From creating satirical content online to finding her place in television and acting, Pipay admits that her journey into mainstream entertainment came with surprises, adjustments and even controversy.

In a candid conversation on “Think Talk Tea,” the content creator and actress opened up about the backlash she experienced after her political satire during the 2022 presidential election season, as well as the challenges she encountered when she began working in television.

Pipay recalled making humorous content about personalities involved in the campaign, including Toni Gonzaga. She clarified that her jokes were rooted in the political developments at the time rather than a personal conflict with the television host.

“Wala akong pinangalanan. Ngayon, si Ms. Toni, wala naman akong narinig na anything from her,” Pipay said.

Her decision to venture into political satire, however, came with consequences. According to Pipay, some brands distanced themselves from her because they did not want to be associated with the political discussion surrounding her content.

The bigger impact came from social media users. She remembered being subjected to harsh comparisons and watching her TikTok following drop dramatically.

“Umabot pa sa point na meron silang live viewing ng pagbaba ng followers ko sa TikTok,” she recalled, saying she lost roughly 500,000 followers during the controversy.

Instead of hiding from the numbers, Pipay said she watched the decline herself while vacationing in Quezon and even managed to laugh about how quickly the count was changing.

Years after that heated period, Pipay has expanded beyond the online world that introduced her to audiences.

She recalled one of her earliest television experiences on “Wish Ko Lang,” where entering the wardrobe area gave her an unexpected introduction to how productions worked. During her first taping, she said clothes were simply tossed her way, leaving her initially surprised by the treatment.

By her next assignment, she knew what to expect and arrived better prepared. She later noticed a striking difference in how she was accommodated once her profile had grown, joking that she was suddenly being treated like a “princess.”

But adjusting to acting itself was another challenge.

Pipay admitted that becoming a television actress was never part of a carefully mapped-out dream. When opportunities arrived, she accepted them even while questioning whether she had the skills to succeed.

“Personally and honestly, hindi ko talaga pangarap ang maging nasa TV. In-open lang talaga ’yung opportunity for me,” she shared.

Her experience deepened when she was offered a role in “Black Rider.” Rather than viewing the project as proof that she had already made it as an actress, Pipay approached it as work and another opportunity to learn.

Being on a professional set eventually gave her a different appreciation of the entertainment industry. She discovered that television was not simply about the celebrities audiences see onscreen but also about the directors, camera operators, production staff and countless crew members working behind the scenes.

In fact, Pipay said some of the relationships she treasures most were formed with production workers rather than fellow stars.

“Mas close ko pa ’yung mga cameraman, clapper, at art department kaysa sa mga artista, kasi sila ’yung mga tunay na tao,” she said.

From losing hundreds of thousands of followers amid political controversy to navigating her first awkward days on a television set, Pipay’s transition has been anything but conventional. What began as an unexpected opportunity has gradually introduced her to an entirely different side of entertainment—and to the people behind the cameras who helped make that new world feel like home.