Paolo Contis quips: “Kaya nga muntik ako matanggal, e!”
“Bubble Gang” now holds the record as GMA-7’s longest-running gag show.
Since its first episode in 1995, “Bubble Gang” has not lost its charm to patrons and new audiences.
While there are shows that can be tagged as “napaglipasan ng panahon,” the Kapuso comedy-gag show wouldn’t just let each year pass without keeping up with the times.
Paolo Contis, who has been in the show since 2004, would even watch old episodes of “Bubble Gang” to reflect on what needs to be changed, and updated, and what has to remain in the show.
“Actually, minsan nanonood ako ng mga lumang episodes ng ‘Bubble.’ Mga a year, talagang matagal na. May ibang mga comedy na talagang hindi mo na siya magagawa ngayon.”
But this does not just go by being updated with the trends but what the audience wants.
He continues, “Pwede kang magreklamo, ‘Bakit hindi natin nagagawa ‘to?’ Pero at the end of the day, nag-ke-cater tayo sa mga manonood at ito yung gusto nila ngayon, so we follow.
“Basically, sila naman yung dahilan kung bakit kami tumatagal, e. So might as well, kung ano yung gusto nila, yun yung iki-cater namin.
“Especially noong naging Sunday kami, mas naging bata yung audience namin, mas naging family-oriented.”
Paolo then quips, “Kaya nga muntik ako matanggal, e, kasi nawala yung bastos kasi hindi na late night, e. So parang, ‘Oh, tatanggalin natin yung bastos,’ tapos family-oriented, tanggalin na si Paolo!’”
Kidding aside, Paolo boasts his ability to be able to adapt to the changes.
He adds, “Siyempre, di ba, ako, hindi ako TikTokerist, di ba? Pero we do it.
“I think, yun naman yung pinakasikreto ng ‘Bubble,’ na kung ano yung gusto ng tao, yun yung binibigay namin.
“Pero hangga’t maaari, siyempre meron ka pa rin yung nilalagay na luma kahit papaano, pero in-a-adapt mo in a new way.”
As for Betong, who has also been in the show for a long time, he believes that the teamwork of the cast and production should also be credited for the show’s success and longevity.
“Siyempre, kasi ang teamwork naman kasi talaga sa ‘Bubble Gang,’ hindi naman yun magagawa lang namin mga artista. Siyempre, yung creative team ng ‘Bubble Gang,’ sobrang gagaling, yung mga writers, ang aming director, ang mga boss namin.
“Teamwork talaga siya and yun nga, nag-a-adapt siyempre ang ‘Bubble Gang’ sa kung anuman yung napapanahon. Kasi nga parang business nga. Kailangan marunong kaming mag-pivot, di ba?”
Chariz Solomon adds that the presence of the younger cast like Cheska Fausto, EA Guzman, and Matt Lozano makes the show more relevant to all audiences.
“May mga reinforcement kami from the youth kasi hindi natin sila maintindihan minsan. So, kuha tayo ng ka-age nila. Ngayon, nagkakaintindihan na kami and we’re learning from them as well.
“Siyempre, yung mga hindi bumibitaw, mga nagtitiwala doon sa show, na pinaglalaban ang aming show, na hindi naman namin kaya gawin mag-isa.”
FreebieMNL spoke to the cast of “Bubble Gang” during a recent media conference for the talk, infotainment, and comedy shows of GMA-7 for its “Best Time Ever” campaign.
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From drama actors to comedy performers
When “Bubble Gang” went through a reformat in 2023 and moved to Sunday from Friday programming, new cast members were also added.
The new cast included Sparkle artists EA Guzman, Cheska Fausto, and Matt Lozano, who are known as actors in GMA drama programs.
FreebieMNL then asked how were they able to navigate a new brand of acting, this time under the comedy genre.
EA shares, “Ako siguro yung pagiging makulit ko din off-cam. Palabiro, every morning sa taping, so lahat noong mga staff, yung mga sa prod, bibiruin ko yan. Every morning, babatiin ko.
“Siguro, feeling ko yun yung personality na may mai-offer ko rin at maitutulong ko sa ‘Bubble Gang,’ sa show na ito. At alam ko naman na ang tagal-tagal na ng show na ito. So, kailangan ko din mag-adjust.
“Yun nga, drama actor ako, so, kapag nasa taping ako ng ‘Bubble Gang,’ kinakalimutan ko yung pagiging dramatic actor ko. Kailangan nakakatawa ako dito. Kailangan natural yung pagpapatawa ko. So, yun yung ginagawa ko.”
Cheska, who was first introduced as part of Sparkada and did a few drama shows, did not expect that she would be able to try her hand at comedy.
She explains, “Well, ako naman sa totoo lang, noong pumasok ako sa Sparkle, never ko naman in-expect na mapunta ako sa comedy realm.
“Nasa drama talaga ako pero siguro, nakapag-adjust ako kasi unang-una, sobrang naging comfortable ako with the ‘Bubble Gang’ family. Sobrang welcoming nila and talagang madami akong natutunan talaga.
“So, talagang naging smooth sailing din siya along the way. Kasi, again nga, nagtutulungan.”
Matt is thankful to his co-stars, especially Michael V., for guiding him in his transition from drama to comedy.
“Noong unang-unang guesting ko talaga sa ‘Bubble Gang, siyempre, nandun yung pressure, yung kaba.
“E, nakapag-blend in naman ako kasi kahit 3XL yung suot ko ngayon, nakakatuwa kasi si Ate Cha, nandiyan, si Kuya Pao, si Direk Bitoy, nandiyan sila to guide me. Kasi bilang bago sa comedy, talagang ang hirap nung transition from ‘Voltes V.’
“Pero, sobrang happy ako na nasa ‘Bubble Gang’ ako kasi feeling ko nag-ma-matter ako.”
Banner Art Paulo Correa
