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Willing Willie goes off air as its host attacks celebrity critics


Facing public outrage and rapidly losing commercial sponsors, television host Willie Revillame is considering leaving the industry while announcing that his popular but embattled variety program Willie Willie will go off the air for the next two weeks. In Friday night's episode of "Willing Willie," the 50-year-old Revillame announced he would be taking a break to decide whether he will remain in TV. "Hanggang ngayon na lang po ako dito sa Willing Willie. Magpapahinga po ako, hindi po ako nagpapaalam... Starting Monday po, next week hanggang Holy Week, pag-iisipan ko pong mabuti kung ako po'y babalik pa sa industriyang ito. Bigyan niyo lang po ako ng pagkakataon at pagiisipan ko po ito," he said. Willie insults fellow celebrities Revillame then went on to attack his celebrity critics. In an emotional 24-minute monologue on the show, he named the personalities who had spoken out against him on Twitter, asking them if they had done anything for the country. "Kapwa tayo artista, nakagawa ba kayo ng tulong? Nagbigay ba kayo sa Bantay Bata ng isang milyon? Nagbigay ba kayo?" he said. "Jim Paredes ng Apo, Leah Salonga, Aiza Seguerra, magpakalalake ka. Tandaan mo yan. Bata ka pa hindi ba, nagtatrabaho ka na. Hindi ba? Hindi ba exploitation yan. Mag-isip ka. Tingnan niyo muna sarili niyo bago kayo magsalita. Agot Isidro. Wala ka namang anak eh bakit mo ako gaganyanin? Alamin mo muna. Bianca Gonzalez akala niyo kung sino kayo. May natulungan ba kayong mga mahihirap?" said Revillame, who also mentioned Leah Navarro, Tuesday Vargas, K Brosas and Mylene Dizon. A few of his targets tweeted their reactions to the rant. Jim Paredes, a former member of the now-defunct Apo music trio, said: "How can a laos, old, over-the-hill guy like me destroy a sikat, powerful, rich Superstar like Willie? He did it all by himself." Lea Salonga chose not to hit back: "Just got bombarded by a slew of tweets. To those who tweeted kind words of support, thanks. Much appreciated. And last I checked, it's actually a right of every person in this country to express an opinion, good or bad. We live in a democracy, and I'm grateful." Agot Isidro replied with lyrics from Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," tweeting, "Coz I am beautiful in every single way, words can't bring me down..." While Aiza Seguerra has not directly responded to Revillame's tirade, her supporters on Facebook were quick to defend her. "Aiza has done benefit shows & outreach programs but she doesn't brag about it because HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TRULY doesn't need to be broadcast & bragged about. Please try to research first before you start lambasting the person..." posted Gia Terry on the singer's fanpage. Revillame repeatedly challenged his critics to do something for the country. "Nagbigay ako ng kalahating milyon, nang umuwi lang dito yung OFWs na walang ano sa Lebanon. Nagbigay po ako...binabanggit ko ba sa inyo yan. 'Di ba? meron bang gumagawa niyan? Kung may gumagawa man, mabuti. Magsama-sama tayo. Huwag niyo akong dikdikin. Hindi ako masamang tao. Ang hangad ko lang magpasaya at makatulong sa mgamahihirap," he said. Revillame also stressed that the show had not been suspended, even though it is currently being investigated by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). According to Revillame, Willing Willie avoided suspension after its lawyers showed the MTRCB performances on Going Bulilit and Showtime featuring dancers wearing skimpy clothing, with moves similar to Jan-Jan's. But MTRCB chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares asserted on the regulatory body's web site that its deliberations the program were not finished. Hearings were called after the MTRCB received numerous complaints about the show after video of a crying six-year-old boy circulated on the Internet showing him being egged on by Willie to gyrate like a macho dancer. The MTRCB will constitute a new Hearing and Adjudication Committee for the case after TV5 lawyers raised the issue of alleged bias of the Chairman and three members of the committee, who later inhibited themselves. Singer Leah Navarro and lawyers Eric Mallonga and Eugenio Villareal will no longer be on the panel, after TV5 lawyers argued they have close links or relationships with ABS-CBN, which is involved in legal disputes with TV5 and Willie Revillame. [See: Willing Willie lawyers attack MTRCB for bias] In the meantime, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Del Monte Pacific Ltd., CDO Foodsphere Inc., Cebuana Lhullier Pawnshop and Unilever have pulled out their advertisements from Willing Willie. Revillame has said that the show will go on with or without advertisers, although he did not explain how he will sustain his cash and prize giveaways to mostly impoverished game contestants without ad revenues. "Kahit po sakripisyo ko na ang sweldo ko. Yun po ang bibigay kong papremyo at kasama ko po ang TV5. Tutuloy po namin... kahit wala kaming commercial kahit inabandona kami ng mga commercial. Kahit walang isang commercial, tutuloy po namin to. Ang amin pong purpose pagbigay ng saya at pagasa," he said. — LBG/HS, GMA News

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