It started with TikTok clips of Ogie Diaz berating and hitting acting workshoppers to get a rise out of them.
The showbiz reporter/manager-turned-vlogger hit peak virality when he appeared on the November 3 Grand Finals of "Magpasikat," a contest segment from It’s Showtime, ABS-CBN’s noontime show currently airing on GMA Network’s GTV on mainstream/cable TV.
Read: Magpasikat winners from 2010 to present
In an exclusive interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Ogie initially discusses the viral videos and ends up opening the doors behind his Digital Network—composed of two YouTube Channels and three Facebook pages—which has been eating at some mainstream media space despite being fully digital in operations.
“I started Ogie Diaz Acting Workshop in March 2015 na anim lang ang estudyante namin,” Ogie tells PEP.ph in a lengthy Viber interview.
“Si Lester Llansang ang nag-introduce sa akin nito. Siya daw ang magko-coach. And everytime he coaches, andun din ako, nag-o-observe, tapos, pag may mga ideas ako, sina-suggest ko sa kanya.”
Ogie is referring to Lester Llansang the former child performer-turned- character-actor, who in 1999 won the FAMAS Best Child Actor Award for his performance in the film Saranggola.
Ogie notes that he eventually tried to facilitate the workshops himself.
He says, “To date, we had 152 batches already. Galing dito sina Ivana Alawi, Heaven Peralejo, Ysabel Ortega, David Licauco, Hashtags members Nikko Natividad and Kid Yambao, and influencer Saczhna Laparan.”
Ogie counted on his friends in the entertainment industry to be the workshop teachers.
“Si Candy Pangilinan ang coach sa kids kasi ang husay niyang magpasunod sa mga bata. Sina Aiko Melendez at Beverly Salviejo used to coach din.”
Read: Ogie Diaz denies starting KathNiel breakup rumors
How The Ogie Diaz Acting Workshop Works
Ogie says the workshop is multi-purpose.
He expounds, “Yung workshop namin, hindi lang dahil gusto mong mag-artista. Yung ibang parents, dinadala sa amin ang mga anak nilang mahihiyain, introvert, kasi gusto nilang matutong makihalubilo at wag matakot makipag-usap.
“Hindi lang akting ang itinuturo namin, pati yung imaging, pati kung paano nila ipe-present ang sarili nila, pati dynamics ng boses nila."
The workshop is so multi-faceted that it encompasses even how one should act once they get the acting gigs they desire.
Ogie says, “Even yung dapat na maging attitude at behavior nila sa shooting or taping.
“Na wag magpi-prima donna at mang-aapi ng mga production people. Para pagdating sa brainstorming ng mga pitching for the new shows, e, maalala silang i-suggest na mapasali sa show.”
The veteran talent manager explains the workshop is merely that—a vehicle for parents and individuals to hone their skills. Ogie does not attach any catch.
“Hindi ako nagpapa-sign up ng contract sa mga bata para i-manage sila. Umpisa pa lang, sinasabi ko na. Kung makitaan ko sila ng potential, ako ang mag-a apply sa kanila na maging manager nila at hindi nila kailangang lumapit sa akin.”
How muCh is workshop fee?
He adds that the workshop fee is reasonably priced compared to other similar acting classes.
“Maliit lang singil namin, eight thousand pesos lang starting January. As compared to others na 10 sessions, kami two sessions lang. Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 - 8:00 p.m.
“Yun lang ang singil namin kasi gusto ko, ma-afford din ng iba.”
How to join workshop?
He adds those interested can message the Ogie Diaz Acting Workshop Facebook page.
“We limit the students to 14 to 16 students para matutukan lahat dahil 22 hours lang kami.”
WHAT IS THE TAPIK ACTING CHALLENGE
When we ask if he follows any specific acting method, he says he does not.
“Ang itinuturo ko lang ay yung basic, yung kung ano ang napapanood sa mga teleserye o sitcom. Pati timing.
“Yung Ogie Diaz’s ‘tapik acting challenge,’ naisip ko lang ipadayalog sa kanila iyon dahil ang inaaral namin that time ay four kinds of emotions (fear, sadness, happiness, and anger).”
The “Tapik Acting Challenge” is what Ogie did during his It’s Showtime guest appearance.
It is a common theater or stage acting workshop tool, which involves an actor tapping another actor after saying his line to indicate that it’s the next person’s turn to perform.
He continues, “So gusto ko silang galitin sa pinakamataas na level, kaya hinahampas ko sila para mapikon sila at magalit sa akin. Nagso-sorry naman ako afterwards at thank you, Lord, wala namang itinatakbo sa ospital dahil na-highblood, hahaha!”
Read: Ogie Diaz reconciles with BB Gandanghari in the U.S.
OGIE DIAZ AS AN ACTOR
Ogie Diaz has 63 movies credited in his Internet Movie Data Base profile including Abangan Ang Susunod Na Kabanata (1991), Narinig Mo Na Ba Ang l8est? (2001), and Recipe for Love (2018).
He considers venerable director Joey Reyes as his acting mentor.
“Naging signature artist niya ako sa lahat ng pelikula niya nung araw,” Ogie explains. “Ang pinaka-memorable nga doon ay May Minamahal [1994] with Aga and Aiko Melendez.”
Ogie remains good friends with the movie’s lead stars, Aiko and Aga.
In fact, in an interview with Magandang Buhay five years ago, Ogie shared that he was Aga’s fan first and used to visit the latter in his home.
Going back to the viral TikTok videos, Ogie seems happy and amused about his revived fame as an actor.
“Nakakatawa nga, pati mga artistang nakakasalubong ko, gusto na ring magpahampas sa akin. Hahaha! Na na-viral din!
"Yung mga nakakasalubong sa kalye o sa mall, hindi lang basta pa-picture ang gusto. Gusto na rin nilang i-video ako para daw tapikin sila at sila naman daw ang magsasabi ng, ‘Hayup ka! May araw ka rin! Mabubulok ka sa impiyerno!’
“Pinagbibigyan ko naman. Kaso yung iba, gusto, lakasan ko pa ang hampas. Hahahaha!”
While Ogie obviously revels in this career development, he turns sentimental the next moment.
“Pero honestly, natutuwa ako. Ang tagal ko na sa industriyang ito, 1987 pa ako nag-start, pero mas naramdaman ko ngayon na kilalang-kilala na ako ng mga Gen Z.
“Juice ko,” Ogie types on Viber, using the gay slang for ‘Diyos ko,’
“Sa panahon ngayon, yung ibang senior stars, di na kilala ng henerasyon ngayon. Nakakalungkot. Sad truth. Kaya dapat, lagi kang visible para mas matandaan nila ang mukha mo.”
OGIE'S SHIFT FROM TV TO DIGITAL
Ogie is well aware that staying visible and adapting to today’s ever-changing technology landscape has helped him stay relevant.
He admits he had seen it coming: how digital media would eventually surpass the reach of traditional media.
Ogie established his first YouTube Channel, titled Ogie Diaz Inspires, in 2019. Today, this channel now has 3.4 million subscribers.
“Tapos, nung pandemya naman ay in-establish ko ang talk show kong Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update with Mama Loi, Ate Mrena, Dyosa Pockoh, at Tita Jegs."
The Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update has a new episode every other day.
Ogie notes, “Kinakain na unti-unti ng digital audience ang TV audience, and ang panonood ng TV ngayon ay on-demand na.
“Dati, naghahabol kang makauwi agad sa bahay para makapanood ng paborito mong serye, di ba?
“Ngayon kahit late ka nang umuwi, puwede mo nang mapanood yung na-miss mong show or episode sa YouTube at kahit sa ibang streaming platform."
Ogie adds, “Na-foresee ko na agad na papunta ng digital ang entertainment kaya doon ako nag-focus.
“Isang barometer ko diyan, e, anywhere I go, andaming nagpapa-picture at madalas ang sinasabi nila, 'Pinapanood ko lagi ang mga vlogs mo!'
“O kaya sesenyas sila ng, 'Itsika mo na, dali!' Bihira na lang akong makarinig ng 'Bakit di na kita napapanood sa TV?'"
HOW TO BE A STAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Ogie goes on to explain that his network of social media channels has been getting invites from movie outfits to attend presscons or have exclusive interviews with their stars on his Ogie Diaz Inspires show.
