Friday, June 20, 2008 Peña: Meeting the Trivia King By Rox Pena E-ssue
TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the voice behind the 1990 animes Ultraman and Magmaman, was a former barangay chairman and three-term councilor of Manila, but gave up politics for a broadcasting career?
ANSWER: The "Trivia King," Kim Atienza. He is also known as Mr. Weatherman of the Kapamilya TV Network who succeeded the late "walking dictionary" -- Ernie Baron. He is a mainstay of the network's morning show where he is fondly called Kuya Kim in his Animalandia segment.
I recently met the man. I write this piece not because I was star-struck or because he is the son of the Honorable Lito Atienza, the current secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). It's because we have something in common -- environmental advocacy.
In his own TV program, "Matanglawin," Kim features animals, plants and the environment. His passion for animals and his explorer's hat and khaki outfit makes him the local version of the "crocodile hunter."
His TV show, however, is not limited to environmental topics. Kim explained this to me during the shooting of Matanglawin's June 15 episode. He even cited his segment on the origins of the "yoyo" to emphasize his point. The show also tackles information on science and technology and gives out useful trivia.
One thing readily noticeable about this politician-turned TV personality is the enthusiasm and energy he pours into his work. He's not contented with merely telling the story. He wants to be part of the story.
He has so far went face-to-face with a poisonous snake, has placed his hands inside a crocodile's mouth, laid down on a bed of sharp nails and even went inside a septic tank. Like other courageous media practitioners, he ignores the advice that "no story is worth dying for."
It was no surprise therefore that in the segment on paper making, of which I was part of, he climbed a tall stack pile of wastepaper, drove a payloader and operated some papermaking machines.
After seeing the June 15 episode as a whole, I must say that I was impressed with the amount of research poured unto it. They were able to find the oldest document written in the Philippines, and came out with very interesting paper related trivia which even I, who has been teaching paper recycling for many years, is not aware of. That's a lot of work for a seven-minute segment.
Another thing admirable about Matanglawin is that the show is packed with a lot of information but it is not boring. One blog I read noted that there is no information overload. Technical data were graphically presented in a very interesting and easily understandable manner. Nakaka-relate ang nanonood.
This is what I've been trying to do in my radio program and in this column. Presenting technical information in a layman's perspective is one of the challenges I face when delivering my message. I picked-up a lot of good ideas on how to improve my craft from the show.
Short for time, I did not get to talk to the Trivia King in depth. But perhaps if I were to ask him if he is not afraid of landing in the hospital with his daredevil antics, he would probably say: "ang buhay ay weather-weather lang."
