Do you agree?

PHOTO BY Instagram/Nadine Lustre; Instagram/Kathryn Bernardo; Screenshot/For Your Entertainment YouTube Page ILLUSTRATOR: Warrren Espejo

There’s something about listening to industry veterans speak their minds that adds a different dimension to any conversation. Their insights and observations, informed by years of experience and intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the field, carry a weight that online opinion, for all their immediacy, rarely match.

The early 2000s were a golden age for Philippine showbiz talk shows. Boy Abunda, Kris Aquino, and Butch Francisco were like our favorite gossipy aunts, spilling the tea on every family feud, hidden romance, and neighborhood scandal. Back then, we gathered around the TV, united in our shared love for other people’s drama, and watched the revelations unfold. Sadly, social media has killed that weekly communal event. Now everyone has their own platform, their own soapbox, and the intimacy of shared secrets has given way to a cacophony of online voices. That’s why nothing beats the voice of a veteran.

And that’s why the return of Francisco, even via the much humbler venue of a podcast, is something to be happy about. The former Showbiz Lingo host is back via Best 10 Bets which he hosts together with seasoned industry insider Leo Katigbak, head of ABS-CBN’s Sagip Pelikula efforts. Think of the podcast as a listicle you can listen to and watch, with topics anchored on the two worlds the hosts specialize in: Pinoy pop culture and local showbiz. In their first episode, they rightfully picked a controversial question to answer: Who is the best actress of the current generation?

Kathryn Bernardo vs Nadine Lustre?

Predictably, the contest comes down to a Nadine Lustre versus Kathryn Bernardo battle. The two actresses after all, while they light up the entertainment landscape with equal star wattage, embody two different acting styles, were trained by a host of different mentors, and have starkly disparate filmographies. Lustre is the fiery supernova, an indie darling, known for her rebellious spirit, carving a niche for herself outside the mainstream. Bernardo, on the other hand, has proven herself fantastic at blockbuster dramas, earning accolades for her deeply affecting turn in the hit Hello, Love, Goodbye, before surprising everyone with her stunning portrayal of an earnest-minion-turned-nasty-nemesis in A Very Good Girl.

In Best 10 Bets, we get to hear Francisco and Katigbak talk about the merits of each star—Francisco defends Lustre while Katigbak shines the light on Kathryn. Francisco: “She’s able to blend in, parang chameleon. She’s also won awards, most notably a Gawad Urian for Best Actress trophy, of which Bernardo has only been nominated but never won.” Katigbak: “When Kathryn did A Very Good Girl, she set herself at a higher bar than everybody else because she was willing to push herself to a new level.”

There’s no bashing here. None of the nega, toxic vibes other show biz talk shows online create. Opinions are focused on body of work, the awards and accolades each have garnered, their informed POVs on each actress’ collection of performances. It’s a refreshing little show in a sea of online content obsessed only with other people’s lives. It’s not Showbiz Lingo and maybe it doesn’t have to be.