When looking at the celebrities of Philippine showbiz, can you avoid the Hollywood comparisons? Too much fun?

 Anne Curtis = Angelina Jolie

John Lloyd Cruz = Johnny Depp

 Kris Aquino = Oprah Winfrey

        Robin Padilla = Tom Cruise

   Vice Ganda = ?

And then there’s Vice Ganda. No answer? Walang sagot?

Who is Vice Ganda?

For the few foreigners out there who don’t know Vice Ganda, here’s an introduction. Vice Ganda is a successful comedian, talk show host, actor, singer and dancer in the Philippines (1). He is the most followed man on twitter in the entire country, and currently third overall (2). Vice is the lead star of the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time (3), and third of all films ever released in the Philippines; which is another way of saying, all of Hollywood could make only two films Filipinos wanted to see more than Vice(3). Considering how much Filipinos love all things American, that is impressive. And since 2010, Vice already conquered Facebook with the first Philippine fan page to hit 1,000,000 (4).

The Most Openly Loved Gay Man

 in the Entire World?

Any Filipino will tell you,”he’s the most popular gay man in the country.” I’ll go a step further and ask you, “Is there an openly gay man more openly loved than Vice in the entire world?

Proof? Now that we live in the age of Twitter, there’s no need to wonder. The famous and their followings are as measurable as twitter trends and twitter followers.

There are in fact openly gay men in showbiz with more followers than Vice Ganda, all of  5 people in the entire world(5). And all of the five have the undeniable advantage over Vice of an English-speaking fan base (the number one @Ricky_Martin has the even bigger advantage of an English/Spanish-speaking fan base). English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world(6); Filipino is not.  The more you compare actual proportions, the more impressive Vice’s following gets. With a Philippine population of 93.3million and Vice Ganda’s 1.4 milllion,  1 out of ever 66 people in the country follow Vice on Twitter(7). With 3.8 million fans on Facebook, 1 out of every 24 people in the country are his facebook fans. And believe it or not, there are actually Filipinos not on Twitter and Facebook, yet. If you now assume we’re comparing gay show biz personalities to their language-demographic on social media, then yes, Vice Ganda is the most loyally followed Gay man in the world.

This of course makes the respective fan base of  Philippine twitter’s most followed Anne Curtis and second-most followed Angel Locsin all the more impressive. But, is it a surprise when natural beauties become popular, star in box-office hit films, and launch concerts? Were you ever expecting an “unkabogable” gay man to make it in one of the most conservative parts of the world?

What other country in the world can claim their most followed man on twitter is openly gay?

To the point, the Philippines love Vice more than any other country loves any other openly-gay showbiz personality.

(But if you’d like to meet Vice’s long-list British twin, meet Alan Carr here (8).)

The Philippines do have the second biggest Asian population of English speakers(9). And like all Filipinos, Vice does speak English. It makes you wonder, how would Vice do in Hollywood?

Today’s Trend or History-in-the-Making?

Vice Ganda is the first of his kind, openly gay and openly loved.  Compared to the narrow mold of Philippine showbiz, this just can’t be emphasized enough.

Every actor and singer in the country knows their biggest source of income is endorsements(14).

Unlike Hollywood, the talent fee of film projects and TV roles just doesn’t compare to the money Philippine celebrities make through endorsements. It’s all about the endorsements(11) (12) (13) (14).

Naturally, they need to make themselves as innocent and commercially-loveable as can be. But can you blame any one of them for being careful when careful dictates their annual income? Their every choice matters–from the friends they make to who they date. They avoid rubbing the wrong people the wrong way. They watch their every step like their career depends on it; and truthfully, it does. The smallest scandal has ended more than one career(15) (16) (17).

In comes Vice Ganda. His mere existence breaks all the rules. He teases everyone in sight, but they’re laughing too hard to mind. Vice is a social phenomenon..the first of his kind..a true exception. Anne Curtis and Angel Locsin are well accomplished, but Vice is accomplishing something on a level never before seen—ever. He proves an openly gay man can not only just make it in showbiz; He can strike universal appeal. He can win the heart of an entire country.

A question worth considering, why are we seeing this in the Philippines of all places?

Is Vice Ganda Really Reaping the Rewards?

Vice Ganda must get some satisfaction in looking at his twitter feed. But, Twitter doesn’t pay the bills.

Remember this equation:

Majority Income for Philippine celebrity = Product endorsements

When product endorsements make up the income for a working celebrity in the Philippines, you would think the most followed man on Twitter/Facebook in the country would be the biggest endorser in the country. No, okay. You would think after the same man starred in the biggest blockbuster of Philippine history, he would at least be in the top ten list of endorsers, right? No, okay. Well, where is Vice then?

