EntertainmentGuilherme Arantes gets real when he talks about why he avoids going to TV showsMusician said he felt “embarrassment about still existing”, pointed out that the current formula for attractions is complicated and cited the situation after a “dumb question” from Anne Lottermannhoje at 10:00

Guilherme Arantes He is one of the greatest hitmakers in Brazilian music. In addition to having scored several successes such as “My World and Nothing More”, “Cheia de Charme” and “Um Dia, Um Adeus”, had songs recorded by Roberto Carlos, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Elis Regina, Belchior, among several others.

Now 70 years old, the musician is far from retirement. He remains active on stage and released his most recent album, The Templar Disorder, in 2021. Even so, he avoids participating in TV programs, seen as one of the main forms of promotion for artistic works in the country.

In a long publication on Facebook,Arantes addressed the issue and admitted that some questions ask him why he is not in the habit of being on television shows. In the singer’s view, his “image can bring harm to the audience” and the TV audience itself “can bring harm” to him. The reason, according to him, lies in the formula implemented by the programs and how people with non-standard appearance seem to no longer belong in that space. Initially, he stated:

“I know that TV was wonderful for our generations, especially mine. I have full recognition. I love TV. I loved existing and being part of it. But it was another TV. Another way to do it. We sang and that was it. They didn’t have the components and formulas that are popular nowadays. It’s gotten really complicated now, with interactivity and the invasive, scientific voyeurism of talk shows…”

Right away, William highlighted knowing “that TV programs live on a tightrope, fighting desperately for an audience”. However, in his view, “a lot of TV today is built based on what comes and what causes on social media — and that is Orwellian, diabolical.”

“I don’t want to embarrass the public, either, since nowadays people are all very beautiful on social networks, in the media. This is the golden age of humanity, in which human beings are all simply wonderful and all very virtuous, with their millions of followers. Everyone does their homework, cute, with their smiles and aggregating, or studiously ‘shocking’, provocative messages, anything goes as long as they are somehow efficient in gaining followers. It’s the new truth. Tell me how many follow you, and I will tell you who you are.”

“Embarrassment in existing”

In the strongest part of his story, Guilherme Arantes he said he felt “an embarrassment about still existing”.

“I know that the time has passed for me to be buried in a past of memories, and not bother me anymore. Just me, Guilherme Arantes, I insist on not dying (that would be ideal) and I am being born today for the future and I insist on saying to myself: I exist. Damn any inconvenience you cause.”

The singer then cited an example that occurred in April 2022, when he participated in the program Faustão in the Band. According to him, the journalist Anne Lottermann He asked him an “innocent and stupid” question, but it illustrates his point of view.

“I went to do the Fausto Silva and the Anne Lottermann He asked me if I missed my hair, my youth. I know it was an innocent and stupid question, poor thing, because I answered it straight away. I was surprised by the ‘in the can’ question. People on TV have to be beautiful. This is unquestionable. I replied that I don’t miss it because my cerebral content today, my charisma even to respond… can’t be compared with the ‘thin’ content, the weak charisma that I had in my big-haired days — which, in fact, today date back to over 40 years old, her probable age.”

Finally, Arantes pointed out that he no longer wants to do television “when it comes to being interviewed, the question is already guided by ’cause’”. According to him, “the speeches on TV are always toxic, they bring annoyance and personal losses”.

“I have seen colleagues engage in this series of ‘debates’, themes, ‘agendas’, whose sole purpose is to put the artist face to face with the firing wall of polarization. Until then, whoever wants to go. Then, when it comes to singing, the productions want the most well-behaved and digestive ‘hits’, which guarantee the audience through the ‘big hits’, which do not bring any new questions. It’s a very difficult time to be alive. Too easy to be dead.”

Complement

More than a week after the original publication — and its repercussion, reaching more than 11 thousand likes and 1.3 thousand shares on Facebook —, Guilherme Aranteshe returned to the subject in another post that served as a complement. The musician made it clear that his criticism was not of all TV programs and pointed out some positive examples.

“In the post, I put the verb ‘avoid doing TV’ at the beginning because it is not a generalized repudiation of the media. I sincerely hope to be able to return to generous spaces that still exist and resist, with quality, on the television schedule.

When I went to Ana Maria Bragasome time ago, the program was incredible, they provided me with a wonderful grand piano, and our chat was an example of emotion and culture.

O Raul Gil He is an old and loyal friend, he will always have my appreciation and gratitude, in fact I have always believed in his truth, legitimacy and importance for Brazil.

Year before last, I did a special program with the Pedro Bialstraight from Lienzo Norte Symphony Hallin The villageat Spainwhich will forever remain one of my best moments in my emotional relationship with TV.

How not to remember Uncensoredin its various phases, and also, how could I forget the excellent Metrópolis, always honoring the releases of all generations of Brazilian music?

Zé Maurício Machline is another who remains active with great broadcasts, an eternal lover of MPB.

O Faustão, my dear, is another good example, it has always been a precious space that is part of my history. It’s a legacy I can’t neglect.

I went to the Marcos Mionsing with his band, excellent by the way, and it was a delight to meet there with Rust, of whom I am a fan, and who proved to be a super affectionate fan of mine.

I went to Warm up, and it wasn’t even that long ago, and received with honors by the cream of samba, an unforgettable program… people welcoming me like a king, singing with me with tears in their eyes… I can’t forget that!”

The problem, according to Arantes, “is that the television schedule changes over time”. As some spaces cease to exist, these positions occupy “a vacuum of aridity filled by attractions and realities with questionable foundations”.

Then, the musician pointed out that the television schedule has always had problems. He also highlighted positive examples, but cited negative situations from the past. Initially, I focus on the good moments:

“I don’t credit my ‘avoiding doing TV’ just to current times. At the beginning of my career, there was a lot of trouble, a lot of bad things to face. I’m not talking here about the unbelievable Silvio Santos, who was, from the outset, extremely respectful towards me, at Show de Calouros, one of the first programs of my life. I went with the courage and courage to be judged by the jury, even though it was already ‘blown up’ on the radio (AM, still, black and white TV… lol). This program was a milestone in my life, it gained me an impressive audience, prestige and popularity! Silvio was always a gentleman to me. Here I must also positively remember dear Hebe, whose affection and charisma always welcomed me with great love.”

Afterwards, one of the negative situations was commented by Guilherme.

“Flávio Cavalcanti, who should have received me better, preferred the controversy of the guillotine, with which he mercilessly cut my album A Cara e a Coragem, in 1978. I was very upset by the injustice. Sometimes I get scared by my elephant memory. There were so many worse things in music, so much cheating even back then, to be guillotined… In fact, I’ll say it better: between us, no one is meant to be guillotined! […] For all of this, I ask that people forgive me for being overly excited when expressing feelings about being strange about current times, reality, talk shows, voyeurism, hedonism, ageism, and other ‘isms’.”