It’s final: Willie dropped from MTB!

Followers of ABS-CBN’s popular noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan (MTB) probably didn’t notice it when they tuned in yesterday, as usual. There was something – rather, somebody – missing from the show but his absence must have been overshadowed by the presence of several star guests and the hoopla over the added portions (such as the Vanessa "Madonna act" and a singing contest).

Perceptive televiewers, however, must have wondered why Willie Revillame’s face was not in the OBB (Opening Billboard) and neither was his name. In fact, in the plug for yesterday’s edition of MTB, Willie wasn’t mentioned at all although all the other hosts were duly accounted for (Randy Santiago, John Estrada, Christine Jacob, Vina Morales, Vanessa del Bianco, Roderick Paulate, Bayani Agbayani and the others).

Yes, Willie has been dropped from the show and, unlike last year when he and co-hosts Randy and John were suspended for cracking green jokes on the air, he’ll never go back to the show again even if he wants to.

An ABS-CBN source said that Willie has been sec-retly hatching up a plan to quit the show if ABS-CBN management wouldn’t give in to "certain demands." He tried to convince Randy and John to "sympathize" with him. Randy and John at first agreed but changed their minds at the last minute. "They’re getting a fat talent fee," said the source, "and I doubt if they could get the same from other stations."

The zany trio has been clandestinely negotiating with an executive from GMA 7 which would have put up an early-evening show for them to host if the "plan" didn’t go pffft. The source added that the Willie "isn’t seeing eye-to-eye" with MTB director Edgar Mortiz, although many people in the studio claim that "success has gone to Willie’s head (especially), so he thought he was indispensable."

Minus Wilie, MTB goes on as usual, with Randy and John, according to the source, "convinced more than ever" that, like Willie, they, too, are not indispensable.

"In hard times like this when there are dozens of other talents waiting in the wings," said a respected talent manager, "there’s no reason for any star, even a big one, to throw his weight around."

MTB is now developing three young talents – Dominic Ochoa, Rico Yan and Marvin Agustin – as regular MTB co-hosts.

When you tune in to MTB tomorrow and find Willie, gone, you should know why. – Ricky Lo