Image: Facebook/TVJ, It’s Showtime

Friendship can come into existence even in competitions, and such was the case for the casts of noontime mainstays “Eat Bulaga” and “It’s Showtime” as attested by one of them, veteran TV host Joey de Leon.

The De Leon, Tito Sotto and Vic Sotto-led program had been in the industry for 30 years when the Kapamilya show entered the noontime landscape. Just recently, De Leon underscored that being “neighbors” for over a decade now, “Eat Bulaga” cast has grown to love “It’s Showtime,” as he makes an appeal to the viewing public to stop pitting the show hosts against each other.
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The programs have both built a trademark of their own, and avid viewers have been witnesses to how they have strived for their common goal of serving the public as noontime companions.

To look back, here’s a compilation of some of the competing shows’ friendly interactions as well as wholesome references to each other.

Vice Ganda says ‘Eat Bulaga’ is his ‘favorite’ 

Vice Ganda. Image: screengrab from Facebook/It’s Showtime

Back in 2012, “It’s Showtime” host Vice Ganda said he had looked up to the senior noontime show and that he personally did not dream of surpassing it. 

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“Itong noontime show, kahit sinasabi nilang we are not here to compete, hello, sa ayaw at sa gusto ninyo dahil may katapat na noontime show, competition pa rin ito,” the comedian said in an interview.

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“Although ako, personally, hindi ko na pinangarap na talunin ang ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Para sa akin, hindi matatalo ang ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Sa puso ko mismo paborito ko siya, e,” he revealed at the time.
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Vice Ganda also noted that his intention, alongside his co-hosts, was to earn good ratings for the network and to improve the program for the viewers.

‘It’s Showtime’ hosts welcomes ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts look-alikes

In the “Kalokalike” segment of “It’s Showtime,” contestants who resemble De Leon, Vic Sotto, Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola joined separately in 2013 and 2015, and were interviewed by show hosts Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Karylle, and Vhong Navarro.
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“Ceasefire! Ceasefire!” Vice Ganda exclaimed during the episode featuring De Leon’s look-alike.

“Flattered po kami na nandidito po kayo ngayon. Matagal na po naming inaasam-asam ang pagkakataong ito,” Vice Ganda added.

Navarro, seemingly trying to tease the contestant, also asked, “Ano po ang number one noontime show?, to which the latter responded, “Eat Showtime.”

Meanwhile, in a separate episode in 2015, the “It’s Showtime” hosts entertained Manalo’s look-alike.

Addressing the contestant as “Kuya Jose,” then-host Billy Crawford welcomed him to the noontime show, while Vice Ganda jokingly asked, “Gusto lang namin malaman [kung] may basbas ba ng programa mo ang pagbisita mo dito?”

During their banter, Karylle also shared that the real Manalo attended one of her birthday parties as part of the Boyoyong Clowns.

Vice Ganda on ‘healthy competition’ with ‘Eat Bulaga’ amid ‘AlDub’ fame

ALDEN Richards finally gets to hang out with Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza in “Eat Bulaga.” EB Social Media

When “Eat Bulaga” launched the pairing of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, dubbed as “AlDub,” the then-Kapuso program had a surge in ratings.

“Bago pa naman nagka-’AlDub,’ talagang may kumpetisyon na ang ABS at ang GMA,” Vice Ganda was quoted as saying in a Philippine Entertainment Portal report. “Hindi lang naman ‘Showtime’ saka ‘Eat Bulaga’—[pati] teleserye nila kakumpitensiya ng teleserye namin, lahat.”

“Kaya napakaipokrita, napakaipokrito na pagkasinabi ko, ‘Naku, walang kumpetisyon!’ May kumpetisyon ‘yan, and it’s a healthy competition,” he stressed.

Curtis acknowledged as well the rivalry of the two noontime shows, saying she thinks “it’s great” at the time. “It goes to show that people are still into noontime shows.”

