Clarkson, Miss Universe and Donald Trump

There are three very distinct events that have taken headlines in their respective sections of our newspapers in recent weeks, and none seem to have anything in common. First is the fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game; second is the impending Miss Universe competition; third is Donald Trump’s assumption into office as the 45th Chief Executive of the United States of America. One is a sports story, the other an entertainment/ society pages staple, the other fodder for the front page and political section. They are as far from being related as possible. Or are they?

While selection for the NBA All-Star Game starters was at fever pitch, social media was flooded with a common hashtag campaigning for Filipinos to vote for Jordan Clarkson, regardless of his performance. Needless to say, his underwhelming numbers did not do anything to drum up support, so some of his countrymen decided to help pad his numbers. A few sports writers spoke up on their social media feeds, objecting to the campaign. They asked why we should vote for someone who doesn’t deserve it simply because he has Filipino blood. It’s akin to Philippine media and fans “claiming” this Hollywood personality or talent contest winner overseas because they are half or one- fourth Filipino, which some people actually look at as desperation for validation.

A similar campaign has also been waged for Maxine Medina, the country’s candidate for Miss Universe. Though there has only been one country to have won the pageant back-to-back (Venezuela), there is a vigorous effort to help Ms. Medina get more push from the public, more so that the contest is being held in the country. There seem to be less objections to this than making the date of the pageant itself a national holiday, which is a good sign. Standards of pulchritude are subjective, while sports statistics are not. In sports, real fans understand the bottom line. Numbers and wins matter. In other terms, Miss Philippines is a statistical improbability. So in sports or any other language, that would make her an underdog. And we love a good underdog story more than anything else. We hope against hope, ignore the odds, and rush forward.

So on one hand, you have a solid NBA player who may probably not really deserve a starter’s spot in the All- Stars, but has a loyal fan base of eager kababayans who want to catapult him there. On the other hand, you have a local beauty who has a slim shot at the biggest beauty tilt in the world. We’ve seen our contestants recover from various faux pas over the years, from fumbling answers to ill- fitting questions to stumbling in real missteps on the big stage. The question is the same, but with different processes: do they deserve it? The real question is: do we feel we need it for validation as a people? Is that third world thinking or love for ( extended) family?

Being Filipino overseas is a doubleedged sword. Pinoys help each other out when it comes to migrating to a new environment, and enjoy traditional big family gatherings, albeit to non-traditional events like American football tailgate parties and so on. On the flip side, Filipinos have also been known to be the first to betray or take advantage of their countrymen overseas, even through the simple process of getting jobs abroad in the first place. But more often than not, Filipino families are a haven for the less experienced migrants from the homeland. We want to help one another. It’s the basic goodness of man, apparently heaped upon Filipinos in a bigger serving from on high.

So does the disoriented, homesick new overseas worker and his family deserve the extra kindness? Most definitely. Who wouldn’t appreciate a touch of Filipino hospitality in a cold, new land? But does a multi-millionaire athlete really, badly need our help simply because he’s not doing so well and may not get enough votes from America fans? Um, hard to say, but I’m leaning towards the negative. Does a beauty queen in her own homeland deserve an extra helping hand to at least make a credible showing in the harshest spotlight known to womankind? The gentlemanly nature and love for extended family of the Filipino would say yes, yes, a hundred times, yes. Besides, on a stage that big, even the lesser prizes will mean something.

And then there’s Donald Trump, 2016’ s biggest head- scratching, expletive-drawing moment. People in other countries are still saying “Seriously, America?” to little avail. Not that it matters. He’s been sworn in, the sore winner still grousing about how many illegal votes the loser got. Where was Steve Harvey when this was going on?

The NBA All-Stars happen every year and, yes, it’s just a game and even then, you should still earn it. The Miss Universe pageant is a once in a lifetime event, so every little bit helps, not that a hometown decision has ever been made since the judges come from everywhere. Still, a semifinal placing wouldn’t be so bad and would probably set you for life. At the end of the day, would you be asking yourself if you deserved it afterwards, or would you ignore the question altogether? And what would you do with the opportunity, anyway?

Let’s ask Donald Trump, from a safe distance.