It's Showtime hosts Jugs Jugueta and Teddy Corpuz have been part of the noontime show for almost ten years.
Jugs and Teddy, who are still part of their respective bands, have been with the program since it started out as a morning show in October 2009 until now when it reformatted into ABS-CBN's noontime show.
Jugs is the vocalist of Itchyworms, while Teddy is the vocalist of Rocksteddy.
Now that It's Showtime is about to enter its tenth year on the air, PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked Jugs and Teddy to identify the greatest struggle that they surpassed while doing the noontime show.
Teddy answered, "Sa struggles siguro, marami, e. Kahit yung nawala kami sa ere, yung bigla kaming naputol."
Teddy was referring to an incident during It's Showtime's first year. In January 2010, the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) issued a 20-day preventive suspension on the Kapamilya show.
Back then, the show was still called Showtime, and was aired in the 10:30 a.m. slot.
The preventive suspension stemmed from Rosanna Roces's "uncalled for" comments about teachers.
Teddy continued, "Kasi nalaman namin yun, natutulog ako ng mga alas sais, tapos pagbukas ko ng TV, nasa news kaagad na cancelled na yung Showtime bukas.
"'Tapos biglang nagtetext na, tumatawag na yung executive producer namin, 'Punta kayo sa studio.'
"So, isa 'yon sa pinakamalaking pagsubok namin and also, minount namin yun, gumawa kami ng theme song noong gabing iyon.
"Nagmeeting kami, alas otso, gumawa kami ng buong show 'tapos, natapos yung recording mga alas dos ng madaling araw para doon sa bagong theme song."
It may be recalled that the next day, after the announcement of Showtime's suspension, ABS-CBN temporarily replaced it with a program called Magpasikat.
According to Jugs, composing the theme song of Magpasikat was also one of their duo's achievements in the show.
Jugs said, "I think, our best contribution to the Showtime brand was yung binaliktad namin yung Showtime theme song, yung "Magpasikat."
"Hanggang ngayon naalala pa rin ng mga tao and hindi namin alam na magwowork siya, and nagwork siya, so salamat."
After becoming the title of Showtime's replacement show, "Magpasikat" eventually became the name of the show's annual anniversary presentations. For one week, the hosts would mount extravagant performances and compete against each other.
Teddy also admitted that the year 2015 was also a challenge for Showtime.
He simply said, "Kasama na rin doon yung AlDub days na isa sa napagtagumpayan naming pagsubok."
AlDub is the love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, which originated from the "Kalyeserye" segment of Eat Bulaga!, which is the rival program of It's Showtime on GMA-7.
PEP.ph, along with a group of entertainment reporters and bloggers, spoke to Jugs and Teddy during a press conference yesterday, March 21, for It's Showtime's Indonesian version.
Jugs and Teddy are set to fly in Indonesia on Sunday, March 24, to grace the pilot episode of It's Showtime Indonesia on MNCTV.
STAYING AS SHOWTIME HOSTS
PEP.ph asked Jugs and Teddy if they ever thought of leaving It's Showtime for a career change.
Teddy was quick to answer the question.
The Rocksteddy vocalist responded, "Ah hindi, parang sa amin, ano, e, nagkaroon kami ng parang pact ni Jugs.
"Yung pact namin, sabi namin, basta hindi tayo magku-quit sa Showtime.
"Kung matatanggal tayo, e, di okay lang. Pero never kami magku-quit, never kami mag-iiwanan, never kami magku-quit.
"Kung ano yung ipapagawa sa amin, we'll do it wholeheartedly and with all our best."
Jugs and Teddy felt this when they started going to provinces and becoming host segments on It's Showtime.
Teddy continued, "So, kahit na yun yung mga pinapapunta kami sa mga Alaminos na malalayo, yung mga remote namin, minahal na rin namin yun, e.
"Kasi parang noong umpisa, ang init, biglang pag andun ka pala, iba yung yakap mo sa fans, iba yung yakap na parang kasama ka.
"Tapos pati yung teams namin, parang naaapektuhan yung teams namin, may ganon kaming concept dati na magkakalaban yung teams namin, ako nasa Pangasinan, siya nasa La Union o Batangas.
