In 100 Words: Bubble Gang’s 21-Gang Salute Special

All hail ‘Bubble Gang’!

On November 25 and December 2, the Philippines’ longest-running gag show will celebrate its 21st year on air with a two-part special. Titled ‘Bubble Gang: 21-Gang Salute’, the episodes will feature skits that will pay tribute to the country’s greatest comedians of all time.

‘Bubble Gang’ has been on the air since October 20, 1995, with Michael V and Antonio Aquitania the only remaining holdovers from the show’s first episode. Last year saw the departures of Sam Pinto, Max Collins, Rufa Mae Quinto, Gwen Zamora and Joyce Ching, and the promotions of Kim Domingo, Valeen Montenegro, Arra San Agustin, Jak Roberto and Arianne Bautista to the main cast.

A new ‘Bubble Gang’ opening billboard will also premiere within the special. That said, tune in this and next Friday for another unforgettable anniversary presentation of ‘Bubble Gang’, only on GMA.

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Ang Panday Replays Everywhere

Richard Gutierrez’s small-screen comeback in ‘Ang Panday’ is given not one, but two replays in just its first week. (Photo credit: TV5)

Seems like TV5 is overhyping ‘Ang Panday’.

Already on its first week on air, TV5 decided to take it too far by airing not one, but two replays of ‘Ang Panday’, due to insistent public demand. In addition to the regular replays every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:45 p.m., it also scheduled another slate of replays (consequentially preempting some programs), which were as follows:

• Thursday, March 3 at 11:30 p.m. (preempted ‘Kaya’)
• Saturday, March 5 at 3:00 p.m. (PBA plays one out-of-town game that day)
• Saturday, March 5 at 10:30 p.m. (preempting ‘MTV Top 20 Pilipinas’)

Quite frankly, that’s a lot of replays. For a network that’s once again taking baby steps with their new partnership with VIVA, that’s not a good idea.

Starring Richard Gutierrez, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bangs Garcia and Sam Pinto, among others, ‘Ang Panday’ airs Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. on TV5.

Other Notes: TV5 made a few changes in its schedule, the most noteworthy of which is the addition of UFC-related programming on the network. For more on these changes, visit this website.

Bubble Gang 20th Anniversary Special This Friday

The logo for the 20th anniversary season of ‘Bubble Gang’. The anniversary special airs this Friday on GMA. (Logo courtesy of GMA Network)

The 20th anniversary of ‘Bubble Gang’ will be celebrated this Friday.

For this year, the annual ‘Bubble Gang’ anniversary special will be treated as a documentary, produced by none other than the GMA News and Public Affairs department. The documentary will highlight the rich history of the 20-year-old gag show, featuring interviews from past and present cast members, as well as behind-the-scenes personnel.

As always, the special will not be complete without the trademark sketches that have made ‘Bubble Gang’ so endearing. The skits will not only feature the current cast, but also some of the former mainstays as well.

Currently one of the country’s longest-running programs, ‘Bubble Gang’ first premiered on October 20, 1995. The show has attracted a loyal following over the years, and continues to gain new fans as technology and popular culture evolved.

One of the show’s driving forces is Michael V, who along with Antonio Aquitania, has been part of ‘Bubble Gang’ since its first episode. Bitoy is currently the show’s creative director, formulating most of the show’s endearing skits.

Just recently, Michael V released ‘The Bubble Bible’, a book that features humorous quotes from some of Bitoy’s memorable ‘Bubble Gang’ characters. In essence, ‘The Bubble Bible’ was considered a tribute to the entertainer who has made ‘Bubble Gang’ the country’s longest-running gag show, and a culmination of the show’s 20th year.

‘Bubble Gang”s other current cast members include Boy 2 Quizon, Betong Sumaya, Mikael Daez, Paolo Contis, Sef Cadayona, Rufa Mae Quinto, Chariz Solomon, Jackie Rice, Sam Pinto, Gwen Zamora, Max Collins and Andrea Torres. Supporting players include Diego Llorico, Mykah, Moymoy Palaboy, Denise Barbacena, RJ Padilla, Arny Ross, Joyce Ching, Jan Manual and Juancho Trivino.

To date, ‘Bubble Gang’ has aired 1,003 episodes during its 20-year history. The documentary this Friday will be the show’s 1,004th.

The hashtag for this year’s anniversary special will be #IMBG20. For those unaware of how ‘Bubble Gang’ started, this should help them understand how it all began, and how it evolved into the gag show it is today.

The ‘Bubble Gang’ 20th anniversary documentary airs this Friday after ‘Beautiful Strangers’.

New Projects for Former Pinoy Big Brother: All In Housemates

Upcoming projects on ABS-CBN await the likes of Jane Oineza and the other ‘Pinoy Big Brother: All In’ housemates. (Photo credit: ABS-CBN)

Sam Milby, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Jason Gainza, Melai Cantiveros, and Jason Francisco.

These are just some of the former ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ housemates that went on to become established players in the Star Magic roster. And just like in previous years, there are new opportunities that await the latest batch of PBB housemates.

Immediately after ‘Pinoy Big Brother: All In’, ABS-CBN decided to give several of its housemates acting projects. These projects were first unveiled in a recent Kapamilya All Out trade concert.

Jane Oineza, ‘All In”s third-placer, is given a lead role on the upcoming teleserye ‘Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita’. The ‘Goin’ Bulilit’ alum is no stranger to lead acting roles, having been nominated in the 2013 New York Festival for her portrayal of a rape victim in an episode of ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’.

Fellow housemates Joshua Garcia (‘All In’ sixth-placer) and Loisa Andalo (‘All In’ fifth placer) will join Jane in the upcoming series.

