Backstage with Bitoy

Michael V, aka Bitoy, has been making people laugh for the longest time. He's grown into one of the country’s favorite comedians, and he currently appears in three top-rating shows, namely Eat Bulaga , Bubble Gang , and Bitoy's Funniest Videos . Bitoy’s Funniest is sixty minutes of non-stop laughter and entertainment as master prankster Michael V slips into different disguises to fool his unsuspecting victims. “(The show) is doing very good. Sobrang overwhelming. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na nangyayari ito,” Bitoy says. “Most of the time, I try to keep it off my mind kasi kapag inisip mo, kapag sineryoso mo, it’s such a big responsibility to actually hold on to.” According to Bitoy, one of the best pranks he’s pulled involves – a giant rat! “Ang victim namin is assistant ng exterminator. Tapos, nagpunta sila sa isang house. Ako 'yung exterminator, so I’m giving him instructions kung anong gagawin. Merong butas dun' na sabi ko, ginawa ko 'yung butas na ‘yan, diyan lalabas 'yan abangan mo,” Bitoy narrates. He goes on to instruct the assistant exterminator to wait and catch the creature he was going to send his way. “All of a sudden, may lumabas na higanteng daga sa wall. It’s actually a man na naka-rat costume na ang pangit. Napaka-ridiculous. Tapos, this guy, this guy na medyo stocky pa. Actually mukhang tough guy eh. Tumili!” Bitoy laughs. Watching a big, burly man scream like a little girl is a rarity, but Bitoy’s seen it twice. To him, it’s proof, not that the man is any less macho, but that Filipinos as a whole still believe in the supernatural. “(They believe in the supernatural) so much na any hint na mayroon nakakatakot or may misteryo na mangyayari, naaapektuhan sila,” he says. “Yung ginawa naming multo, may ka-dobol naman ako. Naka-make up ako as an old woman na supposedly 5 years nang patay. Merong painting dun sa old house na supposedly binebenta dun sa accomplice namin. 'Yung accomplice namin, nagsama ng kaibigan. 'Yun 'yung victim. So nakita niya 'yung painting, all of a sudden, nakita niya yung figure dumaan, ka-dobol ko. Pagdaan ng ganyan, biglang nandito na sa side, tapos biglang nandun na sa taas. Tapos nasa baba na. Tapos lumabas ulit sa may kitchen. Tapos nung paatras na siya sa may door, e-exit na, bigla akong pumasok. Sa pagpasok ko ayun, nagtititili na naman. Big guy na naman. Tapos tumakbo palabas, humihingi ng saklolo,” Bitoy laughs. “Humihingi ng saklolo sa staff namin. The best talaga.” Being a comedian means business and responsibility. Bitoy isn’t one to rest easy while his writers feed him scripts. He loves to get involved in the creative process. What inspires him and the rest of the Bitoy’s Funniest team? “Ang nag-iinspire sa amin are places. Minsan, 'Uy ang gandang lugar na ‘to ah. Pwede tayong gumawa ng prank dito. O kaya certain event na nangyari sa isang staff namin, isang writer namin.” Sometimes, the staff also uses actors as a springboard for their ideas. “Like nung kay Andrew Wolff. Na-inspire kami sa pagiging tough guy niya. So let’s try to scare somebody using Andrew Wolff. So ‘yun 'yung ginawa namin. Nanginig 'yung mama, nginig 'yung tuhod. Natakot siya. Tapos, involuntarily, gumagalaw 'yung lip na parang nangingiti-ngiti, pero takot na takot,” Michael relates. But not all of Bitoy’s pranks are successful. Sometimes, the victim doesn’t react as expected or realizes that he’s the subject of a prank. When that happens, the show’s staff changes the script. Some of his victims have even gotten mad at him! Bitoy tells of a segment of their “ultrasound” prank that never aired because the victim was so mad. “(May nag pa check-up ng liver. So inultra-sound ko, tapos lumabas ang finding may baby dun sa stomach niya. Sobrang hurt nung ego n’ya. Nakikipag-argue siya sa akin talaga na ‘Imposible ‘yan! Imposible ‘yan!’” “‘Hindi ho imposible ‘yan,’ sabi ko. ‘Medically nangyayari ho talaga ‘yan sa mga tribes ng Rowanda. Very common ‘yan, ang lalaki ang nabubuntis.’ Siguro sapul na sapul 'yung ego niya. Ang hirit niya pa eh, taga-(TV station) daw siya kaya, kaya ganoon. Sabi nung asawa (their accomplice), “Hindi naman, nagde-deliver lang ‘yan ng stuff sa (TV station). The man was so mad, not only did he refuse to have the segment aired, he didn’t speak to his wife for a week!" To Bitoy, unexpected happenings are all part of his job. It keeps everyone in the show on their toes. That’s part of the secret to the longevity of Bitoy’s Funniest Videos. It’s also what makes the audience not know what to expect! “Asahan nila na magkakaroon pa kami ng maraming celebrities. I mean, celebrities ginagamit namin as distraction,” Michael shares. “Kapag nalagay ka na sa isang situation at nakita mo 'yung celebrity na ‘yun, di mo na iisipin na may isa pang celebrity na nandoon. Ang pinaka-effective na gamit namin is 'yung kay Alyssa Alano. Actually, siya 'yung na-victimize namin. Akala niya siya 'yung accomplice.” Get your weekly dose of pranks and laughter every Saturday with Bitoy’s Funniest Videos! Who knows, one day, you just might find yourself in it! -- Text by Yvette U. Tan. Bitoy’s Funnest Videos airs Saturdays after Pinoy Pop Superstar.