Talent manager and vlogger Ogie Diaz himself confirmed that Vice Ganda is taking a one-week break from It’s Showtime.
Diaz discussed the matter during an episode of their online program, Showbiz Update.
“It’s simply a break. If I were the manager, I would say the same thing—that the rest is meant to help Vice recharge, reflect, and take some time off,” Ogie said.
He also noted that Vice Ganda has been “beaten up” by netizens over the controversial “Memerimar” skit.
The Unkabogable Star has indeed been flooded with criticism online. According to Ogie, even past issues involving Vice have resurfaced, with critics using them to intensify the backlash.
Ogie admitted that he could sense the sadness of his former talent.
“I can see it. I can read it,” he said.
He added that the recent call-out from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) only added to the pressure Vice Ganda has been facing.
To refresh readers’ memory, many netizens expressed their disappointment over what happened during the Memerimar segment.
In the segment, Vice Ganda sprayed water on the face of Baby Dolls member Johaira Moris. After doing so, Vice asked her, “What happened to you? Why did you become muddy?”
Many viewers criticized the act, accusing the show’s main host of displaying racist behavior.
The controversy was further fueled when Ion Perez fed lugaw (rice porridge) to Vice Ganda during the segment, a gesture that many viewers considered inappropriate for a family-oriented television program. — LeonidasA