Twins Fourth (‘All In’ ninth-placer) and Fifth Pagotan (‘All In’ eighth-placer) were also given an upcoming project via the series ‘Nathaniel’. The twins will play supporting roles to the series’ up-and-coming child actor, whose name is yet to be determined.

As for grand winner Daniel Matsunaga, he has yet to commit to a long-term deal with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic. However, a lineup of projects outside ABS-CBN await the long-time freelancer.

In a recent interview, Matsunaga indicated that he will star in two upcoming films, one of which will be the latest sequel to the Metro Manila Film Festival mainstay ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’.

And for the rest of the ‘All In’ housemates, there are other opportunities to explore. In fact, the doors of GMA Network will always be open to former housemates who look to become the next Tom Rodriguez and Sam Pinto.

That said, there will be always be life after ‘Pinoy Big Brother’. And who knows what will happen next.

Boy Basag Takes Over

For nearly two years, Bubble Gang‘s ‘King of Pick-Up’ was Boy Pick-Up. The Ogie Alcasid-portrayed character wore baseball caps, football jerseys, t-shirts, baggy shorts and rubber shoes as part of his character, and he uttered pick-up lines that only a few people can understand. His confidant was Boy Back-Up, portrayed by Eri Neeman, who always gives Boy Pick-Up a round of approval that was supported by audience appreciation, thus giving Boy Pick-Up that aura of invincibility. However, his days of living in the moment were numbered after Neeman left Bubble Gang last May.

May 17’s ‘Pick-Up Lines’ segment introduced viewers to a new character: Boy Basag. Also portrayed by Ogie Alcasid, Boy Basag was a sharp contrast to Boy Pick-Up, sporting skull caps, dreadlocks, sleeveless shirts and baggy shorts. In addition, Boy Basag walks barefoot, was not accompanied by a confidant, and utters his pick-up lines in short bursts. It was Boy Basag who finally shattered Boy Pick-Up’s unbeaten record, helped by the fact that Boy Back-Up (Neeman) was not around to support him and that Neneng B (Sam Pinto) was absent. Two weeks later, Boy Pick-Up decided to leave the segment altogether upon realizing he had no more pick-up lines to offer. It was also at this point that Honey B (Jackie Rice) took over as the moderator while Neneng B moved out of the spotlight.

Which leads us to last night’s ‘Pick-Up Lines’ segment. I anticipated that the sketch would finally get the boot after Boy Pick-Up’s departure, but instead, according to MC Bits (Michael V), a new year and a fresh start beckons. As it has been in most sketches, Dahon (Antonio Aquitania) would make the finals to face the undefeated opponent, which is now Boy Basag. Dahon would bring in his ‘trusted’ back-up Kasuy in an attempt to win the audience’s trust, but in the end, it was Boy Basag who got the victory.

It was a new beginning indeed. a change for the better. Boy Basag is now the ‘King of Pick-Up’, and the viewers need to get used to him. Click on the video below for the entire sketch, which included a spoof for ‘Rescafe’ (Nescafe).

Boy Pick-Up Gives Up

Two weeks ago, Boy Pick-Up (Ogie Alcasid) suffered his first defeat to Boy Basag (Ogie Alcasid) in Bubble Gang‘s ‘Pick-Up Lines’ sketch. I even predicted that the sketch will be put to pasture after that. But last night the sketch made its return, with Boy Pick-Up given a chance to redeem himself.

This time Boy Pick-Up had to go through the eliminations. His opponent was Push-Back (Boy 2 Quizon), who brought along Sukli and Bagoong (Moymoy Palaboy) as his back-ups. Like the previous sketch, Boy Back-Up (Eri Neeman) did not accompany Boy Pick-Up, instead Boy Bakla (Diego Llorico) subbed in. In another surprise move, MC Bits (Michael V) introduced a different moderator named Inday Why (Ellen Adarna). Throughout the sketch, the erstwhile moderator Neneng B (Sam Pinto) was seen in the background near Boy Pick-Up.

Like in the previous editions, the eliminations start with a game of rock-paper-scissors, something Boy Pick-Up wasn’t familiar with. Two rounds of play commenced, with Push-Back and Boy Pick-Up taking turns. But instead of the familiar ‘Bakit?’, ‘Why?’ was used throughout the pick-up rounds, hence the new moderator’s name. As expected, Boy Pick-Up won the eliminations, giving him an opportunity to redeem himself against Boy Basag, who was joined by his back-up Bisugo (Betong Sumaya).

As expected Boy Basag chose Boy Pick-Up to go first. But like in the previous sketch, no one from the audience were enthusiastic of Boy Pick-Up’s line, while Boy Basag’s was given a round of approval. After only one round, Boy Pick-Up made a surprising decision to quit, saying he does not have any more pick-up lines to offer. Eventually Boy Basag was named the winner, but not before grilling Boy Bakla with an embarrassing pick-up line.

Again I would reiterate that this sketch had run its course. The writers at Bubble Gang had finally made the realization. By telling the story about Boy Pick-Up’s ‘resignation’ from the competition, they also hastened the sketch’s ‘retirement’. For the past few days since Boy Pick-Up’s first loss I thought about the sketch as a ticking time bomb, knowing that the last few sketches will give an idea on how Boy Pick-Up would finally call it a career. Also with regards to Boy Basag, I think he became a perfect foil to the popular Boy Pick-Up, but had he been brought along earlier in last year’s Boy Pick-Up: The Movie instead of Bagwis (Dennis Trillo), it would have made sense. Still, it didn’t mask the fact that the sketch’s days were being numbered.

While I contemplate about the ‘Pick-Up Lines’ sketch and its ‘retirement’, why not you view the clip from last night below.