There comes a point when you can’t hold back the sidekicks anymore.
“Eat Bulaga” mainstays Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola have been knocking on the doors of stardom for some time. They will continue to provide comic support to their “bossing”, Vic Sotto, but they have become popular enough to headline their own projects, be it a major concert, a TV show, or a movie.
One of their co-hosts on “Eat Bulaga”, Allan K, certainly thinks so. Such is his belief in the duo that he co-produced “D’Kilabots: Pogi Brothers (Weh?)”, a new movie starring Jose and Wally.
The other producers are Malou Choa-Fagar, Rams David, Joselito Oconer, Michael Tuviera, Eduardo Tuviera, Vic Sotto himself, and “Eat Bulaga” general manager Antonio P. Tuviera. ““D’Kilabots: Pogi Brothers (Weh?)” is Jose and Wally’s second starrer, after the 2008 horror comedy “Scaregivers”.
“Isang malaking tiwala ito sa tandem ng dalawa, na araw-araw naman nating nakikita at napapanood sa ‘Eat Bulaga’,” Allan K points out. “When they had their Araneta concert, all the more na pinatunayan nila na mahal nga sila ng buong bansa. At kahit saan sila makarating, marami na silang napapasaya.”.
Despite their success, Jose remains humble and grounded. He doesn’t even concern himself with how much his talent fee has increased, if at all.
“Hindi pa rin naman namin alam kung tumaas na. Nung mag-Araneta kami, ayos naman. Nagkaroon pa ng mga pelikula. Sa akin, kung ano ang dumating, dapat ko ng ipagpasalamat nang todo-todo,” Jose muses.
And the 46-year-old comedian will never forget that he owes it all to “Eat Bulaga”, the enduring daily noontime show that he joined in 1996.
“Sa ‘Eat Bulaga’ natagpuan na namin ang isang pamilya. At doon kaming lahat nag-click. After ng bahay namin, ‘EB’ na ang tambayan namin. Kaya kahit na masama ang pakiramdam ko o parang magkaka-sakit ako, hindi puwede dahil may magagalit,” Jose quips, pointing his lips at his manager and the show’s executive producer, Malou Choa-Fagar.
Wally thinks the secret to why he and Jose click as a tandem is their personal chemistry — they get along really well as friends.
“Pagdating sa mga away-away o tampuhan, wala sa amin ni Jose ‘yan. It never happened. Kasi ‘pag nasa trabaho kami, oo may tawanan, kulitan pero we share ideas. Walang sapawan kundi bigayan. Dahil ‘yan natutunan namin sa mga bossing namin o sa mga mas nakakataas na sa amin. Kaya, alam namin na marami pa kaming bigas na kakainin,” Wally explains.
Do they always have to be together? Are they really a package deal when it comes to endorsements, shows, guest appearances?
“Hindi naman. Kung si Jose lang ang kailangan, okay lang ‘yun. But more often than not, dahil nga sa tandem na kami sa ‘EB’, pareho kaming iniimbita sa mga shows or ‘pag may mga nagpo-produce ng shows, Wally-Jose na talaga,” Wally notes.
Jose believes success has not changed them at all. They may be more popular and have fatter bank accounts, but they make sure they keep their feet on the ground.
“Wala namang nagbabago sa amin. Panahon lang ang nagbabago. At saka kung gano’n ang gagawin namin, we know na marami ang magagalit sa amin. Kaya, anuman ang matutunan namin, ‘yun ang isinasabuhay namin,” he declares.
The duo are also generous when it comes to sharing their success with Paolo Ballesteros, with whom they form a triumvirate in their hugely popular “Juan for All, All for Juan” segment in “Eat Bulaga”. Paolo is also in the cast of “D’Kilabots: Pogi Brothers (Weh?)”.
“Assistant po ni Jose ang role ko in the movie. And yes, naka-girlash na get-up ako. Kung tingin nila nata-typecast ako now sa mga ganitong klase ng role, nai-enjoy ko naman siya. For as long as I make people happy, wala namang kaso,” Paolo says.
Paolo doesn’t mind at all that his constant cross-dressing roles have made people that he is really gay in real life.
“Hindi naman ako nagagalit. Nagalit ba ako? Ako rin ang maaapektuhan kung magagalit ako. Ang importante is to have that happy disposition all the time,” he says.
Directed by Soxy Topacio, “D’Kilabots: Pogi Brothers (Weh?)” also stars Solenn Heussaff, Pokwang, Tirso Cruz III, Michael de Mesa and Ms. Gina Pareno.
source: interaksyon.com
