Showbiz Roundup: Yassi Pressman’s rumored flames, Wally Bayola’s swearing, TVJ’s ‘relevance’
Yassi Pressman, Wally Bayola and TVJ. Images from Facebook and Instagram
Yassi Pressman, who recently confirmed her split with Canada-based entrepreneur Jon Semira, was caught in romance speculations with presidential son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos and Camarines Sur Gov. Luigi Villafuerte, although she has yet to set the record straight on her relationship with the latter.
On the other hand, noontime show “E.A.T.” was summoned by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) due to Wally Bayola’s use of “profane words” in an Aug. 10 episode. Meanwhile, Joey de Leon unleashed another round of tirades against a certain camp, as he pointed out that comedy trio Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and himself continue to be “relevant” even after “nearly five decades.”
All these and more, as we take a look at the biggest stories of INQUIRER.net’s entertainment section from August 11 to 17.
Yassi gets cozy with Gov. Luigi, Cong. Sandro
(From left) Jon Semina, Yassi Pressman, Sandro Marcos, Luigi Villafuerte. Images: Instagram/@yassipressman, Screengrabs from Tiktok/@_kitkatsz, Facebook/Benrome Aldrin Cabrera Viola
After breaking off from ex-boyfriend Jon Semira, Yassi Pressman was being linked to two political figures — presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos who she was photographed with during a party last July, and then Camarines Sur Gov. Luigi Villafuerte, who gave her a kiss on the cheek in a recent event.
A Tiktok video showed the “Kurdapya” star and Marcos with their arms around each other in what appeared to be an intimate gathering. In one part, Pressman can be seen leaning against Marcos, who was behind her while she had one arm looped over his neck.
Pressman, however, denied any romantic involvement with Marcos in a 24 Oras interview, saying the video added malice to their friendship due to the use of certain editing effects.
Marcos, meanwhile is linked with Alexa Miro, who recently said they’re just “close friends.”
Aside from Marcos, Pressman is also linked with Villafuerte after she attended a number of activities in his province, wherein the two of them were photographed together.
Pressman and Semira confirmed their split in a joint Instagram post last Aug. 16, while denying any speculations of a third party.
READ: Yassi Pressman gets cozy with Sandro Marcos amid breakup rumors with Jon Semira
Wally Bayola’s ‘profane words’
Wally Bayola
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) summoned the production group of “E.A.T.” after host Wally Bayola used “profane words” in the noontime show.
MTRCB, through chair Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio, daughter of “E.A.T.” host Tito Sotto, released a statement through its Facebook page last Aug. 11.
“The (MTRCB), motu proprio, issued a Notice to Appear and Testify to the Production Group of E.A.T noontime TV show over the utterance of profane words by one of the program hosts, Wally Bayola, which aired on 10 August 2023 as covered by the Board’s Monitoring and Inspection Unit,” the statement read.
In the Aug. 10 episode of “E.A.T.,” Bayola and fellow host Jose Manalo were doing a skit during the show’s “Sugod Bahay mga Kapatid” segment, when the former exited the frame and blurted out “P*t*ng*na.” A day after, Bayola apologized for the incident and admitted he made a mistake.
“Said scene is in violation of Section 2 (B), Chapter IV of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Presidential Decree No. 1986 (PD No. 1986). The hearing date is on 14 August 2023, Monday, at the MTRCB Offices in Timog Avenue, Quezon City,” MTRCB stated.
READ: ‘E.A.T.’ summoned by MTRCB over host Wally Bayola’s ‘profane words’
‘Sikat na sikat kami’
Joey de Leon. Image: Instagram/@angpoetnyo
There’s no stopping Joey de Leon from delivering broadsides against a certain camp, as he spoke about “creating” the name of “Eat Bulaga,” which he said has remained “relevant” even after “nearly five decades.”
A week after Television and Production Exponents (TAPE) Inc. successfully renewed the Eat Bulaga” trademark registration for another 10 years, de Leon took to his official Instagram page last Aug. 13, to point out the “relevance” of the noontime show’s brand, which was originally hosted by Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and himself (TVJ), while sharing a quote from physicist Albert Einstein.
“Sabi ni Albert Einstein, ‘Creativity is intelligence having fun.’ Korek! In 1979, I was having fun creating the title ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Fast forward…BULAGA!” he said. “Akalain ba nyong after nearly FIVE decades pinag-uusapan, pinag-aagawan at pinag-aawayan pa! Sikat na sikat kami! A different kind of fun! Happy problem? Abangan.”
The veteran host then unleashed another tirade against a certain group of people in a separate post, as he asked them to be “creative.” “Creativity is seeing something that does not exist already. We have been existent for 44 years! WALA BA KAYONG MGA MATA? Be creative!” he said.
