-respected dramatic actor, though he might have had the potentials. I caught glimpses of the actor at the TFC channel in ASAP (a local variety show) and GIMIK (a soap opera of sorts). The only impression I had was that his smile could send Aga Muhlach, another matinee idol, into bouts of insecurity. That certainly did not explain why the whole nation and Filipinos abroad became obsessed with his death. It was not the first time that a celebrity had died at the young age of 27. They all had good looks and talents, I'm pretty sure.
So, what was it about this guy that would compel tens of thousands of his fans from the far reaches of Luzon to attend his wake and funeral. Moreover, he was accorded a burial fit for a statesman. His home network ABS-CBN covering the six-hour long procession to Manila Memorial Park where he was laid to rest.
Curiosity was one suspect that contributed to the phenomena. In the first few days after his death, the buzz index at Yahoo indicated Rico Yan placed third as the most searched persona in the internet. He ranked way up there alongside J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez). Mind you, Rico Yan was the only Filipino actor to have caused such a buzz in the internet search world. However, there must have been more to the curiosity factor. I refuse to believe that Filipinos are just so shallow we create deities out of these celebrities.
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