The baton of late-night entertainment appears to have passed from German Moreno to Vice Ganda, as ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ now tries to live up to the standard set by ‘Walang Tulugan’. (Photo credit: Gandang Gabi Vice official Facebook)
The death of German Moreno and the cancellation of the long-running ‘Walang Tulugan’ left a big void.
A fixture of GMA and late night television in general for nearly two decades, ‘Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman’ was an institution unlike any other. It was a variety show starring some of Kuya Germs’ old and young proteges, and a talk show where they converse about anything and everything under the moon.
When its leader moved on to the afterlife last January, ‘Walang Tulugan’ soon followed suit. Many thought that late night entertainment on Philippine television was gone for good.
Not so fast. Just ask Vice Ganda, the host of ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’.
Airing since May 2011, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ shares the same template as ‘Walang Tulugan’. It was mostly a talk show, but at times it has dabbled into the variety show format, thanks to the comedic segments that Vice Ganda introduces to his guests.
And since the demise of ‘Walang Tulugan’, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is now considered the standard-bearer among late-night entertainment programs in the country. With that in mind, is ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ really the new ‘Walang Tulugan’?
Let’s face it, Vice Ganda is an equally compelling entertainer. He is a comedian by profession, but he can also show his emotion whenever possible.
Of course, unlike Kuya Germs, Vice doesn’t have the credentials to be a mentor to future stars. Still, his talent as a performer made him an icon, though some would complain about his unpredictable and at times insulting jokes.
As for ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’, star power is usually the norm, unlike in ‘Walang Tulugan’. Some of ABS-CBN’s most popular and occasionally controversial talents have made appearances on the show, and on some episodes, politicians, athletes and even artists from other networks (usually for promoting Star Cinema films) were invited as well.
But what made ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ more of a late-night show now is because of preceding programs that push the show’s airtime a lot later. Thanks in large part to talent and reality shows that air on weekends, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice”s start time now hinges between 10:45 p.m. and 11:20 p.m., more or less in ‘Walang Tulugan’ territory.
That said, there is a reason why ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ is the new ‘Walang Tulugan’. The fact that it airs this late every Sunday gives viewers another way to stay up late, though watching the show may be consequential to their productivity.
ABS-CBN can only hope that the success of ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ can lead to a longer lifespan. If Vice Ganda can last 20 years with this show, Kapamilya fans and management should feel proud.
From the Tube 