Depending on who you ask, Vice Ganda (born Jose Marie Borja Viceral on 31 March 1976 in Manila, Philippines) is either one of the Philippines' greatest comedians with a number of box-office draws to his belt, or a crass comedy club act whose main claim to fame is churning out formulaic feel-good comedies for the masses on top of taking the mick out of people in the most demeaning way imaginable.
The son of a slain barangay captain and an overseas worker, Vice started off as a stand-up comic in various gay comedy clubs in Manila before venturing into showbiz. Vice initially played bit and supporting roles in various comedies and dramas during the late 90s to the early 2000s, until he gained mainstream recognition as one of the main hosts in It's Showtime, further paving the way for being the star of several Metro Manila Film Festival entries and other blockbusters, eight of which were considered as some of the highest-grossing films in Philippine cinema. Following his box-office successes, he has also authored two best-selling books, one a comedic essay depicting himself as the president of the Philippines and the executive orders he would impose should he be in office, and more recently a memoir focusing on his youth in Tondo.
In a country with a majority Roman Catholic population, he is one of the few openly-LGBTQ+ celebrities in the Philippines, identifying as both gay and non-binary.note
Selected filmography:
- It's Showtime (2009-present)
- Petrang Kabayo (2010)
- Gandang Gabi, Vice! (2011)
- The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin (2011)
- Sisterakas (2012)
- Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy (2013)
- Gandarrapiddo! The Revenger Squad (2017)
- The Mall The Merrier (2019)
- Partners In Crime (2022)
Vice Ganda provides examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Known as "Tutoy" by his mother and close relatives. Said nickname would later become the title of his memoir which focuses on his formative years in Tondo, Manila.
- Biting-the-Hand Humor: Vice did throw a jab or two at some of his contemporaries or superiors like Charo Santos, Kris Aquino or even his home network itself, though it was all in good fun and practically none of them were ticked off at the roasts.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: A recurring trope in at least some of Vice's films.
- Butt-Monkey: Besides subjecting audiences to his roasts, he himself has been the butt of mockery by his co-hosts over his horse-like appearance, something he'd take in stride and capitalise in a remake of the Roderick Paulate comedy Petrang Kabayo.
- Camp Gay: A prominent example at that, as he would dress up in a gaudy or provocative fashion, often in a baggy, oversize sports shirt, skimpy shorts, boots and a platinum blond wig.
- Catchphrase: "May nag-text!" (literally, "Someone texted!"), and later "Boom, panes!" (lit. "Boom, rancid!")
- Deadpan Snarker: Hoo boy, Vice delights with using this to bite back at people, especially those who'd ask mundane or patently stupid questions.
- Equal-Opportunity Offender: To an extent in that he wouldn't hesitate to make off-colour remarks to people whom he rubs elbows with, though while he has touched upon subjects such as religion, he does admit that there are lines to be drawn and limits to set. Not to mention that he has thrown potshots at both rival network GMA-7 and ABS-CBN itself.
- Good Is Not Nice: To his credit, he does show a more polite and endearing side especially when he gives away prizes to elderly or young fans of his, or in some cases pledges to help them out with their needs.
- Insult Comic: It's either his main selling point to some, or the main point of contention to those who were understandably ticked off by his style of humour, one of his critics being veteran singer and actress Nora Aunornote who was scheduled to be a special guest but balked at the last minute, expressing her distaste for Vice's style of comedy.
- "Just Joking" Justification: Vice has been frequently criticised for using this as an excuse to justify his style of comedy. One such incident was when he pulled off a stand-up routine in 2013 describing a hypothetical pornographic film starring notable Filipino personalities, one of them being noted news anchor Jessica Soho. Vice described Soho
as being morbidly obesenote to the point that the weighing scale could not take it any more, blurting out an audio warning "One at a time! Don't play with the machine!" It took that and a rape joke for Soho's colleague and fellow GMA Network anchor Arnold Clavio, along with feminist organisation GABRIELA to take umbrage and condemn Vice; while he did reason that it was all routine for him especially during his days as a stand-up comic, the comedian later issued a tearful public apology in It's Showtime and talked to Soho herself on the phone apologising for the offensive remarks. A heavily-censored edit of the concert was later released on streaming services, however. (Ironically enough, Clavio himself would receive equally intense flak for his alleged ephebophilic relationship with a former overseas worker-turned-actress.) - Momma's Boy: He makes no secret about his love and appreciation for his mother, whom he takes along during vacations.
- Red Baron: "The Unkabogable", which could be interpreted as "unbeatable" or "untouchable", is in reference to him being a consistent top box-office draw especially during the Metro Manila Film Festival.
- The Roast: It's the bread and butter of his performances.
- Self-Deprecation: Vice's experiences as a bullied gay youth certainly helped shape this trait.
- Short-Runners: Averted with Gandang Gabi, Vice!, which was initially intended to air for a few episodes, but it proved to be so popular that it was extended indefinitely.
- Shout-Out: Gandang Gabi, Vice!'s title is a homage to broadcaster Noli de Castro's night-time news magazine show Magandang Gabi, Bayan.
