- Former ‘Eat Bulaga’ host Keempee de Leon reacts on his abrupt exit from the variety show, after 14 years of being with it
- Keempee honestly said that he was affected not coming back to ‘Eat Bulaga’
- Keempee’s leave turned out to be an exit as he was no longer welcomed in the show after coming back
The comeback Kapamilya network actor Keempee de Leon shared his sentiment regarding his abrupt exit from his former network variety show ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Knowingly, he is the son of veteran actors Joey de Leon and Daria Ramirez. His father Joey is one of the show’s main host, together with Tito Sotto and Vic Sotto.
They are the so-called ‘legendary trio,’ as they were part of the show from its beginning until today, except for Tito Sotto who is lodged with other responsibilities as Senate President of the Philippines.
It can be remembered that in March 2016, Keempee was expelled from ‘Eat Bulaga’ after 14 years of co-hosting it. In a previous statement, one year after his leave from the show, he stated that he does not know the reason behind his exit.
During that time, Keempee admitted that he felt devastated about the leave that turned out to be an exit. But despite it all, he stayed with GMA Network from 2015-2018, as he appeared on the network’s different soap operas.
Recently, on March 19, in a press conference of his upcoming drama series ‘Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit,’ PEP.ph was able to have an interview with Keempee. During the open forum, Keempee was very honest and direct when he told the media that until this very time he still has that ‘tampo’ feeling on him towards the show and its management.
“Nagkaroon ako ng tampo, yes. Hindi mawawala yun dahil 14 years is 14 years. Yun lang ang inaano ko… parang wala akong sagot na nakuha or memo or anything.”
But he said, that though he feels abandoned, he lets this feeling pass and just forget it. He also thanked the show for he has this debt of gratitude when the show gave him the hosting opportunity, most especially to his father.
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“Andun, pero siyempre, ako naman, hindi naman nagla-last yun. Kumbaga, hinayaan ko na lang sa Diyos. Siyempre, kumbaga, malaki rin ang utang na loob ko sa kanila. And andun din Daddy ko, and naging part din ako sa kanila, 14 years. So, thankful ako dun. Kinalakihan ko rin yun kasi.”
Keempee also shared that, up to this time, he is still clueless about the reason behind ‘Eat Bulaga’ in not taking him back, after having a leave for his tight acting schedules in a soap. He emphasized that he properly took his leave and even had a talk with one of the TAPE Inc. execs, Malou Choa-Fagar, that’s why he was shocked when they did not even extend the favor of letting him know and just left him hanging.
“Kung tutuusin, until now, hindi ko alam kung ano ang reason. Kasi ang alam ko, three years ago na ang nakararaan, may ginawa akong soap na bago, ang Meant To Be. And then, ipinaalam ko naman, sabi ko may gagawin akong soap. Pinayagan naman ako, and sabi naman ng Bulaga nun, kahit si Pauleen [Luna] may ginagawang soap nun, ‘Basta as long as ma-pack up ka nang maaga, let’s say morning lang, pag kaya pang dumiretso sa Bulaga, dumiretso ka. Or pag di ka makakapasok, magsabi ka.’ So, yun ang ginagawa ko.”
Before taking his leave, the management even reassured him to go back to the show and have his comeback. Unfortunately, the hosting spot that he left was not returned to him. This made him question the management by sending messages and even writing a letter to the owner, Mr. Antonio Tuviera. But he was not given the attention and only got a reply, after a year, with a regretting message.
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“Ganun ang ginawa ko… several times na nagti-text ako. And sabi lang nila, ‘Sabihin sa meeting, papaalam sa meeting. Pero hanggang sa tumagal ay hindi na raw siya binalikan. Hanggang sa tumagal na ng almost a year. So, wala na talaga akong nakuhang sagot. And then, to be honest, si Tita Malou lang ang tinext ko nun. Sabi ko, ‘Ano ba ang status, makakabalik pa ba ako sa Bulaga o hindi na?’ Ang sabi lang niya, ‘As per management, hindi na.’ Ang hinihintay ko, ang kasunod, ano yung reason. So, wala, wala akong nakuhang sagot. And until dumating na rin sa point na sumulat na kay Mr. T, e. Hindi ko lang alam kung nabasa niya or anything o nakarating sa kanya. Wala, wala akong nakuhang sagot at all.”
Keempee also said that he came to the point where he asked his father Joey de Leon, but sadly he also does not know the reason. But Keempee chose to stay positive as he implied that he needs to stand on his own.
“Sinabi ko rin naman sa kanya. Parang wala lang. Parang lahat nanahimik, e. I’m not blaming them or anything. Hindi ko alam. Kahit ako nagtataka rin. Pero hindi ko rin naman siya sisisihin. Siyempre, barkada rin niya ang boss namin dun. Kumbaga, sabi ko, ‘I have to make my own decisions.’”
