Not trying to be Seacrest

“Pinoy Idol” host Raymond Gutierrez is not trying to be a clone of his “American Idol” counterpart.

That’s not to say he has found nothing to emulate in Ryan Seacrest.

“If there’s one thing I appreciate about him, it’s that, on AI, it’s as if he isn’t there,” Raymond told Inquirer Entertainment during “Pinoy Idol’s” auditions in Cebu recently. “He just pops in and out at the right moments. Contestants and viewers are very comfortable with him.”

He would like to do it that way, too, Raymond said. Looks like he’s succeeding in this department. Already, he’s been photographed and filmed with aspirants and program crew alike, fully enjoying himself.

“I try to understand how the contestants fee—I see it immediately if they’re sad, or just nervous,” the eager host said.

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