JOSE Manalo, Wally Bayola and Paolo Ballesteros are continuously proving that their wit and comedic chemistry go beyond Eat, Bulaga! as they headline their own talk show and top billing a new movie project.
For over a month now, the three television hosts/comedians, collectively known as JoWaPao to their millions of fans, are reliving their Kalyeserye days as they put on once again Tidora, Nidora and Tinidora’s quirky outfits armed with the characters’ old-aged humor in late morning program The Lolas’ Beautiful Show.
Airing weekdays before Eat, Bulaga!, the viewers are treated to 30 minutes of fun talk about life and love and everything in between.
“The show, in a way, is an extension of what we’ve done in Kalyeserye. Same characters but here, we try to interact with different people from all ages. What we really offer is pure fun and laughter every morning to all dabarkads. We also try to impart life lessons to the viewers,” said Bayola.
Admittedly, The Lolas’ Beautiful Show came as a big surprise for all three of them. Ballesteros revealed they were only given two weeks to prepare for their pilot episode, which aired on Sept. 25.
He added that even with the success of Kalyeserye and their regular appearances in Eat, Bulaga, it never dawned on them that they would someday have their own program.
“We’re very happy with this opportunity but at the same time, we feel that we have bigger responsibility to the audience. We try to study everything. We discuss what we’ll feature in every episode because we only want to give them the best. It’s not every day that the bosses will gift you something this big,” he says.
Manalo is thankful. Two years since the three lolas were introduced in the Kalyeserye segment of “Juan for All, All for Juan,” viewers are still hooked on their characters.
“This is no ordinary talk show because it’s not often that you’ll see three men dressed up as our beloved grandmothers. But we’re grateful for the love and support shown not only by the viewers, but also by our Eat, Bulaga! family.”
Right now, the three are grateful for the same support from moviegoers for their first major film together entitled Trip Ubusan: The Lolas vs Zombies produced by APT Entertainment and M-ZET TV Production, Incorporated.
In the said flick, JoWaPao are still in their lola costumes, but this time fending off zombies with co-stars Miggy Tolentino, Kenneth Medrano, Caprice Cayetano, Shaira Mae Dela Cruz, Taki Saito, Arthur Solinap, Angelika dela Cruz, and Ryzza Mae Dizon.
“This project is different from Kalyeserye and Lolas Beautiful Show’because this is an action/adventure movie. We’ve never done one together,” Bayola explained. “They will see our characters’ personal adventures and we want to show through this movie that despite the age, our grandparents still have that sense of adventure in them,” Manalo added.
Meanwhile, in spite of their busy schedule, appearing daily in The Lolas’ Beautiful Show and Eat, Bulaga! and busy promoting their movie, the three said they wouldn’t wish it any other way.
They all agreed that it’s not like work when you’re having fun.
“We work every day but we don’t complain about it because we like what we do. We love our job and the people we work with. We’re just grateful for the outpouring of love from everyone,” Ballesteros said.
As for those comments that they could be the next well-loved trio, TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon), the three said that they still have a long way to go.
“Madami pa kaming kakainin na bigas,” says Bayola.
Manalo added that whatever joke they come up with, the style of hosting they’ve adopted over the years and the way they interact with the audience, these are all products of years of training and guidance of TVJ.
“We’re happy and flattered when we hear that, but we are far behind. No one can surpass what TVJ have achieved over the years and what they are continuously contributing to the industry. What we can only do is be inspired by them and to remember why we are working in front of the camera – to provide entertainment for everyone,” he ended.