"Prior to the official announcement that I will be taking over Game KNB?, I kept one of her messages as a reminder that I have to do good. She said in a text message, 'I am leaving the show in good hands. Please take care of my baby.' That's what I intend to do," says Edu Manzano about his predecessor, Kris Aquino.

Noel Orsal

Edu Manzano officially takes over Kris Aquino's hosting in "Pilipinas, Game KNB?"

Ricky Calderon

Wednesday, June 13, 2007
05:14 PM

Pormal nang kinumpirma ng ABS-CBN ang pagtatalaga kay Edu Manzano bilang permanenteng host ng game show na Pilipinas, Game KNB? sa isang press conference na ginawa kaninang tanghali, June 13, sa 14th Floor ng ABS-CBN. Si Edu ang pumalit kay Kris Aquino, na naging host ng nasabing programa for 705 episodes.

"I am very happy with the show. I am working with a wonderful group of people, lahat ng bumubuo ng production staff. And I am really enjoying myself with the show," pahayag ni Edu nang makapanayam ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).

Marami ang nagpahayag ng kasiyahan nang malaman na si Edu na ang magiging opisyal na host ng Game KNB?. Napakanatural kasi ng pagiging komedyante ni Edu at malakas ang karisma niya sa masa kaya hindi siya nahirapang panatilihin ang mataas na rating ng show.

Mga two months din daw pinag-isipan ng staff ng show kung sino ang kanilang kukunin na kapalit ni Kris. Ito ang naging pahayag ni Ms. Alou Almaden, ang Business Unit Head ng Game KNB?.

Nakatrabaho na raw niya before si Edu sa Magandang Tanghali Bayan. Wala raw siyang ibang maisip na host na puwedeng pumalit kay Kris kundi si Edu. Alam ni Ms. Alou na kaya ni Edu ang mag-deliver ng mechanics of the game in a precise way.

"He has the authority and I also know he can really relate to the contestants," pahayag ni Ms. Alou.

EDU'S FIRST TIME. Ikinuwento ni Edu na hindi man lang siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na i-rehearse ang show bago siya isalang dito. Nalaman niya na he was going to do the show two days bago siya mag-taping.

"Mahal ko si Kris," pauna ni Edu. "Inaanak ko ang anak niya [Joshua] pero 'yong kanyang programa was falling doon sa oras ng trabaho ko [as Optical Media Board Chairman]. Hindi ko ito napapanood, then nakatanggap ako ng tawag from Alou kung puwede na ako mag-taping. Basta sila raw ang bahala sa akin. Isang run-through lang. "

Hindi akalain ni Edu na masyadong technical ang takbo ng programa at dahil sa kapalpakan niya sa umpisa—dahil hindi siya aware how the show goes—inamin naman niya na talagang nahirapan siya sa simula. Pero naging patient naman daw ang staff sa kanya and they stuck with him. Mas naging casual din ang dating ng kanyang pagho-host nang maisip ng staff na casual attire na lang ang isuot niya, imbes na formal attire.

EDU AS A HOST. Halos lahat na raw ay nagawa na ni Edu—hosting, action, drama, sexy, comedy—at naniniwala raw siya na kailangang maging very, very good host.

"Pero ang bumubuhay ng programa ay ang konsepto pa rin. Siyempre nariyan ang tulong ng magaling na production staff to come up with a good show," wika ni Edu, who once hosted the Philippine franchise of The Weakest Link.

As a host, alam ni Edu na isa sa kanyang objective ay para mapangiti ang mga contestants, to make them happy, bukod sa bigyan sila ng possible chance to become millionaires. Alam daw niya na he'd surely pale in comparison kung iisipin how Kris handled Game KNB? kaya kailangan umisip sila ng ibang paraan to give the show a different flavor. Binago nila ang konsepto ng game show.

"I would do anything to please the audience depende sa circumstances," sabi ni Edu, na in his short stint sa show ay may nanalo ng P1 million. Kaya nga nagagawa niyang makipagbiruan sa mga contestants, na nakikipagbiruan o kaya'y nakikipag-asaran din sa kanya.

On the average ay na-retain naman daw ng show ang mataas na rating nito since Edu took over. Ang isang napuna nila ay nag-improve ang rating nila sa suburbs at mas dumami ang mga male viewers.

"I enjoy myself sa show. Kahit na anong pagod ko sa pag-interview, I don't get tired. Pero once sinabi ng staff na ‘Pack-up na, let's go home,' ay wala na. Doon ko na nararamdaman ang pagod. It's not physical exhaustion. It's mental exhaustion," sabi pa ng TV host-actor.

EDU & KRIS. Humingi ba si Edu ng advice kay Kris when he learned na siya ang papalit sa kanya?

"Kris never offered me advice, pero nang aking mabalitaan na ako ang magti-take over, I texted her. She's my kumare. I texted her and she texted me back. We were texting at the height of a moment in her life that I didn't expect she'd text me back.

"Prior to the official announcement that I will be taking over Game KNB? I kept one of her messages as a reminder that I have to do good. She said in a text message, 'I am leaving the show in good hands. Please take care of my baby.' That's what I intend to do," sabi ni Edu.

Ano ang naramdaman ni Edu na siya ang napili para pumalit kay Kris?

"Hindi ko nga alam kung matutuwa ako kay Alou o hindi, e. Marami na akong naririnig na usap-usapan na ako ang papalit. Pero alam naman natin dito sa showbiz na maraming bali-balita, pero kung minsan ay hindi naman natutuloy," sagot niya.

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