He adds: “Me mga nagpapa-sked na rin ng guesting sa talk show namin. Kaya dito na muna ako nagpo-focus sa dalawang channels ko. At sa Ogie Diaz FanPage ko, na reporting naman ang ginagawa ko every other day.”
The Ogie Diaz TV FanPage on Facebook where Ogie posts short videos where he appears to be a showbiz reporter delivering the hottest showbiz news item of the past two days. Here, the engagement is instant because netizens can immediately react, comment, and share whatever information Ogie decides to disseminate.
One selling point of Ogie’s channels is that the eponymous owner uses the Filipino language. Even when he writes long status updates that read like a newspaper column, and in our Viber interview with him, Ogie is more comfortable using the vernacular.
So much so that he exclusively shares a milestone: “Nag-send din ng picture ang anak kong grade 10 na kasali na din sa presentation nila ang ‘itsika mo na dali’ hahaha'”
Ogie then sends us two photos featuring his daughter Georgina, showing a TV with the logo of his show in the background.
He then clarifies that the show was only used to entice the students during a Filipino subject presentation.
“Picture lang iyan at hindi naman nila pinanood. Pang-engganyo lang sa Flipino subject nila.”
Ogie admits that it takes guts to reinvent oneself, and an achievement to sustain a career this long.
He reasons, “Naku, nakakalungkot pag di ka na kilala ng mga tao. Ambilis pa naman makalimot ng mga tao. Viral ngayon pero bukas, iba na pinag-uusapan.”
He offers a sage piece of advide. “Kaya wag kang mabuhay sa nakaraan. Sumabay ka sa kasalukuyan para maintindihan mo ang mga nangyayari sa paligid mo at sa mga tao na hindi naman nangyayari noon.
And to those who remain resistant to change: “Wag mong i-maintain ang pagiging lumang tao mo, otherwise, ipaglaban mong maipanalo ang old school ways.”
With Ogie’s openness to our questions, we tread on the topic of another advantage digital content platforms have brought to the table: freedom.
Freedom from the gatekeeping of talents, from network exclusivity, and limited exposure.
We ask Ogie if he agrees that blogs killed the showbiz talk show and he counters with, “Ang haba na niyan, libro ba ang plano mong gawin? Hahaha!”
We tell him it’s taking our chance on having “exclusive airtime.”
He then indulges us, "Naku, wala nang ganyan ngayon. Kasi sa totoo lang, ang mga artista ngayon, andami nang channels silang nagge-guest to promote their movies. Dahil pati ang vloggers kasama na sa pupuntahan ng mga artista, lalo na kung mataas ang number of subscribers mo.”
He then reveals the other side of the social media-streaming-free-for-all environment that rules today.
“Pero yung overexposure, yun ang problema. Di porke bugbog ka sa kapo-promote, e, mata-translate yon sa box office.”
He further underscores the power of socials:
“Social media kills the talk show. Real time ang socmed, e. Ang talk show, follow-up na lang ang trabaho. Unless maka-scoop sila na sikretong malupit at sa kanila lang exclusive.
"Social media kills some TV talk shows, i mean.
At the end of our interview, writer-reporter-talent-manager-turned-content-creator Ogie Diaz then demonstrates the true power of having your own reigning social media “network.”
At the time of our conversation, rumors were rife about young actress Andrea Brillantes causing the split of ABS-CBN’s most enduring reel and real love team of this era: Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.
At first he begs off from talking about a topic that touches on debt, wrong investments, and the hefty addition his YouTube earning brings.
“Wag na yan. Ayaw ko na yan at di na naman ako makakatulog kakaisip hahaha.
“Salamat.”
We then circle back to our earlier question, does he have a comment on the KathNiel issue?
Like a champion poker player, Ogie Diaz holds his cards close to his sleeve.
He leaves our Viber message on seen.
On December 1, a day after Kathryn Bernardo confirmed her relationship with Daniel Padilla has ended, Ogie Diaz releases a new I-Chika Mo Na, Dali! episode on Showbiz News Update.
Read: PEP OUTTAKES: Why we're all affected by KathNiel breakup
He says he feels vindicated. It has had 367,107 views since being published for 11 hours.