T

alk is often cheap, although that is not true when it comes to successful TV talk shows. Tukul Arwana’s Bukan Empat Mata (“Not Eye to Eye”, Trans 7), which is part talk show, part variety show, plus a whole lot of slapstick and corny asides, has reportedly made the comedian one of the nation’s highest paid entertainers.

There are also more serious talk shows, such as Najwa Shihab’s Mata Najwa (“Through Najwa’s Eye”, METROTV), with the seasoned newscaster digging and delving into current issues.

Coming somewhere in the middle between the two extremes is Hitam Putih (Black and White, Trans 7), where master illusionist Deddy Corbuzier puts his guests in the hot seat, which is actually a leather sofa. With his distinctive bald head, pancake make-up, arched eyebrows and all-black clothing, Deddy has always played up the mysterious and somewhat arrogant side of his stage persona.

That included his turn as one of the judges on last year’s The Magician (RCTI), where he became the Simon Cowell figure of the reality show in giving blunt assessments of the contestants. The expectation may have been that he would bring that waspish way to his talk show, something which would not have made for good TV unless you are into watching public humiliation (we already have enough infotainment programs to satisfy that urging). As it turns out, the 35-year-old has proven an adept and intelligent interviewer on an interesting talk show.

Yes, the guests are still celebrities – running the gamut from soap opera stars, child performers to girl bands – but Deddy manages to ask questions that elicit more than one-sentence or well-scripted responses. He can probe gently, but also ask bald-faced questions (pun fully intended) that lift his enquiries above the usual puffball interviews.

There is also the entertainment element to ensure that everything is not bogged down by seriousness. That may include having comedians Mpok Nuri and Mpok Ati go through some dance moves with the pretty young women from girl band Cherry Belle. Deddy is also willing to make fun of himself and that arrogant image to get a few laughs. Unlike some of his chat-show peers, it is not simply a means to turn the conversation and focus back on himself, but to keep the show running smoothly.

Perhaps Hitam Putih, aired on weeknights at 6 p.m., represents a new attitude in Indonesian talk shows, in keeping with the tastes of younger, more critical viewers who want a variety-type talk show with some style and some substance. Deddy has demonstrated that he has the magic to make a quality talk show.

— Bruce Emond