Who's sick of the Vhong-Deniece-Cedric story? Not the media

Despite all the pleas we see on social media to stop posting and commenting about the Vhong Navarro incident, we can’t help but extend the “agony” with a postscript, particularly on the reasons why this is such a compelling a story—not only for the entertainment press but for respected journos, intellectuals and legal experts.

Lawyer Harry Roque was right: only “Filipinos from Mars” don’t know about what happened to Vhong on the night of January 22.

And, who could keep one Teddy Boy Locsin from putting in his two cents , albeit in a hilarious tone. (After posing a volley of questions about the incident, he asks, “And finally, why must there be an ‘h’ in Vhong’s name?”)

The stuff of 'dreams'

This early, one can say that this should be the biggest showbiz story of the year, unless something more sensational, more absurd or more controversial crops up.

Not only is it the stuff of dreams for the controversy-driven entertainment media, it has a storyline so gripping as that not even a curious five-year-old could possibly be spared the inevitable dinner table discussion.

Well, people say they have had enough of the sordid details of what happened that night.

And I respect that since the issue has been flung in our faces over the past few weeks.

An image no one could ignore

But why is this case one for the books?

Well, you’re talking about THE Vhong Navarro, THE Mr. Suave—one one of the most recognizable faces in the country, with a daily noontime show to reinforce his presence. (Only Locsin didn’t seem to know Vhong, which annoyed the person who told him about the scandal. Locsin’s response? “…I rushed to Twitter to get the lowdown. Others turned to mainstream media but I like to get my facts straight.”)

And that face, beaten black and blue, was an image that for weeks no one could ignore.

Because names were named

Then there’s that interview on national TV wherein names were named.

Celebs are experts at being coy, knowing how to answer enough about their personal lives without giving away too much.

Clearly, it was a legal tactic to name Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee to supposedly stop them and their so-called cruel intentions from prospering.

The gory details

And, yes, who would not be captivated by the admission of casual sex in the tale?

Definitely a story for the ages when a popular personality admits having sex outright. But NOT “sexual intercourse,” as Vhong stressed, ONLY “oral sex.”

Can you imagine any other celebrity (well, save for “pene-kula” actors or celebrities who have been sexually flagrant at the outset) make that kind of admission?

And, of course, the partner's cry of rape is not your routine headline, even in the sleaziest of tabloids.

Pasok, network wars!

Then there’s the TV network wars, wherein the biggest conglomerates are being identified with either side of the “he said, she/they said” fence, whether justified or not.

This has always been a factor, even during the time of Rico Yan’s death or the Kris Aquino-Joey Marquez split.

We always had the impression of bias despite the claims of impartiality of networks in reporting news/gossip/scandal about celebs identified with one TV station or the other.

A rogue’s gallery

And of course, the story itself is provocative—making it so irresistible.

Imagine a prominent celebrity, whose apparent promiscuity saw him walking into the supposed setup of his casual sex partner—an attractive and comely professional model—and her apparent boyfriend or “close friend.”

And when the “close friend” is a familiar figure in celebrity circles, having been charged with similar allegations in the past, and has a gang of burly minions, including a mixed martial arts fighter, gag and beat up our celeb to a pulp—can you blame the media for not pouncing on it? (Or us, for being armchair judge, jury and executioner?)

A gold mine

Throw in allegations of bribery, kidnapping, grave threats, and of course, the involvement of people close to police authorities, there’s just too much juice for the media not to soak it all up.

Of course, if the guy was some ordinary joe, the case would probably merit a tabloid headline or a snippet in the evening news and then put in the backburner of the justice system or, maybe, fade into oblivion.

But no, this case involved an ABS-CBN superstar, a gorgeous model, and a prominent “non-showbiz personality who allegedly made lives miserable for showbiz personalities” and his gang of upscale thugs.

You want this piece of “trash” to end?

For the media, it’s still a gold mine!