Jose Manalo and Buboy Villar. Image: Instagram/@eatbulaga1979, @buboyvillar
Jose Manalo disclosed that Buboy Villar, one of the hosts of the new “Eat Bulaga,” was in tears when he reached out to the former to say sorry over hosting the noontime show.
Manalo recalled the conversation he had with Villar, during an ambush interview at the “TVJ and DABARKADS Media Day” held last Tuesday, June 20. This was after entertainment reporter Dondon Sermino asked Manalo what his reaction would be if and when he bumped into the new “Eat Bulaga” hosts.
“Wala, iko-congrats ko lang sila. Good job kasi may trabaho sila,” Manalo answered. (None. I would just congratulate them. Good for them that they have a job.)
“Si Buboy, the night before ng live ay tumawag sa akin. Umiiyak talaga. [Sabi niya], ‘Kuya Jose, sorry,'” he continued. (The night before the [new “Eat Bulaga”] went live, Buboy called me and he was crying. He told me, “Kuya Jose, I’m sorry.”)
Manalo spoke about his relationship with Villar, saying they go way back when the latter was younger and was tagging along with Manalo in his shows.
“Alaga rin naman natin si Buboy. Wala namang problema,” the TV host noted. (Buboy is my friend. I have nothing against him.)
Manalo also addressed the comparison between the original “Eat Bulaga” mainstays and the new hosts, which has been a topic of discussion among fans.
“May sarili silang (hosts) idea, may sarili silang atake so respetuhin na lang natin ‘yon. Syempre iba ‘yung atake namin sa atake nila, so hindi pwedeng magkapareho halos talaga,” he said.
(They have their own idea and approach [in hosting] so let’s respect that. Our approach is different from theirs [and] we cannot be entirely similar [when it comes to hosting].)
Manalo then underscored how he does not encourage the hate against the show hosts, noting that he also experienced being in the same situation as they.
“Nanggaling din naman ako sa gano’n e. Nag-umpisa rin ako, so ‘wag natin idiin ‘yung mga taong nag-uumpisa,” he told Sermino. “Sabi ko nga, pag ‘di ka lumingon sa pinanggalingan mo, hindi ka makakarating [sa paroroonan mo].”
(I had been in the same situation as well. I was also a beginner, so let us not make it hard for them. As I have said, if you do not look back on where you have been, you will not arrive at your destination.)
On GMA, TAPE
During the interview, Manalo was also asked about his sentiment regarding GMA network being hands-off on the issue between the original “Eat Bulaga” mainstays and production company TAPE.
“Merong konting [feeling na hindi kami pinaglaban ng GMA] pero nando’n tayo sa isip na siguro nga blocktimer kami kaya lumalagay lang sila sa gitna… ‘Yun lang tingin ko ha pero hindi ako sure sa mga nangyari,” he said.
(I had somehow felt that GMA didn’t fight for us, but I have always held onto the thought that maybe, we were just a blocktimer so the network had to be neutral. That’s what I have thought but I am not sure what really happened.)
Manalo then revealed that TAPE still owes him a rather small amount in talent fee, but the TV host said he no longer demands to get paid.
“Meron sigurong [utang], maliit lang pero OK na siguro para wala na lang usapan,” he stated. “OK lang tutal do’n naman ako nagtrabaho nang matagal.”
([TAPE] owes me a small amount but [I am OK not getting paid] so that we can end the discussion already. It’s OK with me since I worked there for a long time.) /ra