It’s been months since “Kalyeserye” —the phenomenal segment on GMA 7’s noontime show Eat Bulaga—was seen on television.
The last “Kalyeserye’’ episode, which aired in December, saw Maine Mendoza as Yaya Dub and Alden Richards as Bae Alden introduce their twins Charmaine and Richard.
And it seems the story isn’t over yet. Fans of the show in the United States were able to see the “Kalyeserye” crew back in action via KS sa US (Kalyeserye sa US featuring AlDub and the Lolas at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles on April 9 and at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York on April 12.
Jenny Ferre, senior vice-president for creatives and operations of TAPE, Inc, said the shows in LA and New York serve as a continuation of the “Kalyeserye” story.
Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros also joined Maine and Alden in the shows.
“We decided it’s about time to meet the fans abroad naman. Perfect timing lang yun. Okay si Alden, okay si Maine, okay ang mga Lola. Para naman makalabas sila at makita sila ng fans abroad,” Ferre said, adding that Eat Bulaga has been getting requests and offers for them to do shows outside the country since the “Kalyeserye” became a hit in 2015.
She further explained, “Hindi siya repeat lang ng ‘Kalyeserye’ sa Eat Bulaga. Ang istorya nun is the continuation of the ‘Kalyeserye’.”
True to the “Kalyeserye”’s innovative and genre-bending nature, the two US shows were not alike.
“Iba yung nangyari sa Los Angeles, iba yung nangyari sa New York,” Ferre said, explaining that the New York show was the continuation of the show in Los Angeles.
“So, kung saan man kami damputin, yun yung kasunod ng istoryang yun,” she added.
“It’s a chill show. Gusto lang namin tumawa sila. Ganun lang. The shows were done several months after walang ‘Kalyeserye.’ Sila yung unang nakakita na nagsama yung tatlong lola at si Alden and Maine and yung kambal. May mga bagong Rogelio — kasi nga ang mga lola nasa abroad so dapat imported ang mga Rogelio.”
That was also the first time Maine had joined an Eat Bulaga show abroad — as Yaya Dub, no less. “Noong una, reluctant pa siya. She’s not sure if she can handle the crowd. A show abroad kasi is a like a concert. But kayang-kaya, ang galing naman niya,” Ferre said.
Both the shows in Los Angeles and New York were sold out and delighted the fans from all walks of life.
“Ang ganda. Tuwang-tuwa kami. Nakaka-miss ang ‘Kalyeserye,’ promise. Miss na miss namin ang mga Lola saka si Alden at saka si Maine. Naging therapy ng mommy ko yan sa Pilipinas. Kasi nung pagkamatay ng father ko, naging therapy ng mommy ko ang AlDub. Kaya feel na feel ko ang ‘Kalyeserye.’ Bumiyahe pa kami ng five hours from Arizona,” said a Kalyeserye fan who watched the show in Los Angeles.
“They (Richards and Mendoza) are down to earth, they’re not fake. There’s something about them that I can’t describe it,” said a fan from San Diego, California who saw the New York show with her parents.
“Nakakapagbigay siya ng saya from all ages, mula bata hanggang matanda. Yung misis ko nga, I turned her into a monster! Ako ang unang nanood tapos pinanood ko sa kanya,” a Filipino couple in Los Angeles said, noting that they watch old episodes of “Kalyeserye” until now.
Richards was happy he was able to share the stage with Mendoza and the Lolas again in the US.
“In a way, nakaka-miss ang Kalyeserye. Tapos nagawa namin siya dun, nakita ulit naming yung mga sarili namin as Kalyeserye characters. Nakakatuwa, nakaka-miss pala,” he said.
More than the return of “Kalyeserye,” albeit on a different medium, the Eat Bulaga mainstays were thankful and happy to have been able to perform for the Dabarkads in the US.
“Iba kasi yung dating ng Eat Bulaga abroad to the Filipino viewers, especially sa mga OFWs. Ramdam mo talaga na yung craving nila for local artists from the Philippines to perform abroad is very huge,” he said.
He added, “Big deal sa kanila na nag-show kami doon. They’re very lively, madali silang makibagay sa nangyayari. I mean, yung focus nung audience dun, kuha ng mga hosts. So, ang sarap mag-perform.”
“Surprisingly, maraming matanda at maraming bata. They have many stories to tell. Kinukwento nila kung paano naging stress reliever sa kanila ang ‘Kalyeserye.’ Kahit yung mga foreigner na asawa nila, nanood din! Maraming bumiyahe from other states, merong nag-drive ng four hours just to see them. It was overwhelming,” Ferre said.
But is there a chance the phenomenal ‘‘Kalyeserye’’ will return on television again?
Ferre said the ‘‘Kalyeserye’’ is definitely “not dead.” “Andyan lang siya sa tabi.”
“There’s a possibility that it could happen on TV again. Maybe a new twist, a new story, or we bring back the Lolas again. It depends on our gut feel e, kung pwedeng ibalik. Or it could be a monthly special, a weekly special,” she said.
