Vice Ganda finds way to still ‘serve my purpose’

CEBU, Philippines — At the height of the Metro Manila lockdown, and later on, when ABS-CBN was shut down, Vice Ganda said their network bosses gave a directive: Find a way to reach out to your audience. Remain in their consciousness. Serve your purpose.

“The only way is through digital,” Vice told journalists in a video conference arranged by his Viva management.

The all-around performer already had a website – viceganda.com – but failed to churn out regular content because, as with every other person the world over pre-pandemic, there was too much on his plate.

With stay-at-home orders in place and little left to do, Vice went live on Facebook one time. He found the at least 30,000 views promising. For a lark, he thought of doing an online “Gabing Gabi na Vice” for the next broadcast. The video stream began with at least 50,000 viewers. After an hour and a half, they ended with more than 1 million tuning in and 1.5 million leaving comments.

The numbers encouraged the “It’s Showtime” host to mount not only an online GGV regularly, but to also create the Vice Ganda Network, launched Aug. 14 after its original July premiere date. To view its content and be eligible to join games, one must subscribe first at live.viceganda.com.ph. Members gain access to the latest Vice News, get Vice Beauty tips, win giveaways, participate in Vice Games and watch the star’s latest videos.

An iteration of ABS-CBN’s Sunday night ratings winner “Gandang Gabi Vice” is also featured via the online show “Gabing Gabi na Vice,” with Bea Alonzo and Angel Locsin as his guests in the pilot. But this time, they are no longer limited to Kapamilya artists. Vice mentioned the likes of GMA-7 contract stars Heart Evangelista, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, and Michael V. as among those he hopes to banter with in the digital talk show. And since they are not under MTRCB’s scrutiny, expect them to be less sanitized online.

“Although hindi naman kami magpapalabas ng kababuyan,” he assured, “pero mas malaya ako.”

A 10-episode sitcom, to be taped in one of his townhouses, and a documentary are also in the works. For the other shows, rooms in Vice’s residence have been converted into temporary studios.

“My vision for Vice Ganda Network is very basic: to serve my purpose and make the audience happy. That’s my constant compass and gauge in the decisions I make,” he said.

His secondary objective in taking on this “big responsibility” is to provide livelihood to his friends in the comedy bar circuit whose workplaces were among the first to be padlocked under COVID-19 quarantine rules.

“Even before ABS-CBN was shut down, stand-up comedians already took a hit because live performances were stopped, bars were closed and I don’t see these opening any time soon,” said Vice. “Nawalan ng hanap-buhay ang maraming komedyante at ang sakit sa puso ko. Most of them mga anak-anakan ko. Every night during lockdown I was on the phone with one of them because I would be bothered by their FB posts. I feel for them so much because many of them were very depressed.”

That doesn’t mean he is recruiting these comedy acts out of sheer charity. Vice said when he decides to work with someone, that is because he is genuinely impressed with their talent.

“The working relationship usually lasts because the admiration is mutual,” he said. “If you don’t know me deeply, you won’t like working with me. Strikto ako eh. Iba yung baklaan at landian, iba yung work. But we consider one another as family.”

Family is also how they treat one another in the “It’s Showtime” team. While the noontime variety show returned to the studio for streaming following social distancing and other protocols, Vice shared that he misses the old dynamic. He yearns for the energy that a live audience gives off. He also longs for the day when roughhousing with his male co-hosts of nine years shall be deemed safe.

“Hindi mo alam kung havey ka or waley kasi walang nagre-react. Hindi din kami makapagbugbugan nila Vhong [Navarro], nila Jhong [Hilario], hindi nila ako masaktan. Nami-miss mo yung naghaharutan kami, yung ‘physical’ hosting. The fun is never the same. Ang layo. But we have to take and survive this challenge.”

And while surviving may come easier for someone whose finances are secured, Vice said he was not immune to feelings of loneliness, stress and fear during the pandemic, compounded by his network’s closure. It manifested in the first two weeks “Showtime” returned, so Vice sat down the team.

“Ang hirap magpatawa kung meron kang iniisip. So I told them, ‘I feel so bad kasi feeling ko hindi maganda ang binibigay ko. Tulungan niyo ako, mag-reset tayo.’ Before we air tomorrow, let’s pray and cry and scream out everything we want to. But when we begin the show, we should be focused on the reason we are here,” said Vice. Blowing off steam worked, and he said the next episodes turned out much better.

Vice, who for the past years seemed to endeavor for the MMFF Box-office King title every year, said that competition is farthest from his mind these days. He has since learned that “life is important above all and we should take care of it.”

“For so long we have been so focused on material things, fame, social media…At this point, you can let go of everything just for the sake of being healthy and saving your life.”