Minus two TV shows, Na Nake keen to keep trying

He figures he’s unable to provide the right balance of entertainment and incisive information. One of the stations, Na Nake rants, wanted him to do the same sort of eye-popping, talk-of-the-town chat show that his close friend Vuthithorn “Woody” Militajinda does. “And the other station says my show is too controversial!” he says. 

Woody’s show, the frustrated Na Nake points out, has often been criticised, and yet it always gets great ratings. Allowing all due respect to his pal, Na Nake says he could do a show like that no problem. “I’m kind of potty-mouthed too, and I could do the same, but I wanted to offer something different – something that would inspire viewers.”

Na Nake still has his own studio, called Nake in the City, and still has a show by that name airing on Thai Rath TV, so he says he’ll try harder to make that one his “dream programme” for the Thai television audience. “My two decades in this industry tells me that the audience is the most important factor, but it’s strange that whatever they see depends entirely on what the TV station and its clients [corporate sponsors] want. It looks like the viewers have no rights!”

Well, his fans know there’s consolation in the fact that Na Nake never gives up easily. He’s previously tweeted that he’d love to do a show for Amarin TV. “Anyone know the phuyai [management] there?” he asked followers. “Can you tell them that Na Nake, a long-time customer of the books they publish, wants to work with them?”

 

Mint-Mark wrist-slap

Meanwhile over at Channel 3, executive Somluck Narongwichai has arranged a summit meeting of the station’s stars Prin “Mark” Suparat and Chalida “Mint” Vijitvongthong following their highly public catfight last week. There have been no further insider revelations about their war since the leaked Line messages in which Mark called Mint’s mother a female canine, and no further public pronouncements since his maudlin apology. 

Their images are undeniably tarnished (Mint’s more by association), but Somluck has reaffirmed that their future at Channel 3 remains solid. “It’s no big deal so no one’s going to be penalised,” he says. “In the old days stars fought too. It’s just that their disputes didn’t go public!”

Of course, even if Channel 3 has no intention of “disciplining” its young squabblers, Somluck admits, it remains to be seen whether the bad publicity affects their careers. “I don’t want to hand out any warnings, but whenever there’s this kind of situation, I always tell everyone to be extra careful with whatever they post online. I always think twice before I post anything.”

Bummer for the gossips tracking them online, but at least we can look forward to the big weepy press conference once the dust settles, where they appear together and recite all those well-known lines about still being good friends.