Screengrabbed from Negi’s Twitter account
Comedian Vice Ganda may always poke fun at people in his programs and sometimes be perceived as a “bully” because of his sarcastic style of comedy, but friends of the comedian speak well about him, and one of them is fellow stand-up comedian Negi.
It was not too long ago when the promising Vice Ganda, whose real name is Jose Marie Visceral, used to live each day by his scanty salary pay after every performance at comedy bars. But now, through his hard work and perseverance, he has become one of the most successful comedians and personalities in local show biz.
With his success, he vowed to help fellow stand-up comedians by giving them the opportunity to make it big too.
Today his friends enjoy more fruitful careers including Negi.
Uldario Molina Jr. in real life, Negi became a hit fixture in the Gandang Gabi Vice (GGV) family. He had become a subject of fun and pranks, all the more adding life to the show.
Early last year, however, Negi bowed out of GGV purportedly to give other comedians their chance to shine in the hit show, but his friend Vice Ganda recently revealed the real reason for his disappearance.
Just as Negi was fast rising on his way to success, unfortunately he started using drugs. His continued use of narcotic led Vice Ganda to resort to the tough decision to discharge him from the show.
In a recent guesting at ABS-CBN’s daily morning talk show “Magandang Buhay,” Vice Ganda shared Negi’s success story that was temporarily tarnished by his impudence.
Vice Ganda did not mince words when he said “sinumpa ko yan, eh (I accursed him)” at a certain point in their friendship. He admitted that he is “pakialamero” (nosy) when it comes to his friends who are very dear to him.
The GGV host said he was happy when Negi started to build a name for himself and projects started coming his way.
“Kasi ito nung rumaraket na nakikita ko, ay kumekeri na si Negi, ang saya ko na dami na guesting, ang lakas ng raket, eh nabalitaan ko (I saw that he was making much money, he was clicking, and I was happy that he was invited as guest to a lot of shows, and then I heard about it [his drug use]),” he said.
Vice Ganda sought Negi’s permission first before sharing his story as he said, it was his [Negi’s] success story, which was worth hearing to serve as a lesson to everyone.
The GGV host shared how he threatened to cause his (Negi’s) career downfall if he continued using drugs.
“Nabalitaan ko may mga kaibigan siyang masasama tapos nagbibisyo-bisyo, sabi ko talaga sa kanya, pag nalaman ko pang nagbibisyo ka, tatanggalin kita dito sa GGV, papatanggal kita sa comedy bar, kakausapin ko lahat ng shows walang tatanggap sayo’ng trabaho (I heard he had undesirable friends who had vices and I told him that if ever I still kept hearing he persisted in his drug use, I would terminate him in GGV, ask the comedy bar not to hire him and all shows not to invite him),” Vice Ganda said.
“Hindi ka magkakaroon ng raket, mamamatay ka sa paghihirap, sabi kong ganon (You will no longer be earning money, you will die poor, I told him [Negi],” he continued as Negi just looked at him during the “Magandang Buhay” show.
When his warning was not heeded, Vice Ganda removed Negi from GGV without batting an eyelash and asked the comedy bar where Negi appeared to limit his days of appearance.
Despite his tough move, Vice Ganda was secretly checking on him. He was more than happy to see a 360-degree change in Negi’s life.
“Tinatanong ko, o kamusta na, ano’ng nagaganap kay bakla. Tapos si bakla nagbago. Yung natakot na sabi ko hangga’t hindi mo natututunan pahalagahan ‘tong binibigay sa’yong chance, hindi kita tutulungan ulit (I was asking around what was happening to bakla [referring to Negi], and then I heard he had reformed. He had heeded my warning that if he didn’t learn to value the opportunity I’d given him to succeed, I wouldn’t help him anymore),” he said.
It was then that he decided to get Negi back on GGV.
“Si bakla nagbago, umayos yung buhay, umayos yung bahay, yung pamilya, kaya sabi ko, o ibalik na natin si Negi sa GGV. Magmula nun, sunod-sunod ang swerte sa’yo [Negi] kahit di ko na siya tinutulungan, mismong siya lumalapit sa kanya ang trabaho. Kahit nga hindi ko na ‘to alalayan kaya na niya, eh,” he said. (Bakla changed, his life became better, he got a better house, he had a happier family, so I said, “Le’s get Negi back on GGV.” Since then, good fortunes came one after another even without me helping him. Jobs came to him on their own. Even without me, he can stand on his own.)
“Ang bongga-bongga na ni Negi kaya proud ako diyan at saka nakakaipon na siya (Negi is now a very chic person so that I am proud of him, and he is now able to save),” he added.
Negi expressed his gratitude to Vice and said he remembered his advice all too well.
“Ang daming mga katulad namin na stand-up comedian na gustong sumikat, ikaw nandyan ka napahalagahan mo. Tumanim sa isip ko yun na, o nakainom ka na ng isang basong tubig baka malunod ka, lahat ng mga bagay na nakukuha mo ngayon pahalagahan mo kasi minsan lang darating ‘yan,” Negi said as he thanked and hugged Vice Ganda during the show.
(We’re so many stand-up comedians who want to shine, but you (Vice Ganda) are there as an example who valued your success. It has been impressed in my mind that you could drown just by being able to drink a glass of water. So whatever blessings you get, value them because they may come only in trickles.)
Vice Ganda only nodded and said, “Ang bongga na nito ngayon (He [Negi] is now so chic).”