In a separate instance, Vice Ganda also made a mention of the former love team during an episode of “It’s Showtime,” and even did the signature “pabebe wave”—a gesture made popular by Richards and Mendoza.

Vice Ganda, ‘Eat Bulaga’ host Paolo Ballesteros bond at a party

Vice Ganda held the “UnkabogaBALL” party in December 2021 which had “Eat Bulaga” mainstay Paolo Ballesteros as one of the attendees. The two TV hosts were seen bonding with fellow members of the LGBTQIA+ community including Kalakadkaren and Filipino drag queen Jiggly Caliente.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Paolo Ballesteros (@pochoy_29)

The hosts from rival programs also had a friendly exchange on Instagram, with Vice Ganda looking forward to bonding again with Ballesteros. Ballesteros, in turn, said, “Labya!”

In August 2022, netizens were delighted again after Vice Ganda exhibited their friendship on “It’s Showtime” by extending his congratulatory greetings to Ballesteros for the latter’s “Drag Race Philippines” hosting stint.

‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts greet Vice Ganda on his birthday

Vice Ganda and Joey de Leon. Image: screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN Entertainment, Eat Bulaga

Vice Ganda could not contain his joy on his 47th birthday in March 2023 after he received birthday greetings from De Leon, Ballesteros, Manalo, Ryan Agoncillo, Wally Bayola and then-host Maja Salvador.

“Last day na ng March. Birthday ng nanay ko ngayon. Birthday din ni Vice Ganda ata,” De Leon said in an episode of “Eat Bulaga.” “Happy birthday!”

Vice Ganda also expressed his gratitude on-air, exclaiming that he felt elated over his name being mentioned in “Eat Bulaga.”

“I’m so happy! Binati nila ko ng happy birthday sa ‘Eat Bulaga’!” the comedian said. “Thank you very much! Kay Tito Joey, sir Joey de Leon, maraming maraming salamat.”

“Mabuhay kayo ‘Eat Bulaga’! More years to come,” he continued. “The world is chilling! I love you Dabarkads. I love you ‘Eat Bulaga.’”

‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts hums ‘It’s Showtime’ theme song

During an episode of “Eat Bulaga” in May 2023, the hosts had a band setup and took song requests from the audience. Led by Allan K, Manalo, Bayola, and celebrity guest Gabbi Garcia, the band was requested by De Leon to sing the theme song of “It’s Showtime” in exchange for P10,000 “tip.”

The hosts happily agreed and hummed the song’s intro: “Pa-pa-pa-ra-pa-pa-pa-ra-pa-pa-pa,” while the audience sang along and waved their arms.

After a few seconds, De Leon quipped, “Okay, tanggal na kayo. Tine-testing ko lang kayo.”

Allan K then remarked in jest, “Okay lang basta may sampung libo.”

Joey de Leon dresses up as ‘Presidente Ganda’

De Leon, who was wearing a blonde wig and clad in a pink full-length dress with purple flowers as his accessories, surprised Vic on his birthday celebration last April 20 during the “Peraphy” segment of “Eat Bulaga.”

Netizens believe that De Leon’s character, President Ganda, was inspired by Vice Ganda. The veteran TV host even gave a shoutout to a certain “Ion,” whom he described as his love. It can be noted that Vice Ganda’s partner is his “It’s Showtime” co-host Ion Perez.

While the two programs have managed to get on each other’s good side,  they also have a fair share of exchanging allusions or teasing remarks, which is arguably inevitable in every competition.

A recent one would be De Leon’s “lagpas helicopter” comment, which he used to describe the attention they were getting from “Eat Bulaga” viewers. However, his remark coincidentally came after Vice Ganda’s helicopter stunt during “It’s Showtime” debut on GMA’s GTV channel.

Nonetheless, the two shows’ display of camaraderie every once in a while is an assurance enough of a friendly competition, which perhaps give relief to the Dabarkads and Madlang People, amid the ever-changing noontime viewing landscape. After all, nothing is permanent, especially in show business.