Television and Production Exponents, Inc. (TAPE, Inc.) President Romeo "Jon" N. Jalosjos Jr. has come out to reveal he was the one who did not allow "Eat Bulaga!" to go live on television a few days ago.
But why?
In an interview with PEP, Jon shared what prompted him to give the order.
A day before May 31, they were told that the show's three main hosts tito sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, will do "something" live on television.
Jon said one of the wives of the hosts teased about it online, hinting on a "big announcement."
On May 31, his sister Soraya called him about Tito's sudden appearance in the studio as with murmurings from staff.
"So I told her to go inside the dressing room. She was not allowed to go inside the dressing room," Jon shared.
"So I told her: 'Cut. Do not make it live.' For one reason and one reason only because I was in Dapitan at that time and I want to continue the negotiation if ever (so) we can salvage it," Jon added.
According to Jon, prior to that, he's been negotiating with Tito, Vic, and Joey, and the show's other hosts in behalf of their family.
"We've been negotiating back and forth about the changes and our entry to the family or to the management of 'Eat Bulaga!' I tried, we tried to meet in the middle and to the point that everybody agreed already," he said.
As to the need for "change," Jon explained, "Times change. Hindi natin maiiwasan na tatanda at tatanda tayo. At yung nakasanayan natin pwede nating dagdagan para mag-improve. So yun naman ang layunin ng kumpanya kaya kami pumasok - continuity, number one."
Jon noted how such is a given in any business.
"Lahat naman po ng kumpanya ay nagpaplano po para paano mag-survive ang kumpanya, not just for us but for the entire company especially yung mga nag-uumpisa pa lang," he said. "We have to think of that, dad is getting old - the chairman. Tito Tony also is getting old. Everybody - wala namang nakakatakas sa edad. What we want is a smooth (transistion) sana na prepare lang tayo. Hindi namin kayo gustong tanggalin. Yun yung rason kung bakit kami pumasok."
Jon related there was "resistance" to the plan.
"Natural naman siguro na magkaroon ng resistance kasi 44 years namin sila kasama. So medyo nagkaroon siguro ng resistance, so nagkaroon ng negotiation. So we agreed upon the negotiations. Not all 100 percent na bigay, it's natural in negotiation, you will not get 100 percent what you want."
So how does he feel when TVJ went live on social media to announce their departure from their production company?
"Well ako, I was really sad din cause siyempre I was working for the negotiations. I was the one who was there talking to them, hearing them out and telling them also - trying to meet in the middle that the company wants to implement change and what they want to retain," he said. "I'm saddened. I was really: 'Wow, sayang yung pagod. Sayang yung sana na-continue namin ito. Sayang.' Nanghihinayang ako."
Asked if Tony was on board relating their plans, Jon shared: "Well, he didn't say directly but he did not say against siya. He was there (during) the negotiation. He was the one who's advising me what to do."
Jon sharded how he asked Tony to talk to Tito for a "cease-fire" after the latter did an interview.
"Remember after nilang magsalita ang titindi ng sinabi nila. Narinig niyo ba kaming magsalita? Narinig niyo ba ako, ni once, nagsalita? This is the first time. I did respect kung ano yung ginagawa naming negotiations cause sayang yung target naming 50 years or beyond," he said.
"Malaki ang respeto ko sa kanila, 44 years na parang pamilya ang turing namin sa kanila. Hindi ko na problema kung ang turing nila sa amin ay iba. Ang turing namin sa kanila is part ng family namin. 44 years is not a joke. Alam namin habang bata: 'Sa production namin yan, Tito namin yan, Bossing namin yan, Idol namin yan.' Yun ang tingin namin sa kanila. I don't know kung anong tingin nila sa amin, I think only them can tell you kung anong tingin nila sa amin - pamilya ba, kasama ba, kasi siyempre sa amin kinukuha yung pang gastos, sila yung nagpapaandar ng show, di ba yun ang pamilya?"
He revealed that Tito, Vic and Joey asked them to let the show reach its 50th year and they will retire thereafter.
Jon agreed but asked them to help with the transition by introducing new hosts, new segments, and such.