According to YES Magazine’s release of the highest paid 20 Philippine endorsers of 2011, well, Vice Ganda isn’t even on the list(18).

Is there an income disproportion fans might want to know about?

Tell Vice What He Deserves Yourself

You don’t have to be gay to appreciate Vice Ganda’s presence in Philippine showbiz. On top of making life a little easier for an under-represented gay minority, he speaks to the young, to the outsider, to anyone looking for a laugh, and just about anyone who ever wanted something less predicatable from Philippine showbiz.

There is no papparazzi like the Philippine tabloids. As the first openly gay mainstream showbiz personality in national history, Vice underwent his fair share. But just how important are the judgments made of Vice? Sometimes, the biggest “chismes” can make national headlines. But in the grand scheme of things, history won’t remember today’s most-talked about scandal. A hundred years from now, will anyone remember today’s roster of Philippine celebrities? I like to think so. But, I don’t have to wonder with Vice Ganda.

So, here’s the million-dollar question:

After the country has chosen Vice, how long will it take for product endorsements to do the same?

I’m an artist. I expect to die before I ever get rich and famous. I like to think Vice will get what he deserves while he’s still alive.

What do you think Vice deserves? Tell him yourself. It only takes a twitter hash tag:

#Vicedeserves ..

And if you really want to be heard, everyone knows you need to say it at the same time. So, why not try? What about 3pm Saturday? Maybe Vice will notice. Maybe not. Hey, there’s no harm in trying. Make it an early birthday present!

[Click For ENGLISH VERSION of Blog here]

[Click To Read VICE GANDA's Reaction After He Read Our Blog]

Sobrang nakakatuwang ikumpara ang mga Philippine showbiz celebrities sa mga Hollywood counterparts nila. Ito ang mga ilan:

 Anne Curtis = Angelina Jolie

John Lloyd Cruz = Johnny Depp

 Kris Aquino = Oprah Winfrey

        Robin Padilla = Tom Cruise

   Vice Ganda = ?

Nandyan si Vice Ganda, at wala tayong maisip kung kanino natin sya ikukumpara?

Sino nga ba si Vice Ganda?

Para sa mga banyagang hindi nakakakilala kay Vice Ganda, karangalan ko syang ipakilala. Si Vice ay isang matagumpay na Pilipinong artista, komedyante, talk show host, singer, at dancer (1). Sa mga kalalakihan, sya ang may pinakamalaking following sa Twitter sa buong bansa, at kasalukuyang pangatlo kung  pangkalahatan ang paguusapan (2). Si Vice ang may hawak ng highest grossing Filipino film of all time, pangatlo sa lahat ng pelikulang pinalabas sa Pilipinas, kabilang ang dalawang Hollywood films (3). Kakatwa ito dahil alam nating lahat na mahilig sa “all things American” ang mga Pinoy, at (4) si vice ang unang celebrity na nakalikom ng 1,000,000 fans sa Facebook fan page nya noong 2010

Si Vice ba ang Pinakamamahal na Openly Gay Man sa Buong Mundo?

Kahit na sinong Pinoy ang tanungin mo, sasabihin nilang “si Vice ang pinakasikat na bading sa buong Pilipinas.” Meron pa bang ibang bading sa buong mundo ang mas minahal pa kay Vice Ganda? Katibayan? Hindi na kailangan kung Twitter ang pinagbabasehan. Katumbas ng kasikatan nya ang trending at dami ng bilang ng mga followers nya. Sa totoo lang, may mga openly gay men ang mas maraming following kay Vice Ganda (5). Lima sa kanila ang may advantage sa kanya dahil sa English-speaking fan base nila. (Si @Ricky_Martin halimbawa ay may advantage dahil sa English and Spanish fan base nya). Ang English language ay ginagamit sa buong mundo, samantalang ang wikang Pilipino ay hindi (6); Kung susuriin ang actual proportions, lalo nating makikita kung gaano ka impressive ang fan base ni Vice. Kung ang population ng Pilipinas ay 93.3 million, at ang followers ni Vice ay 1.4 million, lumalabas na isa sa 66 na tao ang sa Pilipinas ang tagasubaybay nya sa Twitter (7). Kung ang 3.8 million fans nya sa Facebook naman ang pagbabasehan, isa sa bawat 24 na Pinoy ay fan nya sa kanyang page. Dapat nating isipin na marami pang ibang fans si vice na walang facebook o Twitter accounts. Kung ang language-demographic na ito ang gagamitin sa social media, si Vice Ganda nga ang openly gay man na may pinakamalaking bilang ng followers sa buong mundo.

