PHOTOS: @praybeytbenjamin on Instagram (L) AND @ABSCBNpr on Twitter
Vice Ganda revealed in a press conference for the 10th anniversary of It’s Showtime that he almost left the variety show! Find out why by reading below!
Last September 30, during the press conference for It’s Showtime’s 10th-anniversary special, host Vice Ganda revealed that he almost left the show after the variety show’s first season, requesting to leave because he felt tired of the body of work he was supposed to show every episode.
FEELING RUSTY
“Araw-araw sample [ng] sample, araw-araw required ako mag-isip ng May Nag Text, naubos ako. Feeling ko talaga naubos ako,” he told the press. “Tapos, hindi ako sanay sa showbiz, nabigla ako sa nangyari. Parang ang bilis ng pagbabago sa buhay ko na hindi ko nasabayan. Ang dami kong hindi magawa.”
Vice felt that he could not do other commitments with the time consumed by the variety show. He could not hang outside, he could not have any relationships, and he could not go back to one of his first jobs, that being a stand-up comedian.
“Napagod talaga ako. Pagod na pagod, and, at that time, hindi ko nakita ’yong purpose ng pag-sho-Showtime ko,” he narrated. “Akala ko lang raket ko lang ’yong pag-sho-Showtime. At that time, 5,000 a day ang sweldo ko. Wala akong PA, wala akong make-up artist, wala akong hairstylist. […] Sabi ko parang it’s not worth it. Parang lugi ako. Parang uuwi ako na wala akong nauwing sweldo.”
The Unkabogable Box Office Star felt like he did not take home any pay because he had to pay the make-up artists, hairstylists, and personal assistants he had to hire while paying for parking, food, and clothes. But, more than that, he said of another reason why he felt like leaving.
“Feeling ko hindi na ko nakakatawa,” he revealed. “Feeling ko wala na akong maisip na ipagpapatawa pa. Parang lahat ata ng jokes, naubos ko na noong year na ’yun kaya sabi ko [sa management] hindi na po ako magiging effective kasi ubos na po ako.”
Feeling rusty in the realm of comedy, he felt the need to return to comedy bar gigs so he could practice new humor.
“Gusto ko mag-comedy bar na lang tas regular guesting pero ’yong regular show, ayoko na muna,” Vice went on. “So nakipag-usap ako sa management na ’di ko na po bet.”
Ogie Diaz, Vice’s manager then, agreed that he should take a one-month rest from the show. However, the management did not allow him to resign. In that rest, he toured abroad for comedy shows. Yet, to his surprise, he still had an appearance in Showtime via FaceTime. He recalled that the show’s director Bobet Vidanes would task the hosts to call Vice on-air while he is abroad so he could have an appearance despite being away.
“Na-miss ko ’yong Showtime,” he said. “Na-miss ko si Anne. […] Nasanay na kong nakita ko si Anne Curtis, parang ayoko nang hindi ko kasama si Anne Curtis. Si Anne ’yong isa sa malaking rason bakit gusto kong bumalik ng Showtime.”
Right now, at this point in his life, Vice Ganda cannot live to not be part of the variety show.
“Hindi ko kayang mawala ang Showtime sa buhay ko. Ikamamatay ko,” he said. “Nakuha ko na ’yong halaga niya sa buhay ko.”
BURN OUT?
When asked if Vice felt burned out because of his commitments all coming at once, like Showtime, movies, and concerts, Vice had this to say:
“Alam mo ’yong mga tao iniisip ’yong ganun. You can equate burn out to exhaustion,” he said. “Pero, alam mo, burn out is all about not being able to find your purpose. ’Pag alam mo ’yong purpose mo, napapagod ka lang pero ’yong burnout nabibigay ka.”
That is what Vice tells the younger celebrities who he gets to work with when it comes to experiencing burnouts, relaying his experiences of thinking about leaving show business.
“’Pag alam mo ’yong purpose ng ginagawa mo, hindi ka mase-stress. Mapapagod ka lang sandali, pero ’di mo iiwanan ’yong ginagawa mo kasi gusto mo ’yong dahilan bat ginagawa mo siya.”
