Boy Abunda condemns 'Machong Chismisan' podcast hosts over remarks about Kris Aquino's son Josh

Boy Abunda condemned the hosts of comedy podcast “Machong Chismisan” after a clip of them making fun of Josh Aquino, the son of Kris Aquino, and his disability circulated online.

On Wednesday’s episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the Kapuso host condemned the remarks, describing them as cruel and hurtful to Josh and other people with disabilities (PWDs) and their families.

“This is very difficult for me, friends. Because where do I even start? It makes me angry,” Boy said in a mix of Filipino and English.

The controversy stemmed from a now-deleted episode of “Machong Chismisan” titled “Ang Pagbabalik Ni Kris Aquino,” in which one of the hosts, Tito P, compared Josh with his younger brother, Bimby.

“Bimby is such a good son. Josh is useless,” Tito P said in Filipino.

Another host, RJ Carbonell, then mentioned an alleged daily school allowance of P3,000 for Josh.

“Isn't Josh's daily school allowance supposedly P3,000 a day?” RJ said.

Tito P responded, “And then he just sits there doing nothing.”

Meanwhile, co-host Lawrence Vivar remarked, “Guys, we're calling Tito P out. That's a bit of a low blow. That’s Down."

The other hosts were heard laughing during the exchange.

Boy defends Josh

Reacting to the clip, Boy questioned how the podcast hosts could make such remarks about a person with a disability.

“I will admit, I didn't watch the whole show. But I will watch it after the show. As I watched this clip, I couldn't understand how this bunch of podcasters, who seem intelligent and educated, could make such cruel comments,” he said.

Boy also took issue with the comparison between Josh and Bimby, stressing that Josh is a beloved member of the Aquino family.

“You know, what hurts is that he was being compared to Bimb. ‘Just sitting there doing nothing, useless,’ and you're talking about a young man with a disability. You're talking about a special boy,” he said. “Just to shed a little light on the matter, Josh is deeply loved by the Aquino family. Kris loves Josh very much. Josh is also deeply loved by the former president, President Noy Aquino.”

Boy recalled visiting Kris in the United States and shared what he remembered about Josh's role at home.

“Do you know what Josh's job or assignment was? At the start of each day, he would gather everyone in the house and lead the prayer,” Boy said. “Josh is not useless. What you did was wrong.”

Boy added that the remarks were painful not only for the Aquino family but also for families raising children with disabilities.

“What you did goes against both God's law and human law. It is deeply painful. It is deeply painful not only for the family, but also for all families, children and parents whose children have disabilities,” he said.

Boy cites law on PWDs

Boy also raised the possibility of legal action against the podcast hosts, citing Republic Act No. 9442, which amended the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.

“If Kris were to ask me, we haven't had a chance to speak about this, but I would tell her to go to court. Sue them,” he said.

Boy cited the law's prohibition on certain acts of ridicule and vilification against persons with disabilities in public places, including through public amusement and entertainment.

He also mentioned penalties of imprisonment and fines, although the application of the law and any potential liability would depend on the circumstances and legal proceedings.

He called on the public to discuss the incident and use it as an opportunity to raise awareness about disability.

“Congratulations. You got everybody's attention. And this doesn't end here. This should be studied. We should react. We should discuss this so that more people can become aware,” he said.

Boy ended his remarks by expressing his support for Josh.

“I am sorry for what happened to Josh. I love you, Josh, if you're watching. I saw him grow up. He's a fine young man. He's a good boy.”

Aside from Boy, fashion designer Michael Leyva also spoke out against the podcast hosts, expressing support for Josh in a social media statement.

“I just found out that there's a video circulating online of these grown men making fun of Kuya Joshua Aquino,” the Filipino designer said on Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

He criticized the hosts for making Josh and his disability the subject of their discussion.

“Making Kuya Josh the subject of your so-called ‘Machong Chismisan’ podcast and mocking his disability is not something that I or any of us should simply let slide,” he said.

Leyva described Josh as a kind and intelligent person who deserves support rather than ridicule.

“Kuya Josh is a genuinely kind and intelligent person who deserves all the love and support this world has to offer, not the hurtful words you used to make fun of him,” he added. “It is not funny, and it will never be funny.”

Leyva also pointed out that removing the video would not necessarily end the controversy.

“The internet keeps receipts. Good luck,” he said.

The Pod Network, 'Machong Chismisan' issue apology

Following the backlash, The Pod Network, the producer of “Machong Chismisan,” issued a statement apologizing for the remarks and acknowledging concerns raised by listeners.

“We have received concerns from listeners about remarks made about a person with a disability in a recent episode of Machong Chismisan. We take these concerns seriously,” the statement said.

“Persons with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals deserve dignity and respect, and that includes how they are talked about on our shows. We are sorry for the hurt this has caused.”

It said that the views expressed by its creators do not necessarily reflect its own, but acknowledged its responsibility as the platform distributing the show.

“Our creators speak in their own voices, and their views do not reflect those of the network. But as the platform that carries their shows, we should still be mindful of what we share with the public,” it said.

The Pod Network confirmed that the episode had been taken down while it reviewed how it was published.

It also said it was strengthening its processes and formalizing editorial guidelines for all its shows, particularly on topics involving disability, mental health, minors, family members of public figures and other sensitive subjects.

“Machong Chismisan” also released a public statement confirming that it had removed Season 29, Episode 20, which was published on October 5.

The podcast said it had been running since 2014, with the goal of making its hosts, guests, and listeners laugh.

However, it acknowledged that some of the remarks in the deleted episode were inappropriate.

“It has since become clear to us that some remarks made during the deleted episode were inexcusably insensitive and hurtful,” the statement read. “To prevent any further harm to all parties involved, we have removed the episode and ceased to publicize clips pertaining to it.”

The podcast apologized to those offended by the episode, the PWD community and the people mentioned in the discussion. It also said it would reach out privately to those involved to determine how it could make amends.

Moving forward, the show said it would be more careful in reviewing its episodes and addressing potentially hurtful remarks in real time.

The statement was signed by host Makoy Pare.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA News