By NEIL RAMOS
How can you differentiate a pretender from a professional?
Tonight we will find out via GMA Network’s newest reality game show “Catch Me Out Philippines.”
Based on the popular UK original and a first in Philippine entertainment, “Catch Me Out Philippines” follows two amateur contestants who will go through weeks of intensive training with mentors aiming to trick the viewers and celebrity catchers into believing they are professional entertainers. The impostor who manages to dupe the most members of the audience is hailed as winner.
Interesting? Well, it is made more interesting with funny man Jose Manalo hosting the show.
Note Manalo used to audition tale4nts wanting to perform on “Eat Bulaga!” so the show is right up his alley.
Joining him is singer Kakai Bautista and actor Derrick Monasterio who will both play the role of “Celebrity Spotters.”
Together with ten Celebrity Catchers, the trio is sure to amuse and perhaps confuse the viewers in guessing who among the performers is the amateur.
Manalo shared, “Isa sa aabangan nila ‘yung routine naming tatlo, kung gaano kami ka- relax sa isa’t isa. Maganda ‘yung pagkaka-mix sa amin ng GMA. Napakagaan katrabaho ng mga ito.”
For Manalo, agreeing to host the show is a no-brainer.
“Ang ipinapakita rito sa show ay may mga tao pala na kayang turuan. ‘Yung parang akala nila hindi ko kaya, kaya ko naman pala, na kapag sumayaw ako parang propesyonal na. Sabi ko nga, galing na ako sa maraming auditions at kapag sinalang ko nakikita kong may mali pa rin. Dito, halatang nanggaling sila sa napakalupit na training para gumalaw sila na kagaya noong mga kasabay nilang propesyonal.”
Bautista, in turn, expressed, “Noong nalaman ko ‘yung role, na-excite talaga ako. Kasi kaming mga komedyante, people don’t get to see our other side. ‘Yung marunong din sila, hindi lang sila nagpapatawa. Na-excite ako na I will get the chance to state my
opinion about something that I really love, which is entertainment, like insights ko sa performances. I’ve been in theater for 20 years now and in showbiz, nabigyan talaga ako ng chance. I’m very grateful that people will see a different side of me, hindi lang makulit, but may say rin sa mga bagay specially sa mundo ng entertainment and that excites me every taping.”
Meanwhile, Monasterio added, “Actually, mare-relate ko ang ‘Catch Me Out’ sa life ko in the sense na I was an amateur before and then I trained with one of the most prestigious choirs in the world. Na-train ako sa kung anong kaya kong gawin ngayon. Before I entered showbiz, noong nasa choir pa ako, pumupunta kami sa iba’t ibang bahay para kumanta at mag-entertain ng tao. ‘Yun ‘yung similarity ng humble beginnings ko with the show.”
Under the helm of director Rico Gutierrez, “Catch Me Out Philippines” starts airing 7:15pm, on GMA-7.
It will also air on GMA Pinoy TV, Feb. 7.
