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THE past
few weeks had TV host-comedian-writer Joey de Leon
in the news again. It simply involved the Big C word:
credibility. De Leon resigned from writing his nearly
three-year-old column for a national broadsheet after an
editor-columnist of a sister publication, a tabloid in
Pilipino, wrote that the recent US show of the
three-decade-old Eat Bulaga (EB), which de Leon
has been cohosting from the get-go, was a flop.
De Leon
was offended and challenged the tabloid editor-columnist
to prove his claim, even offering an all-expense-paid
trip to the US with $5,000 pocket money, if he can name
his source for the flop info. The “accused” failed to do
so.
 Then,
recently, de Leon made a joke in EB about press people
signing off. It was an adlib, he would later explain on
Startalk, the GMA Saturday afternoon showbiz talk
show he cohosts. Of course, de Leon was only referring
to that tabloid editor-columnist. Two national
organizations of press people cried foul, saying it
implied the “killing of journalists,” a very sensitive
issue in this country.
De Leon
countered that there’s a big difference between “press”
and “journalist.” He said that press people are those
invited to press conferences, like the tabloid
editor-columnist. Journalists, he added, are the likes
of the late Max Soliven and Joe Guevarra. De Leon is
known for word wars. He speaks his mind, no matter what,
although with a comic twist. Most times, he gets away
with murder and no matter who he is having a word war
with, he will always be the legendary Joey de Leon.
If
memory serves us right, a few years ago, he once called
another veteran showbiz talk-show host-cum-magazine
editor-columnist as “incredibly ugly.” In Pilipino, he
said something like, “pangit na nga, pangit pa ugali.”
The word war went on for months. They patched things up.
De Leon even visited the show of that “ugly” TV host as
a guest.
Most
recently, he had a word war with Willie Revillame, the
host of Eat Bulaga’s rival show, Wowowee.
De Leon described the verbal skirmishes as “sundutan
lang, pero walang personalan [just poking, nothing
personal].” Revillame took the challenge but soon
enough, he wore a shirt with the printed image of the
legendary trio Tito, Vic and Joey, as a sign of saying
“Peace.”
At any
rate, de Leon said sorry to all those he offended with
his recent statement, especially the press people. It’s
the public apology that they wanted after all. He also
announced that he will soon be writing for another
national broadsheet. For sure, de Leon will never run
out of paper to write for. After all, like what we’ve
mentioned, he is the legendary comedian-entertainer that
millions of Filipinos, young and old, would continue to
love and admire.
Like
what a blogger wrote, “Let the one without sin cast the
first stone.”
A
sidenote to the controversy: De Leon didn’t know that
even the editors and writers of that daily broadsheet
weren’t aware of what that tabloid-editor wrote. They
may come from the same company but they keep distance
from one another when it comes to work. At least, that’s
what we were told by someone inside the broadsheet’s
newsroom.
More
legendary talks
THE
upcoming comedy flick headlined by Vic Sotto and Dolphy,
titled Dobol Trobol, highlights the many
similarities between the two. Dolphy has been known for
his amorous affairs that literally gave birth to 18
children. Vic Sotto sired four children with three
different women.
Many say
that for Sotto, who is about 25 years younger than
Dolphy, the number is still going up, now that talk
about marriage to current girlfriend Pia Guanio is a
major probability. Sotto has pointed out the next child
he’s going to have will be inside marriage. His marriage
to first wife Dina Bonnevie has long been annulled. The
light bulb may soon flicker for Dolphy, who has
reiterated that Zsa Zsa Padilla is the last in his
legendary string of romances. But there’s something to
learn from John Purontong for Vic Sotto and other
younger comedians who may have plans to follow the older
legend’s footsteps when it comes to childbearing.
During
the launch of his bestselling biography, a coffee-table
book, Dolphy said in his speech that he is not proud of
his womanizing. He advised younger men that it’s still
best to have just one family. Less headaches, less
expenses, more time for your loved ones, yourself and
other things worth experiencing.
Like a
newly installed bombilya, let Dolphy’s golden
words enlighten us. |