"'Tapos nanalo yung team niya, talo yung team ko, ramdam ko yung buong Pangasinan na, 'Talo tayo, sorry, pero ginawa natin yung best natin.'
"Ramdam na ramdam namin yung yakap sa fans sa mga nanunuod ng Showtime.
"For us, parang nagkaroon kami ng ganoong pact na di kami mag-iiwanan at di namin iiwan ang Showtime."
Teddy and Jugs are also very much thankful to their Showtime stint because it helped a lot in their career not only as hosts, but also for their bands.
Jugs quipped, "Honestly, mula noong dati po na meron na kaming hits, nagtriple po ang aming TF dahil po sa Showtime, overnight!"
Teddy added, "So far, dumami mga gigs namin, nakikita pa rin kami ng mga tao sa TV.
"Pagdating sa Showtime, ang dali nilang kausap pag may bago kaming single, kailangan naming maglaunch.
"'Oh, sige kailan niyo kailangan mag launch? Bukas? Mamaya?'
"Ganon lang kabilis instead of kunyari, yung ibang mga bands, 'Uy Ted, pwede ba kami maglaunch ng bagong single sa It's Showtime?'
"For us, nagamit namin ang It's Showtime to further yung reach namin.
"Sinasabi rin ng mom ko dati, at saka ng misis ko, dati noong nagsisimula yung Rocksteddy, puro mga punks lang yung mga kumakaway sa 'yo sa mall.
"Ngayon, kahit yung mga nanay, kahit yung mga bata, kahit sa Rockwell, yung mga medyo sosyaling nanay diyan, biglang may nagpapapicture sa 'yo."
Teddy also has a funny story about how people accepted their duo.
"Kaya tinanggap na namin na Jugs and Teddy kami kasi, 'Uy, Jugs and Teddy' kahit ako lang mag-isa sa mall! 'Huy, Jugs and Teddy, kamusta ka na?'
"So, tinanggap na namin yun na parang naging household name na yung Jugs and Teddy.
"Kung wala po yun, baka hindi rin nakasurvive yung mga banda namin, kasi ang dami ring bands na nagdisband na kabattch namin, kumbaga yung iba nawala na or nadissolve na.
"So, kami sobrang thankful for Showtime and the opportunity, yung mga gigs dami pa ring benefits for us."
Jugs also said, "In terms of performing and talking to press, di ba usually, pag banda tahimik lang?
"Ang dami rin po naming natutunan through the years dahil sa Showtime—sa pagsagot, sa hosting."
JUGS AND TEDDY IN SHOWTIME INDONESIA
On March 16, 2019, Indonesian channel MNCTV announced, through a Facebook video post, that it will air its own franchise of It's Showtime.
It will air starting March 25, which will be graced by ABS-CBN executives along with Jugs and Teddy.
During the press conference, It's Showtime business unit head Peter Dizon was asked why Jugs and Teddy were chosen to represent the program in Indonesia.
He explained, "Yung pag-eextend po ng happiness sa madlang people, role po talaga ni Jugs at Teddy yon.
"Ang kailangan natin ay access sa madla and pag-e-extend ng happiness sa Showtime, sila po talaga una naming maiisip."
On It's Showtime, it is usually Jugs or Teddy who interview members of the audience called "Madlang People."
What will Jugs and Teddy do in Indonesia?
Teddy explained, "Yung initial po namin, observe din po and parang for our end, papakita namin yung ibang kaganapan sa Indonesia.
"Pero, parang vlog type lang yung treatment namin kasi parang nandoon lang talaga kami to observe lang, kasi parang di kami nandoon to host kasi wala kaming business permi. Hindi kami sasampa sa stage."
Jugs also shared his excitement upon knowing that they will go to Indonesia, especially since his wife used to live there.
"Ako, tanungin niyo kay Sir Pete, noong nalaman kong ipapadala nila ako, nagtatatalon po talaga ako, promise."
Jugs and Teddy also studied the Bahasa version of It's Showtime's theme song.
Here's a sample of them singing the theme song: