GMA stars show why it’s the best time ever

The TV mainstays who turned up at the recent launch of GMA's new campaign, "Basta't Sama Sama… Best Time Ever," expressed to the audience at the network's Studio 6 how fun it is for them to be together as one group.

Dingdong Dantes, who hosts the game show Family Feud (Monday to Friday, 5:40 p.m.) and the informative program Amazing Earth (Friday, 9:45 p.m.), led the show of camaraderie with some cast members of the comedy shows Bubble Gang (Sunday, 6 p.m.), Pepito Manaloto and Running Man Philippines: Season 2 (starting 11 May).

"Best time ever na magkakasama kami dito ngayon," Dantes exclaimed. "Mahalagang bagay na hindi ka lang mag-isa, e. Magkakasama kayo. Sine-celebrate natin hindi lang isa, pero napakaraming shows ng GMA (Best time ever that we're together here now. It's important that you're not alone. We're together. We celebrate not just one but many shows on GMA)."

The network's prized talent went on sharing how much he enjoys hosting both his regular shows. "Kakaiba ang energy. May walo kang bagong nakikilala at natututo sa kanila at nage-enjoy ka. 'Yun ang pinakamahalaga," he said of the Philippine edition of the global franchise show, Family Feud (It gives a different kind of energy. You meet eight new people and you learn from them, and you enjoy. That's the most important thing).

Dantes feels the same way for Amazing Earth, especially since it will have Michael V as a special guest. Michael V, also called by his nickname Bitoy, is set to show more of his "adventurer side" than his usual comedic persona in Bubble Gang and Pepito Manaloto. He was unable to attend the GMA event, but he sent a video greeting as some of his castmates made good representation of the shows.

Bubble Gang's longtime cast members Betong, Chariz Solomon and Paolo Contis all agreed that the secret to the 27-year-old gag-sketch show's longevity is its creative team, led by Michael V as a pioneering actor and, at some point, creative director.

Betong pointed out, "Naga-adapt din sa napapanahon. Kailangan kasi marunong ka ring mag-pivot." (We adapt to the times. You really need to know how to pivot.) Concurring, Solomon added, "Malaking factor ang relevance. Kaya may mga reinforcement kami from the youth (Being relevant is also a big factor, that's why we have reinforcement from the youth)."

Solomon was referring to the newer and younger members of the gang, including Edgar Allan Guzman and Cheska Fausto. The established comedienne explained, "Kasi hindi natin sila maintindihan minsan (Because we don't understand the youth sometimes). We learn from them as well. We ask from them, they ask from us."

Fausto, who's under GMA's talent management agency, replied, "Nang sumama ako sa Sparkle, di ko in-expect na mapupunta ako sa comedy. Naging very comfortable ako sa cast ng Bubble Gang. Marami akong natututunan (When I joined Sparkle, I didn't expect I'd be put in comedy. I became very comfortable with the cast of Bubble Gang. I learn a lot from them)."

Contis also shared his thoughts on the top-rating show, where he usually provides the spicier kind of jokes. "Nang maging Sunday [timeslot] kami, mas naging bata ang audience namin, naging family-oriented…[They said] Tanggalin natin ang bastos. Paano si Paolo? Nag-adapt ako (When we were moved to the Sunday timeslot, our audience became younger and it became family-oriented. Let's take out the cheeky part. How about Paolo? I adapted to the situation).

"Ang sikreto ng Bubble Gang, kung ano ang gusto ng tao, 'yun ang binibigay namin. Kahit paano may mga luma, pero ina-adapt mo ang bago (The secret of Bubble Gang is we give what the people want. We still retain some jokes from the past, but we adapt with the new).

The other shows included in the campaign are iBilib (Sunday morning), Fast Talk with Boy Abunda (Monday to Friday, 4:50 p.m.) and The Boobay and Tekla Show (Sunday night).