Translated by Putu Wiwid Budiastra
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Ignored, Just Disappointed TV Blurred Their Faces
The sensation of the documentary film Cowboys in Paradise makes many people go to Kuta, Bali. Rumors that say beach guy as a gigolo teased partly of beach people community. But, what is the reaction of those “cowboys?”
By Eka Prasetya, Kuta
A group of beachboys enjoy a conversation in the afternoon. The other beachboys play the guitar with tourists, pleasantly, without any strained situation. All of them look so relaxed.
From their conversation, we can hear no complaints: they just talk and make jokes. They laugh.
They still welcome everyone around them. Indeed, if any tourists that want to join, they offer them drinks. They are unphased about sensation of the documentary film Cowboys in Paradise which shows them as gigolos.
“Nothing’s changed. Look, there are some guys having fun playing guitar under the tree. Tourists also still interest to get together with them. This is our job every afternoon. Sit on the beach. Some of us playing guitar, also do some sports. Nothing’s changed,” Joko says (he is a senior surfing instructor in Kuta).
One man with bleached hair says that one thing that has changed is the Kuta Task Force (beach police). In previous times, beachboys skulked around tourists and offered surfing courses without permission (from the task force). Now, they can’t do this.
“They are rules that say when tourists sunbathing are not allowed to be offer anything. If they are walking around, we are allowed to offer. Before, we can skulk around, we are pretending after shower on beach, then find tourist for offering them to rent our surf board. Now, we can’t do that,” adds this guy (he is from Jember, East Java).
Some beachboys that appeared in the film’s thriller also ignore it. They still come together to find prosperity. Arnold only has made decision to absence after this incident. “But sometimes he just sits here doing nothing. Maybe he will be back to work in several days,” Joko said.
Now, beach people not really concerned about the film, they don’t think too much about it. Just one thing that spragged them is about electronic mass media which blurred their faces.
“Honestly, we are disappointed with one of the television news that blurred their faces. If they do that, they are looks like real gigolos. Just let their real faces without blurred. They are not gigolo. What’s more, they want to be interviewed and let their faces be recorded,” Bobby sigh; he is coordinator of beachboys in Kuta Area.
Based on their income, they never complaint too. They still have income in similar grade. “If rain, quite. If fair weather, will be busy. Nothing changed. We are still in middling life. Our rent room, if rain will be leaky. Be understanding, room only two hundred thousand in a month,” Joko talks.
