Shading Roque? Vice asserts being a comedian, not a clown

MANILA, Philippines — Did Vice Ganda just throw shade at presidential spokesperson Harry Roque?

On Wednesday’s “It’s Showtime” segment of “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” banter ensued between Vice and co-host Jhong Hilario over contestant Makki Lucino’s song choice – “Clown” by Emeli Sandé.

“Hindi ako clown. I’m a comedian,” Vice suddenly declared while looking at the camera.

“At may kilala akong clown,” he continued while pointing his index finger at the camera.

Vice, however, did not name anyone.

“I’m a comedian, you are the clown,” he added.

To recall, Vice expressed his opinion in the midst of the country’s quest to secure vaccines for the people in a tweet last January 12.

He said Filipinos are already “choosy” when it comes to the brand of detergent soap they use, and what more on the vaccine that will be injected into their bodies.

Vice’s tweet appeared to be in response to Roque’s earlier remark that Filipinos cannot afford to be picky when it comes to vaccines.

On Monday, Roque, in an apparent reply to Vice’s tweet, said it was wrong to use as an analogy Filipinos’ selection of laundry soap to that of choosing the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Kaya nga po hindi lang isa, hindi lang dalawa, kundi tatlong grupo pa ng eksperto ang magsusuri kung ang mga bakuna ay ligtas at epektibo,” he added.

(It’s not one, not two, but three groups of experts who will study that the vaccine is safe and effective.)

“Kung hindi naman po natin pagtitiwalaan ang mga experts… sino ang ating pagtitiwalaan? Siguro po hindi mga komedyante.”

(If we won’t believe the experts, then who will we trust? Definitely not comedians.)

KGA