Nigerian content creator Daniel Oke, popularly known as “Zombie Tugue,” addressed online criticism against E.A.T. co-host Jose Manalo’s allegedly racist joke in a past episode of the TV5 noontime show.
Zombie was a contestant in E.A.T.’s “Babala! ‘Wag Kayong Ganuun…” segment on July 13, 2023, before he was cast as a new addition to the “Dabarkads” family.
The new host became a part of “Sugod Bahay Mga Kapatid” segment together with Jose and Wally Bayola, gaining their trio name “JoWaZom”.
During the Sugod Bahay Kapatid segment last July 24, Jose was talking to “Bossing” Vic Sotto when the former pointed at Zombie and said, “Ito, ‘pag napalanunan mo sa Bingo ‘to, ‘yan ang tinatawag na ‘blackout.’”
Bossing quickly changed the topic by asking about the barangay.
However, netizens noticed the reactions of other hosts in the TV5 studio. Miles Ocampo and Paulo Ballesteros did not seem to be amused by the joke given by the sudden change in their facial expressions.
Paolo tried to cut Jose, “Huy!”
Allan K also seemed to mouth the word “Huy!”
Jose drew flak online as online users called him out for being racist.
On Saturday, August 6, Zombie broke his silence about the issue on Facebook where he spoke up that he was not offended in any way by Jose’s joke.
He said that he didn’t see anything wrong with what his co-host said to him and that they only intended to make their viewers happy.
“I did not feel or hear anything bad… good vibes lang kami, or kaming dalawa… Hindi ko napansin na may sinabi na mali. Walang mali diyan, okay?,” Zombie clarified.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit medyo sensitive po yung mga iba’t ibang tao sa [buhay ng iba],” he reacted to the comments.
“Nagiging pakialamera nila. Wag kayong magiging pakialamera sa mga bagay na hindi para sa yo,” said Zombie.
“Mind your business, please. Always mind your business,” he told critics.
