The return of Eat Bulaga on air drew mixed reactions as it introduced its new batch of hosts, on Monday, June 5.
The noontime show introduced a new set of Dabarkads, namely Paolo Contis, Betong Sumaya, Buboy Villar, Alexa Miro, and twins Mavy and Cassy Legaspi as the replacements for Tito, Vic, and Joey and company who recently cut ties with the producer TAPE Inc.
The show opened with hosts performing their own opening numbers and showcasing their talents to the live audience.
“Dabarkads, tara na! ‘Eat Bulaga’ na! Dabarkads, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit tuloy-tuloy ang saya,” said Paolo as they ended their opening number.
Meanwhile, netizens and bashers took their leeway to air their mixed reactions towards the reformat of the ‘longest-running noontime show’.
“Thank you po at naka tipid kami ng kuryente. Napatay kaagad ang TV,” one commenter said, garnering over a hundred likes and reactions.
“From mula Batanes hanggang Jolo to mula Batanes hanggang Baguio as a friend,” a netizen commented, seemingly making a play of words in context with Eat Bulaga’s famous tagline and new ‘Dabarkad’ Paolo Contis’ controversial revelation of his relationship with Yen Santos.
“Iba pa rin ang mga Dabarkads lalo si Jose at Wally, kwelang kwela kahit simple palang matatawa ka na,” another netizen said.
“I am not against the new hosts. I love them. The production is great. This show DESERVES a new name. Unfair sa mga new hosts. And yes we want the real Dabarkads in the tv show Eat Bulaga. And TAPE Inc. should give their respect for the 40+ years na pagsasama nila ng TVJ.,” a netizen voiced their opinion.
“DO NOT HATE THE HOSTS, PLEASE!,” added another netizen.
Earlier, Senator JV Ejercito took to social media his two cents on the new set of ‘Dabarkads’.
“Mahirap ata tapatan ang TVJ, Alan K., Pao, Jose & Wally etc… Eat Bulaga is really TVJ,” the senator said.
It later got followed with another tweet advising netizens to stop bashing the hosts as they are just doing their jobs as talents.
On May 31, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon, also known as ‘TVJ’, announced their departure from the noontime show due to a conflict with its producer TAPE Inc. Other ‘Dabarkads’ signed their resignation letters a day after.
TAPE Inc., responded to their exit with an official statement saying, “Ang pagalis ng host ay hindi dahilan para tumigil ang ikot ng mundo,” and that their departure was “unfortunate, but life must go on.”
