Who says Ruffa isn't playing the Wilhelmina Slater role?

This article is a follow up to my previous one. Well, I just want everyone to know that Ms. Ruffa Gutierrez is playing the Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams) role in our local Betty La Fea! This is for the benefit of those who disagree... Let me prove it to you, sweetie! According to METRO Magazine Aug 2008 issue which Ruffa was on the cover, METRO wrote that Ruffa Gutierrez would be a local version of Vanessa Williams's character and would star opposite Bea Alonzo. Ruffa said then that she was so excited and playing Vanessa Williams's role in the Philippine version of the popular American spin- off, "Ugly Betty" was a surreal experience. She further explained that in order to do research for her role, she went online and ordered "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Ugly Betty (Season 1)" from Amazon.com. Then METRO asked and I quoted, "So is Ruffa Gutierrez ready to be nasty?" She answered that she would portray the role in her "own" way... she said that she could be nasty but in a reasonable sense. She also said that her character was more ambitious, more scheming, cold and more complex.
My point is, due to Ruffa's portrayal of the role in her "own" way, the character becomes tacky. Just like in my previous blog, I mentioned that she wasn't fierce! Just merely beautiful and fashionable for the role! She (Ruffa) even said that she wanted to be nasty in a reasonable sense, well, Wilhelmina is very nasty but never reasonable! How can Willie be reasonable if she goes to MODE not to work with anyone but work "against" everyone? Does the character require fairness or good judgement along with being nasty? Sounds very funny! Or should she forget about being reasonable and just be nasty for that's what the script requires her to do because the series wants an "outstanding" villain? Well, it's clear to me that Ruffa's portrayal of the nothing- but- a- walking- Chanel- with- an- office character is too far- fetched.

I DON'T Love Betty La Fea (Philippines)

It's been months already since ABS- CBN launched a new primetime show, "I Love Betty La Fea" and I honestly don't love it! Well, I am posting an honest opinion and I am not encouraging readers not to love it the way I don't love it! If you enjoy watching the show on a daily basis, then good for you because in my case, I just can't stand it!
Frankly, I am a big fan of ABC's Ugly Betty! I had 2 of its seasons downloaded on my laptop and used all the episodes for my American Accent Training sessions at work. We all really can't get enough of it- the story, clothes, accessories, humor, acting, Betty (America Ferrera) and of course, Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams)- they are just superb!
Well, I think the local one that we have here has a different plot and theme, I must say. It is based on the original Betty La Fea, the Columbian telenovela we grew up with plus ABC's Ugly Betty which most of us (American TV Series fanatics) are very much familiar with. I don't love "I Love Betty La Fea" for 2 reasons. One, I think Bea Alonzo (Betty La Fea) is too good for the role! The character is no challenge to her that's why her acting appears too tacky on screen. I fully recognize how good Bea's acting is and I think this role isn't for her. Her acting makes people think that Betty is a mere lunatic running around the office of a famous fashion magazine, madly inlove with her boss and becomes smart in random chances and pathetic circumstances. But what Betty in both of the Columbian and American TV series is, a smart- all- the- time assistant who's always there to save the day... just lacking aesthetic polish and fashion sense... Well, it seems to me that America Ferrera and Anna Maria Orozco can pull the character off far better and doesn't really make it cheap. Second, is Ruffa Gutierrez's being Wilhelmina Slater! It bothers me a lot! Why wasn't the character given to Ms. Cherry Gil or someone who is beautiful and fashionable but fierce! I'm not saying that Ruffa isn't beautiful and fashionable... she is! Very much! She's an icon for being both! But she isn't fierce enough for the character! She lacks the devilish attitude of Willie that can make people around her feel inadequate and beat down the lovable personalities of those like Betty. Wilhelmina is another important character, but way to lame in our local series.
As for me, the Philippine's "I Love Betty La Fea" is clearly doing a poor job of getting its message across by these two characters. It's nothing but a TV series that makes viewers laugh at a poor assistants' uncomfortable situations, garner sympathy for Betty's state, and continuously think that "ugly" people can only get jobs out of pity or random chance. Where is the concept of "Ugly is the new Beautiful" that both Ugly Betty and Betty La Fea are all about? Well, I believe it's lost by the flashy set and actresses who are not really meant to play Betty La Fea and Wilhelmina Slater roles.