Ivana Alawi recalled a time when she was reduced to tears after being humiliated by a veteran TV host, calling it one of the most unforgettable experiences in her showbiz career.
In her latest YouTube vlog where she played the Sagot o Lagot challenge with her older brother Hash, the 24-year-old actress was asked if she ever got into a fight with a fellow celebrity.
“Wala akong nakaaway. May nang-away sa akin,” revealed Ivana.
“Pero ako, never akong nakipag-away sa kahit sinong artista, kasi kailangan mo rumespeto at kailangan mong makisama sa showbiz world.”
She went on to share the terrible experience she had in the past during a TV guesting in an ABS-CBN show for her then crime drama series Sino Ang May Sala?: Mea Culpa.
Ivana said the incident happened after her personal assistant had to leave the dressing room since it was getting crowded.
“Nakaupo lang ako sa dressing room. Marami kami doon kasi parang sama-sama kami sa dressing room na ‘yun. So ‘yung kasama kong PA (personal assistant) lumabas siya kasi hindi na siya kasya ‘dun sa dressing room namin.
“And kailangan lagi siyang malapit sa akin, kasi siyempre kapag may kailangan ako, kapag magbibihis, yung mga ganun.”
Ivana continued to recall that her PA found a seat in a room nearby and asked permission if she could stay there for a while.
“Lumabas siya tapos may nakita siyang upuan doon sa labas. Nagpaalam naman siya dun sa tao sa loob.
“Sabi niya, ‘Pwede bang makiupo lang…’ para malapit siya sa akin. As in tapat lang kasi siya.
“So, sabi nung tao sa loob, ‘Oo naman, sige upo ka.’ So, umupo lang siya dun.”
While waiting for their cue to appear on stage, Ivana said a veteran host suddenly came up to her and confronted her over her PA being inside the host’s dressing room.
According to the actress, she used to idolize the unnamed showbiz veteran so she was shocked when the latter started yelling at her in front of other fellow celebrities in the room.
“Hindi pa kami nagsisimula nito, so nag-antay lang ako doon. Nakaupo ako dun. Tapos biglang may sumugod na batikang host.
“Lagi ko siyang pinapanood nung bata ako kaya idol na idol ko siya noon. Tapos nung nakita ko, parang napangiti ako. Tapos parang pinagsisigawan niya ako dun sa dressing room sa harap ng ibang artista. Parang sabi ko, ‘Hala!’”
Ivana recalled apologizing over and over again to the veteran host.
“Tapos parang naaalala ko yung reaction ko noon, ‘Sorry po, sorry po!’ As in sorry ako nang sorry. Sobrang naano kasi parang sa harap ng ibang artista. Sobrang pinapahiya ako, as in!”
Ivana said the humiliating encounter left her crying that she called up her mother, who then comforted but advised her to just let go of the incident.
“Ako yung inaway and then, hiyang-hiya ako noon. Umiyak ako, tapos tumawag ako kay Mama. Tapos sabi niya, ‘Okay lang ‘yan. Hayaan mo na.’”
Ivana added that to this day, she couldn’t understand where the veteran host was coming from.
“Kasi wala naman talaga akong ginawang mali, kaya hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ako yung pinuntahan doon at pinagsisigawan sa harap ng ibang artista.
“Sana kinausap na lang niya ako na, ‘Uy Ivana, alam kong bago ka sa ganito. Pero bawal ‘yang ganyan.’”
Despite what happened, the top celebrity YouTuber stressed that she has already moved on from that bad experience and has no hard feelings towards this TV personality.
“Siyempre, you still have to show respect and you still have to be professional. Pero sa harap ng maraming tao, na wala naman akong ginawang masama, yun lang talaga yung di ko malimutan, yung isa sa mga experiences ko starting out in showbiz,” she said.
“Pero wala na akong hard feelings, naka-move on na ako.”
