Paolo Contis. Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Eat Bulaga Na
A week after the first airing of the revamped “Eat Bulaga” on GMA Network, new host Paolo Contis appealed to their critics to spare from bashing the production staff and crew who decided to stay on to be able to provide for their families.
During the show’s Saturday episode, Contis couldn’t help but get emotional as he spoke about the EB’s new hosts bearing the brunt of criticisms from the public amid their choice to accept the hosting job following the departure of the original “Eat Bulaga” hosts, Tito and Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon.
However, he said that the public should refrain from making snide remarks against the ordinary people behind the camera who chose to stay, saying they’re doing the best they can to mount a show for the viewers.
“Masakit sa akin pag binabash niyo sila. Ako sanay ako diyan — breakfast, lunch at dinner, ako ang i-bash niyo. Okay lang sa’kin. We will do our best para maging masaya kayo. Sana ay huwag na ninyong idamay yung staff at yung crew. They don’t deserve it. Maybe I do. But they don’t. Kami na lang [i-bash niyo]. Ang staff at crew ang tunay na ‘Eat Bulaga,’” he added.
(It hurts me when you bash them. I’m used to it — breakfast, lunch, and dinner, just bash me instead. It’s okay with me. We will do our best to make you happy. Just don’t involve them with this. They don’t deserve it. Maybe I do. But they don’t. Just direct the bashings to us. The staff and crew are the true “Eat Bulaga.”
READ: New ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts introduced after departure of TVJ, mainstays from show
Prior to that, Contis pointed out the contribution of the production staff and crew to the show.
As he was speaking, the camera panned to the production staff, the writers, camera operators and videographers. Some of them were wiping their tears.
“Ang ‘Eat Bulaga’ po ay hindi lang kami ‘yan. Hindi lang po mga artista yan. Kasama po lahat ng nasa likod ng camera para maitaguyod po namin yung programa para sa inyo. Ngayon, pag nagkaiwanan, ang pinaka-apektado po ay sila. Kasi kaming mga artista may iba kaming show. May iba kaming pwedeng pagkakitaan. Ito ang kabuhayan nila,” he said.
(“Eat Bulaga” is not just about us. It is not about the actors. People behind the camera are also part of this since they work hard to mount a show for you. Now, when people leave them, they’re the ones affected by this. Because actors have their own show, we have other means to earn. This is their source of income.)
“Umaga hanggang gabi, nagtatrabaho sila para pagdating namin dito sa studio, masaya kayo at alam na namin ang gagawin namin. Sila ang dahilan kung bakit alam namin ang ginagawa namin. Gaya ng programang ‘Eat Bulaga,’ mga staff and crew namin, pinili rin po nila na hindi rin mang-iwan. Dahil may mga pamilya sila na nangangailangan. Sila ang nagpapakain sa mga pamilya nila. ‘Yan ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi nila tayo iniwan,” he said.
(They work from morning to evening in order for us to be aware of what we need to do once we enter the studio. They’re the reason why we know our jobs. Just like the program “Eat Bulaga,” our staff and crew didn’t choose to leave us because they have families who depend on them. They feed their families. This is one of the reasons why they didn’t leave us alone.)
Contis’ remarks came after former Manila City mayor Isko Moreno was introduced as one of the show’s newest hosts. Also included in EB’s new lineup are Betong Sumaya, Buboy Villar, Alexa Miro, Cassy Legaspi, and Mavy Legaspi, who were all introduced last June 5.
A new version of the long-running show was revealed earlier this month amid the ongoing skirmishes between the camps of Tito and Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, and production company TAPE Inc. EDV