Not so long ago, Willie Revillame said he would never compete against the country’s longest- running noontime show ever again, Fast-forward to Jan. 26. TV5’s Wowowillie debuted in a nearly five-hour spectacle beginning at quarter to 12 noon.
Punctuated by power interruptions that caught the audience surprised, the show that also served as Willie’s birthday bash went on and on, even causing traffic congestion on Quezon Avenue as early as 5 a.m.
According to Willie himself, TV5 spent a whooping P100 million to renovate Delta Theater, which used to be the same venue of the defunct ABS-CBN noontime show ‘Sang Linggo nAPO Sila (1995-1998), to become Wowowillie’s home studio. An additional P35 million came from his own pocket to convert the former movie house into a state-of-the-art game show venue. True enough, Wowowillie made Eat Bulaga and It’s Showtime’s stages look like a setting of a provincial show.
But does Willie’s new program really pose any competition?
To any fans, the answer is yes but the host insists that Wowowillie is not about competition in the numbers game. The program was conceptualized simply to help and entertain people. That brings us to another question why Willie didn’t just focus on his Wil Foundation instead? His objectives sound more of a vision statement of a charitable institution. Nevertheless,Wowowillie still plays the role as the third-runner in the viewer-rich timeslot. Its rivals, apart from being broadcast by bigger media networks, have a completely better head start to begin with.
Meanwhile, It’s Showtime staged a star-studded show and introduced all-new segments on Saturday to outsmart Wowowillie’s 20-minute opening number. Although obviously outnumbered by Wowowillie’s more than 300 dancers and around 70 stars and performers, It’s Showtime banked on ABS-CBN’s more popular talents to lure viewers. The variety program even re-launched the “Arte Mo” segment where P1 million prize is up for grabs.
Eat Bulaga still played it simple with no noticeable changes. After all, for three long decades, the show remains undisputed.
In a recent interview, main host Vic Sotto said he’s not threatened by the inclusion of a third player. Though some people already call the show archaic, Eat Bulaga still remains relevant—Pinoy Henyo is just one of the many reasons. Who can also beat the habit-formation it has instilled in its viewers? You see, amid stiff competition in the ratings race and in winning the hearts of television viewers, loyal followers have this routine to park their remote control and make sure that Eat Bulaga is on the small screen whenever the clock strikes 12.
VERY WANG 