Ang Pilipinas ang pangalawa sa Asia kung saan may pinakamalaking population na gumagamit ng English. Si Vice ay aral din sa English, kaya hindi malayong isipin na pwede sya sa Hollywood (9).

Sa mga heterosexual celebrities, hindi nakapagtatakang si Anne Curtis ang may pinakamalaking fan base at si Angel Locsin naman ang pangalawa. Hindi mo aasahan na ang “unkabogable” bading natin ay magkakaroon ng ganito kalaking fan base. Walang ibang bansa ang may Vice ganda, pero may British long list twin sya, si Allan Carr (click here (8)).

Today’s Trend or History-in-the-Making?

Si Vice ang nag iisa at una sa kanyang kategorya: Openly gay and openly loved. Sa bansang tulad ng Pilipinas, ito ay kakaiba at hindi maaring isantabi. Hindi tulad sa mga Hollywood stars na yumayaman sa laki ng mga talent fees nila sa pelikula, ang mga pinoy counterparts naman nila ay yumayaman sa kanilang mga endorsements (11) (12) (13) (14). Dinidikta ng mga endorsements na ito ang pagkakaroon nila ng malinis o inosenteng imahe dahil dito nakasalalay ang kanilang kredibilidad. Sobrang ingat sila sa kanilang mga galaw at mga opinyon. Ang isang maliit na pagkakamali o iskandalo ang tatapos sa kanilang pinagkakaingatang career (15) (16) (17).

Ibahin si Vice Ganda. Walang pakundangan syang nanlalait o nang ookray ng kahit na sino. Sa kabila nito, imbes na ma-offend o magalit ang mga tao, lalo pa silang natatawa at napapamahal kay Vice. Isang social phenomenon si Vice, truly an exception. Anne Curtis and Angel Locsin are well accomplished, but Vice is accomplishing something on a level never before seen – ever. Pinatunayan nya na ang isang openly gay man ay kayang abutin ang tagumpay sa showbiz at kayang mahalin ng buong bansa.

Palaisipan ko lang kung bakit sa Pilipinas lang nangyayari ito, of all places.

Tinatamasa nga ba ni Vice Ganda ang kanyang Tagumpay?

Kampante si Vice sa pagkakamit ng pinakamalaking following sa Twitter, pero hindi ito nagpapayaman sa kanya. Alalahanin natin ang equation sa pagyaman ng mga Pinoy celebrities = Product endorsements. Madaling isipin na ang celebrity na may pinakamalaking bilang ng Twitter following ay sya din ang may pinakamaraming product endorsements. No, think again. Madali ding isipin na nasa top ten endorsers sa bansa ang lead star ng highest grossing film. Hindi pa rin. According to YES magazine, hindi kabilang si Vice Ganda sa top 20 endorsers sa bansa ng taong 2011 (18).

Kailangan nating suriin ang income disproportion dito.

Tell Vice Yourself What He Deserves

Hindi mo kailangang maging bading para ma appreciate mo si Vice. On top of making life a little easier para sa under-represented gay minority, carry ni Vice ang boses ng kabataan, ng mga outsiders, sa kahit na sinong naghahanap ng konting ngiti o tawa, at sa lahat ng naghahanap ng kakaibang panlasa sa Philippine entertainment.

Walang katumbas ang tabloid paparazzi sa Pilipinas. As the first openly gay mainstream showbiz personality in national history, Vice underwent his fair share of intrigues. Pero gaano nga ba katotoo o kaimportante ang mga sinasabi at sinusulat tungkol kay Vice? Ang mga pinakamaiinit na tsismis ay minsan nagiging national headlines. But in the grand scheme of things, history won’t remember today’s most talked about celebrity scandals. Isang daang taon mula ngayon, maaalala pa kaya lahat ang mga sikat na celebrities sa panahon natin ngayon? Yan sana ang paniwala ko, pero sa akin, nakakatiyak ako na si Vice ganda ay hindi makakalimutan.

Now the million dollar question:

Ngayong napili ng bansa si Vice Ganda, kailan kaya sya magkakaroon ng maraming product endorsements? I am an artist and I expect to die even before I get rich and famous. Umaasa ako na makukuha ni Vice ang nararapat na para sa kanya habang sya ay buhay pa.

What do you think Vice deserves? It only takes a twitter hash tag. Sabihin natin lahat kay Vice sa Myerkules ng 3 pm. Siguro mapapansin nya. There’s no harm in trying. Ibalato natin ito sa kanya bilang isang maagang regalo sa kanyang kaarawan!