(From left) Willie Revillame, Vic Sotto, Tito Sotto, Joey de Leon. Images: Screengrab from Facebook/ALLTV, Facebook/TVJ
Willie Revillame was reported to have been tapped by executives of production company TAPE Inc. to be one of the hosts of “Eat Bulaga,” but that he rejected the offer out of respect for the show’s original hosts, Tito and Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon (TVJ), according to TV personality Cristy Fermin.
Speaking on her radio program “Cristy Ferminute” last Monday, July 3, Fermin claimed that the “Wowowin” host met with the production company’s president and CEO Jon Jalosjos and finance officer Bullet Jalosjos, in hopes of bringing Revillame onboard the revamped noontime show.
“Noong nakaraang Friday, Hunyo 30 ay nagkita-kita po sina Willie Revillame at ang magkapatid na Jalosjos, ang kanilang CEO na si Jon-jon at si Mayor Bullet. Ang gusto po nila lumabas si Willie sa kanilang programa ‘yung hindi lehitimong ‘Eat Bulaga’ [at] tatapatan ang unang sultada ng Tito, Vic and Joey and Dabarkads dito po sa TV5. Gusto nila noong Sabado,” she said.
(Last Friday, June 30, Willie Revillame met with the Jalosjos brothers, the CEO Jon-jon Jalosjos and Dapitan Mayor Bullet Jalosjos of Dapitan City. They wanted Willie to appear in “Eat Bulaga” to face off against Tito, Vic, Joey, and the Dabarkads’ pilot episode on TV5. They wanted it to happen last Saturday.)
However, Fermin said she was told that Revillame didn’t accept the TAPE executives’ offer because he “respects” the veteran comedy trio. Despite this, the TV host was open to discussing possibilities regarding his former show “Wowowin,” said Fermin.
“Isa lang ang sinabi ni Willie, ‘Matindi ang respeto ko sa Tito, Vic and Joey. Hindi ko magagawa ‘yun!’ Ang ganda, diba?” she said.
“‘Pero kung ang dahilan kung bakit niyo ako kaharap ngayon ay ang ‘Wowowin,’ sige pag-usapan natin.’ ‘Yun ang sinabi niya. Pero ‘yung tatapatan ang Tito, Vic and Joey and Dabarkads doon sa unang sultada noong Sabado, hinding-hindi niya ‘yun magagawa. Sinabi niya, ‘Hindi ko talaga pwedeng gawin matindi ang respeto ko sa Tito, Vic and Joey,’” she continued.
(Willie only said one thing, “I have such respect for Tito, Vic, and Joey. I will never do that.” It’s good, right? If the discussion revolves around “Wowowin,” let’s talk about it. But if it’s about facing off Tito, Vic, Joey, and the Dabarkads last Saturday, he will never do it. He said, “I will never do it out of respect for Tito, Vic, and Joey.”
The TV personality, however, didn’t expound on how and where Revillame and the TAPE executives’ encounter took place, apart from its date.
Revillame and TAPE Inc.’s camps have yet to issue a statement about the reports, as of this writing.
The first day of July marked a historic moment in noontime TV as three shows faced off against one another. TVJ’s new noontime show “E.A.T.” premiered its first episode on TV5, then claimed that it got the highest average program rating among the local noontime shows that include “It’s Showtime” and “Eat Bulaga” days later.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime” also broadcast its pilot episode under GMA Network’s GTV, following the expiration of its contract with TV5.
On the other hand, the revamped “Eat Bulaga” marked its first month on air, where main hosts Isko Moreno and Paolo Contis congratulated TVJ on their new show. EDV