It was a specific portion of the segment that did not sit well with viewers.
On Saturday, July 25, moments before the end of the episode of the ABS-CBN’s noontime variety program It’s Showtime, main host Vice Ganda expressed the show’s statement in response to the criticisms that they are earning from viewers and the rest of the public.
“Nakarating po sa aming kaalaman na may mga Madlang People po na hindi nagustuhan o na offend sa ilan sa aming jokes o biruan dito sa Showtime pati na rin sa ginagawa namin sa Memerimar,” she said.
The TV host-comedian continued, “They found the jokes offensive or insensitive… the last thing we want is to displease you o hindi mapasaya ang aming Madlang People. Kaya naman ina-acknowledge namin ang inyong sentimyento at humihingi po kami ng paumanhin sa inyo and we will try to do better. Maraming maraming salamat po.“
The said backlash stems from the Memerimar skit on Friday, July 24, during the Laro-Laro Pick segment’s You Gotta Lyric game.
At one point of the said sketch, which has been running across several episodes in the past week, Vice’s character Memerimar had an interaction with Baby Dolls member Johaira, one of the Muchacha (housemaids) of Alejandro (Ion Perez).
The dynamics between Memerimar and Johaira are that of enemies, with their first interaction starting with the latter calling the former as “chaka” (“ugly” in gay lingo).
As the segment progressed, Vice, who was drinking water at that time, was “shocked” by Ion’s supposedly sudden entry and spat out the water right onto Johaira and other Baby Dolls.
But what caught the attention of viewers and other members of the public were Vice’s succeeding remarks. Specifically when she uttered to Johaira, “Ano’ng nangyari sa’yo? Bakit nag-putik ka?”
That was regarded by some as “insensitive,” with others even calling it as far as “racist,” as Johaira is of Black American descent.
Despite that, the skit still aired per usual on Saturday, with the story continuing with Vice’s Memerimar and Johaira still having their own interaction.
