(From left) Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. Image: Screengrab from Facebook/TVJ
Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, collectively known as TVJ, couldn’t help but get emotional as they thanked business magnate Manny V. Pangilinan for their grand welcome to TV5 network, even as they vowed to retrieve the trademark of “Eat Bulaga” from production company TAPE Inc.
Speaking to entertainment reporters at a press conference last June 20, TVJ announced that they have formed TVJ Productions, a new production outfit that would manage the business side of the new show that they will air on the Kapatid Network. The trio formally signed a contract with Mediaquest Holdings Inc., the holding company of TV5 and is a “co-owner and co-investor” at TVJ Productions.
TVJ have yet to name the show that they would field against the new and rebranded “Eat Bulaga” that is airing on GMA7 through TAPE, saying they would want to keep this a secret for a while until before their airing on July 1 at TV5.
When asked by an entertainment reporter, Vic said that if it were up to him, their show should have “Eat Bulaga” as its title, as the brand belonged to the three of them.
“Basta ako, ‘Eat Bulaga’ pa rin kami kahit anong mangyari. Imagine, after 44 years, minahal mo ang ‘Eat Bulaga?’ More than half of my life ay nasa ‘Eat Bulaga’ ako. Kapag absent ako sa ‘Eat Bulaga,’ parang may kulang sa buhay ko. Tapos kukunin lang siya ng kung sino-sino? Aba, hindi pwede!” he said.
(As for me, I want our show to be known as “Eat Bulaga” no matter what happens. Imagine, for 44 years, I have loved “Eat Bulaga.” More than half of my life was spent at “Eat Bulaga.” Every time I’m absent from “Eat Bulaga,” something feels missing in my life. And then, some people would take it away from us? Of course, I’m not going to let that happen.)
“Hindi papayag si MVP, huy! Alam naman ng mga manonood kung ano ang legit sa hindi,” he continued, referring to magnate Manny V. Pangilinan, whose company Mediaquest is an investor in TV5. (MVP will not allow that to happen. Our viewers know which of us are legit.)
Tito stressed that the rights of “Eat Bulaga” remain theirs, while acknowledging the legal battle they are in with TAPE Inc.
“We are definitely working on the legal side for ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Si Joey [de Leon] ang nag-imbento nu’n eh (It was Joey de Leon who invented it). History and the law back us up. Therefore it may take some time, but we will be able to use ‘Eat Bulaga.’ I’m sure of that,” he said.
Meanwhile, de Leon spoke about planning to create another “history” on TV by using the name of “Eat Bulaga” as the name of their new show, which will be broadcast starting July 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. “Kalabanin kaya natin ang sarili natin. Kumbaga, ‘Eat Bulaga’ at ‘Eat Bulaga,’” he added.
(How about we wage a war against ourselves? Let’s say, “Eat Bulaga” vs “Eat Bulaga.”)
While the legal tussle between TVJ and TAPE Inc. is still ongoing, TAPE executives Jon and Bullet Jalosjos asserted in multiple interviews that the rights of “Eat Bulaga” belong to the production company as its registered trademark owner at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).
Home to an ‘iconic entertainment phenomenon’
Meanwhile, Pangilinan said that while he did not want his company to be caught in the verbal tussle between the two groups, he shared his thoughts when he was first approached to take in TVJ and the former “Eat Bulaga” hosts following their departure from TAPE last month.
“We don’t want to get involved with the polemics that have happened before,” he said. “That’s not our job. But we felt obligated, it was part of our duty that if they’re looking for a home, [TVJ] who are such an iconic entertainment phenomenon. They deserve a home. It is our obligation to provide them a home.”
Vic, who said, “MVP, ‘yan ang boss,” while referring to the entrepreneur using his moniker, burst into tears before he was able to respond. De Leon, on his part, expressed his gratitude to Pangilinan.
“Ang feeling namin, para kaming sina St. Joseph, si Mama Mary na naghahanap ng bahay. Hindi ko naman sinasabing sabsaban [siya]. Magandang sabsaban po ito. Napakalaki, pero ‘yung pagbigay ng tahanan, thank you. Salamat. Salamuch,” he said.
(We feel like we’re St. Joseph and Mama Mary who’s in search of a home. I’m not going to describe our home as a manger. It’s a beautiful manger. It’s very big, and to the person who gave us a home, thank you. Thank you very much.) EDV