Bubble Gang creators on how they've retained audiences for 25 years: 'Relevance and humor'

Keeping a show running for over 25 years isn't an easy feat, so how is "Bubble Gang" doing it?

"Relevance and humor," Michael V. said in an interview on The Howie Severino Podcast.

"Kasi as long as you tackle what's happening around you, kahit sa paraan ng pagpapatawa, you still get to be relevant and funny at the same time and people will still want to hang around, I guess," he added.

In fact, Bitoy said that so long as they cater to the audience that looks forward to what they're cooking up every week, they could still stay on air "for some time pa."

Writer-director Caesar Cosme said they continue to remain sensitive to what's going on around them.

"Dapat hindi mamatay 'yun kahit may COVID ka. Buhay na buhay pa rin 'yung sense of smell, sense of touch, of hearing. Sensitive ka lang," he said.

He added that he'd actually long since made a habit of people-watching, taking inspiration from real life people's lives instead of movies.

"Ang pinanonood ko lang buhay ng Pilipino. Ako, ganu'n lang ako. Hindi ako mahilig manood ng movies," he said.

"Manonood ako Netflix, mga history lang. Hindi ako masyado nanood ng comedy shows. Hindi ako mahilig magbasa. Tamad akong magbasa," he added.

His problem these days is that due to COVID-19, he's been locked up indoors, and so have been other people.

Bitoy meanwhile has been taking inspiration from "life itself."

Recalling his bout with the highly infectious disease, he said, "Kasi nu'ng nagka-COVID nga ako, parang feeling ko mamamatay na ako, e. And I know a lot of people na nawala na and 'yung desire nila to stay longer pa sana kaya lang hindi na nga mangyari dahil du'n sa pandemya."

"So parang gusto ko na lang magpasaya ng tao kasi parang magiging masaya ako when I do that, e, when I make people smile, when I make them laugh. Ang trust ko talaga, ang driving force ko ngayon is to make people happy," he added.

Bitoy then reiterated Bubble Gang's "secret formula."

"So kagaya nu'ng sinabi ko kanina, 'yung secret formula ng Bubble Gang staying power - 'yung relevance and 'yung humor. 'Yun na lang," he said. "Basta maging relevant ka ru'n sa mga pagpapatawa mo, I'm pretty sure ma-appreciate ng mga taong nanonood sa 'yo."—JCB, GMA News