US-based Pinoy 'celebrity producer' dreams big, meets stars

LOS ANGELES – The recent youth congress by the Philippine Heritage Institute International, in collaboration with the first youth conference by the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument Movement on August 24 in Carson featured speakers who have excelled in their chosen fields, from politics to entertainment.
 
Among them was twice-Emmy nominated TV producer Marc Anthony Nicolas or MAN for The Tyra Banks Show. He now produces The Talk at CBS with hosts Sharon Osbourne, Sara Gilbert, Julie Chen, Aisha Tyler, and Sheryl Underwood, and was again nominated for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment on June 16, at the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards staged at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.  
 
“I am the only Filipino producer and employee of CBS’s talk show,” MAN  quipped.
 
Born in the Philippines, Nicolas came to America at age four and was raised here.  
 
“Now I live a life that I only read about in books and magazines,” he told Philippine News. “I didn’t think it could actually happen to me.”
 
He produced The Tyra Banks Show in New York and in Los Angeles, and had received two Outstanding Talk Show Daytime Emmy Award nominations: the first was in 2007, followed two years later with the GLAAD Media Award*. “I was also a ‘Daytime Emmy awardee for Outstanding Informative Talk Show’ of The Tyra Banks Show in 2008 and 2009,” he added. The TV series ran from 2005 to 2011.
 
Self-supporting
 
Before MAN became a success in the entertainment industry, he admitted he was a self- supporting student.
 
“I served cocktails at Olive Garden and BJ’s Restaurant and was a pharmacy tech at Kaiser Hospital; but my first full-time job was at Maritz Marketing Research as a telemarketer.”
 
At Saint John Bosco High School, he was a student leader involved in student government, was the yearbook editor-in-chief, and member of the debate team. He played the bass clarinet and joined the school band. He attended college where he majored in communications with emphasis in journalism.
 
His parents Teresita Rodrigo Nicolas and Marianito G. Nicolas, according to the TV producer, “worked long hours but managed to tend to both their children.”
 
His mother died in 2009, after a battle against breast cancer.
 
“To raise awareness in memory of my mother, whom I love dearly, I completed the Walk for Breast Cancer that year.  She was everything to me… she was my world. It’s hard when you lose a loved one, but it’s even harder when you lose a parent, especially a mother. I was ‘mama’s boy’ and we did so many things together. When she called me ‘anak,’ I felt secure and I knew all my problems would dissolve. I miss her so much, but now I know that I have my own personal guardian angel watching over me.”
 
Nicolas is very close to his older sister Donabelle Nicolas and considers her his mentor, next to his parents.
 
“She is very smart and very professional, and values family so much. She has her own business in the medical field.” Nicolas added that he ‘adores’ his only nephew Douglas IV, who’s turning two in November. “He’s going to be so spoiled by the whole family.”
 
Dreams
 
“I knew I wanted to be a producer since I was seven years old. I used to watch Brady Bunch and saw the credits at the end of the show, names of people who worked on the show, and I told myself – I want to see my name in the credits! I want my name on TV, too. And when I saw my name for the first time on TV, I felt fulfilled and I felt accomplished.  I can’t believe I work in the entertainment industry and I pinch myself every day when I see my name on TV.  It’s awesome to see my name scroll at the end of The Talk.
 
Nicolas had to start from the bottom to fulfill his dream. From production assistant, he moved on as the production assistant and talent associate producer of The Tyra Banks Show; Fox associate producer for Divorce Court; and MTV casting producer of the dating show Next and Parental Control.
 
“I love working for Tyra,” stated Nicolas, “the producers, and the rest of the crew.  We are like a family and most of the time we see each other more than we see our families because we work over 12 hours a day. In 2010, when The Tyra Banks Show ended in New York, I decided to move back to Los Angeles to be closer to my family.”
 
The Talk
 
“It’s all about being at the right place at the right time,” said Nicolas.  “I was sending out my resumes to various talk shows and other successful TV shows when I got the call from the executive producer of The Talk who was also the executive producer of The Tyra Banks Show. He offered me a position as a producer on the show but before getting hired, I had to meet with the creator of the show, Sara Gilbert, who played Darlene from the hit TV show Roseanne.
 
MAN told Philippine News he wasn’t nervous meeting Sara Gilbert.
 
