‘Happy Yipee Yehey!’is not out to compete

WHEN ABS-CBN’s new noontime show airs tomorrow, it wouldn’t be doing so to replace, compete or, lure more viewers with big prizes and promises. Instead the new show entitled Happy Yipee Yehey! will seek to provide an entertaining variety show that will once again bring families and friends together during lunchtime.

The show will be hosted by four come backing veterans of noontime TV—John Estrada, Randy Santiago, Toni Gonzaga and Mariel Rodriguez, who promised viewers that they’ll give viewers nothing but pure fun.

During a press conference held at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN, the four hosts expressed their confidence and positive hopes for their new show. “Sa tulong ninyo siguradong magra-rate kami,” said Estrada.

“It’s a very basic variety show,” described Santiago.“Nandoon yung mga papremyo. Nandoon yung mga kantahan, etc., etc. Pero importante, gusto naming ibalik yung pamilya ang hitsura. Pamilya, barkada.”

Estrada echoed Santiago’s sentiments saying it’s going to be an exciting show.
“Wala pong hinahangad ang bagong noontime show na ito kung hindi magbigay
ng ligaya sa mga manonood. We will be having a lot of new and never before seen games on TV, and we’ll be going to the malls, supermarkets, and barangays to get surprise contestants.”

Gonzaga for her part said what they plan to do is offer an alternative to the audience, “If our main goal was to compete, walang mangyayari, instead what we are going to do is try to make people happy, help inspire them and mamigay na din ng pera along the way. Sabi ko nga, hindi mo naman puwedeng kalabanin ang isang institusyon. Thirty five years na ang Eat Bulaga! Walang puwedeng lumaban doon,” said Gonzaga, herself a former host of Eat Bulaga.

Each coming from fresh controversies, the four hosts likewise clarified several issues during the press conference.

Estrada, who was publicly criticized in a phone conversation aired on live TV by close friend Willie Revillame, said one of the conditions he and Santiago had before they accepted the show was that they were not going to do to it to hit back at their former friend. “Bago naming tinanggap ito ang dami namin pinagdaaan, kaya di naming gagawin to para kumalaban sa kanya. Hindi po kami nandito para kumalaban sa Eat Bulaga o kung kanino man.”

The two said they needed work and they only grabbed an opportunity when it presented itself. “Kung sumama man ang loob niya, humihingi kami ng pasensiya. Kailangan po naming magtra-baho dahil may buhay po kaming sarili at pamilyang sinusuportahan.”

Estrada clarified that they didn’t leave their former friend, saying that while they had talks of doing a show together nothing was certain, “In short, usapang barkada, it was ABS-CBN who first offered us something concrete.” Santiago said he feels their only fault was not telling Revillame of their decision immediately.
“We were hoping to tell Willie about this after his birthday.”

Since then, Estrada said, Revillame has cut his ties with them though he and Santiago are not giving up on their friendship. Estrada, Santiago, and Revillame used to host the noontime variety program Magandang Tanghali Bayan or MTB of ABS-CBN.

While their friendship remains on the rocks, their two other co-hosts Rodriguez and Gonzaga, recently mended theirs and said they had already settled their differences. Rodriguez also clarified that her husband Robin Padilla had no problems with her return to hosting a daily program, saying it was even Padilla who encouraged her to do so.

The hosts also revealed a lot of sacrifices that they had to make when they accepted the offer. Estrada said that when he first negotiated with ABS-CBN, he and Santiago asked that they still be allowed to do shows on TV5. “When Tita Cory [Vidanes] and Tita Linggit [Tan] [both ABS-CBN exectutives] talked to us, they said we had to leave Channel 5,” John said. “But I told them pasensiya na po, hindi ko puwedeng iwanan dahil sila ang nagbigay sa akin ng sitcom na matagal ko nang hinihingi dito [sa ABS-CBN].”

Estrada admitted he was quite hurt when he learned of the decision of TV5 to remove him from the cast of his sitcom. “Ang masakit lang po, e, noong ipinaglaban ko, bigla pong sinabi sa akin na aalisin na ako sa programang ‘yon.”

This prompted his resignation from his other program P.O.5.

TV5 was also supposed to have the exclusive rights to cover John’s wedding, but because of the development, he decided to transfer it to ABS-CBN instead.

Asked if they felt that Revillame was power tripping when he lambasted John on air, and said their new show would not do well in the ratings, Estrada thought for a moment before answering, “Power tripping? Ang dami pong nagsabi sa akin na ‘yong ginawa niyang ‘yon, e, power tripping. Pero ang sagot ko naman diyan na totoo, baka sa akin po hindi. Nag-react lang siya bilang kaibigan.”

Were they offended by Revillame’s actions? Estrada said,”Hindi n’yo kasi naiintindihan ang pagkakaibigan namin.’ Ang isang tunay na kaibigan, [tanggap] ang pagkabastos mo at ang pagkabuti mo.”

Gonzaga on the other hand, said that the movie she was supposed to do with Vic Sotto was also canceled, although she did not say if it had anything to do with her hosting a rival show.

Meanwhile, to add more color to the show, Happy Yipee Yehey! will also be hosted by Pinoy Big Brother Double Up grand winner Melai Cantiveros, 2009 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Bianca Manalo, Bentong, Internet sensation Jobert and guest hosts Sam Milby and Matteo Guidicelli.

With the entry of Happy Yipee Yehey! ABS-CBN once again completes a formidable lineup of noontime shows, as Showtime returns to its original timeslot at 10 a.m.
Catch the grandest pilot of HYY! live from the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on February 12.