Vice Ganda whips up irreverent fun, unexpected revelations

VICE Ganda calls a spade a spade.

FOR a couple of weeks now, Vice Ganda’s TV show, “Gandang Gabi, Vice,” has been a fixture on our Sunday-night viewing list. The comedy show’s habit-forming effect on viewers lies in the fact that its witty host has successfully breached local Tinseltown’s unspoken “rule” that its stellar denizens are untouchable demigods, and thus can’t be subjected to deprecating humor—which ironically goes against the notion that we, Filipinos, are a laughing, smiling lot. We’re even known to laugh our blues away!

But, show biz is a “parallel” plane of reality inhabited by people whose egos are sometimes bigger than their acting or singing skills. Hereabouts, you’ll get the ire of celebrities and their narrow-minded “diehard” fans when you note that a singer needs to fix her diction problems, or that a matinee idol insists on singing even when he can’t—or that a multiawarded actor has become frustratingly over-the-top in his portrayals, or that a leading lady has become too hefty for her younger and slimmer screen consorts!

Spontaneous laughter

Vice Ganda is no stranger to nasty rumors himself. But, most of what’s written about—and against—him becomes irrelevant when he’s in front of the cameras. When he discusses issues with his guests, he takes them out of their fake and deceptive “reality bubbles” by calling a spade a spade—accompanied with heaps of spontaneous laughter.

Vicki Belo’s recent visit to “GGV” drew hearty chuckles when the irrepressible host poked fun at the beauty expert for her line of work, as well as her scandalous romantic upheavals—with “Careless Whisper” playing in the background!

Also particularly memorable was Mon Tulfo, who gamely traded barbs with his irreverent host, who looked a bit stymied by the controversial journalist’s intimidating presence. After squeezing Claudine Barretto’s name into one of his jokes, Vice presented Tulfo with his parting gift—a brand-new camera! And, which other host could make Tulfo dance on national TV?

Last Sunday’s episode was similarly hilarious—this time, at the expense of Angeline Quinto, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, and Alvin, Tin and Clarice Patrimonio. After ribbing Estrada about his height (he asked Jinggoy to stand up after the senator had gotten off his chair), he dished about Estrada’s busy love life when he was a bachelor: He was head-over-heels in love with Sharon Cuneta, and reportedly had more than 200 girlfriends before he tied the knot with his wife, Precy.

After it was revealed that Alvin’s younger daughter—a tennis player—liked to sing, Vice asked the girl to demonstrate her vocal chops—after which he said, “Ang ganda ng boses mo—pero, tama ang desisyon mong mag-tennis.”

As for Quinto, she had to go through diction “tutorials” with Vice. When the singer introduced a fan—a married Caucasian male, who was in the audience—the TV host complimented him with an inspired zinger: “I like your nose—it’s pointed. But, your (Filipino) wife’s nose is…disappointed!”

Vice reserved his best jokes for himself, however. After revealing that he was kicked out of UP “because” he kept ogling the Oblation, he cracked, “Kasi, ‘yan ang klase ng art na hindi nakakasawa!”