“I was more excited because I heard a lot of great things about her… a great reputation in the industry… talented and smart!  I grew up watching her on Roseanne so I felt like I knew her.  I walked in the office and she was sitting down with a smile on her face.  She asked me several questions and we hit it off instantly.  We talked about my work on The Tyra Banks Show and what I can provide on The Talk.  The interview went well and I got a call from ‘The Talk’ a week later and they offered me a position as a producer.”
 
Nicolas said he wasn’t intimidated at all with the interview.
 
“Nor am I intimidated with the job description as a producer.  I’ve worked on The Tyra Banks Show for several years and I’m very confident in my abilities as a producer. The Tyra Banks Show helped me learn and understand what it takes to become a successful producer. On The Talk, I have produced many celebrities and they all bring something new to the table. Every celebrity, every segment, and every show day is different and that is why I’m in love with my job… every day is a chance for me to grow as a producer and as a person.”
 
“As a celebrity producer for The Talk, he pours in a palette of creativity in his work,” said friend and Public Affair president Elgin Zulueta. “Once assigned with a guest for the show, he ensures that he comes up with a fabulous segment and prepares the perfect questions for the show hosts to ask the guest celebrity, and plans potential games that the guests might play onstage making The Talk more interesting and exciting.”
 
Celebrities
 
Working on The Tyra Banks Show was the MAN’s “first taste of meeting stars because Tyra Banks would invite them on the show, celebrities like Beyonce, P. Diddy, Nick Cannon, Rihanna, Heidi Klum, Kim Kardashian, Mary J. Blige, Hillary Duff, Ryan Seacrest, and even President Obama, who would walk the same hallways as I did, and it was exciting to see them in person. It was a revolving door of celebrities and every one of them was so nice.
 
“All the hosts I worked for,” added Nicolas, “are not only talented but they have taught me a lesson in life.
 
“Tyra Banks taught me how to brand myself. Branding is very important to Tyra and she has inspired girls and others to embrace themselves and feel empowered.
 
“Sharon Osbourne taught me that family is very important. Being married to Ozzy and having children and grandchildren of her own, she makes it a priority to be there for her family no matter how busy she is.
 
“Julie Chen taught me how to work hard and find a job that I love. She is not only the co-host of The Talk but she is the host of Big Brother and she takes pride in both shows and you can see that reflected on TV.
 
“Sara Gilbert taught me that kindness is important, especially in the industry.  To me, being mean, bitter and possessing a negative attitude will not get you anywhere in life.  You have to project what you want in life because what you put out there in the universe will come back ten fold.  If I’m nice to others, others will be nice to me.
 
“Sheryl Underwood taught me to find time to laugh.  Working can be stressful, but I manage to find time to have fun at my job, too.  We all have to have laughter and enjoy what we have in life.
 
“Aisha Tyler taught me that I can do anything. Besides being the co-host of The Talk and Who’s Line Is It Anyway, she’s an actress, an author, and much more.  This woman is doing it all… And I know in my life, anything can happen.”

Mission
 
“My mission is to help Filipinos in the entertainment industry, both in front and in back (of the camera),” said Nicolas. “We are slowly getting noticed in the entertainment business, which is a great.  I love the Filipino community and I find great pleasure in being part of it. Our people are so talented and personable which is a great combination. Our motherland has a special place near and dear to my heart.”  
 
One trait that he said contributed to his success is his personality. “When you are genuinely happy, it shows and people are attracted to that. People want to work with me because I make them feel comfortable. I bring a positive vibe when I meet people in front and in back of the camera. A smile can go a long way.
 
“The most important thing for me is to enjoy my life; to be happy… That’s all that matters. For me, the secret to success is that I love what I do. I genuinely enjoy getting up early in the morning and doing a live show everyday. I love everything about the entertainment industry.”
 
*"In March, GLAAD announced that it had formally dropped the ‘Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’ from their name and would now be known only as GLAAD to reflect their work more accurately; the name change is a commitment to incorporate bisexual and transgender people in their efforts to support the LGBT community in its entirety,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz. “It is a natural progression that reflects the work GLAAD’s staff is already leading. We respect and honor the full name that the organization was founded with, but GLAAD’s work has expanded beyond fighting defamation to changing the culture. Our commitment to marriage equality, employment nondiscrimination, and other LGBT issues is stronger than ever and now our name reflects our work on transgender issues as well as our work with allies.” — Philippine News