The “E.A.T.” host’s remarks come after TAPE’s successful renewal of the “Eat Bulaga” trademark at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).
TVJ lawyer Enrique dela Cruz Jr. stressing it’s merely an act of legal duty on the government agency’s part.“Renewal of trademark registration is ministerial on the part of IPO Bureau of Trademarks, as long as the applicant submits a declaration of actual use and pays the fee. The renewal is without prejudice to the petition for cancellation which is pending sa Bureau of Legal Affairs ng IPO. Separate office sya,” dela Cruz told INQUIRER.net in a text message.
‘Nagkamali po ako’
Wally Bayola. Image: screengrab from YouTube/TVJ
Wally Bayola publicly apologized for cursing on national television during an episode of the noontime show “E.A.T.,” admitting he made a mistake and that he should not have done such.
Bayola and fellow host Jose Manalo were doing a skit during the show’s “Sugod Bahay Mga Kapatid” segment last Aug. 10, when the former exited the frame and blurted out “P*t*ng*na.” The scene appears to have already been removed from the show’s social media pages, but a clip of it has already been uploaded by fan account @altcristyfermin on X.
Manalo then addressed the incident in an episode of “E.A.T.” last Aug. 11, admitting he has been bombarded with phone calls about it.
“‘Yung isa nating Dabarkads nakapagsalita, bagamat hindi rin naman niya ito sinasadya, kaya aayusin po natin ito. Kailangan po natin ayusin ang mga ganitong bagay, at hindi po natin dapat palampasin o kunsintihin kung sinasadya [man o hindi],” he stressed.
Manalo called Bayola who then entered the frame and extended his apologies.
“Ako po ay may nabitawang salita na hindi ko po dapat sinasabi. Nagkamali po ako doon at ako po ay humihingi ng inyong paumanhin at pag-unawa ninyong lahat,” Bayola said, apologizing as well to fellow hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. “Pasensya na po, pasensya na po sa lahat.”
Manalo reiterated their apologies and vowed that the incident will not happen again.
After Manalo and Bayola’s statements, Vic said, “Ang mahalaga, kapag alam nating nagkakamali ay itinatama natin agad.”
Manalo and Bayola then went on to continue their skit for the “Sugod Bahay Mga Kapatid” segment.
In a related incident, Manalo also earlier received criticism for his “blackout” joke on fellow host, Nigerian internet personality Tugue Zombie. While some netizens called Manalo out for “racism,” Tugue released a video on his Facebook page saying there was “nothing wrong” with the joke and that people should just “mind [their own] business.”
READ: Wally Bayola sorry after cursing on ‘E.A.T.’: ‘Nagkamali po ako’
Claudine on Raymart as a father
Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Karen Davila, Instagram/@raymartsantiago
Claudine Barretto said that she and estranged husband, actor Raymart Santiago, were already on speaking terms when he suddenly “started being not a good father again” and has tried to get custody of their children.
Barretto opened up about this after she was asked about her learnings from her marriage with Santiago, as seen in an interview vlog on broadcaster Karen Davila’s YouTube channel last Aug. 10.
“Oh my God. I’m still learning. It’s a process. It’s been going on for years and years of so much pain and betrayal,” the actress said, noting that they are not yet annulled. “My life was just parang—I wasn’t living, I was just existing.”
“We’re going through the process now of annulment,” she continued. “Everything was OK na—we would talk and all—then I don’t know, for some reason, he started being not a good father again. He was trying before e.”
Barretto added that although Santiago can visit her house anytime and is in touch with their son Santino, the father and son “hardly see each other.”
“Anytime or any day that he wants to see the children, even nung bata pa sila, OK lang—alam niya ‘yon. Actually, we even told the judge that and the mediator,” she told Davila. “That’s why I don’t understand why he is trying to get custody of my children up to now.”
Barretto then revealed that she battled depression, anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her separation from the actor, and that she took medication for them. She also recalled an instance when she locked herself in her van, broke down in tears and questioned God why she had to suffer such fate.
“We all know what happened sa amin ni Raymart—that he withdrew all the money and financially, I was really, really struggling. ‘Yun ‘yung nilalaban ko ngayon ulit, to get back my money,” she disclosed. “Pinaghirapan [ko ‘yun] since I was 13 years old.”
Barretto reiterated as well that she does not want to remarry and that she has not dated anyone for the past 11 years.
Barretto and Santiago were married twice: first in May 2004 then in March 2006. The pair were seen together last May after they attended the graduation and recognition ceremonies of their children Sabina and Santino. EDV
READ: Claudine Barretto says Raymart Santiago ‘started being not a good father again’
