Bebot 2019 is the sixth edition of Eat Bulaga!'s original beauty pageant for male celebrities dressed in drag while impersonating either international or local female personalities. The segment premiered on 5 August 2019 and concluded on 10 August 2019.
The week-long competition was one of the 15 Tatak Eat Bulaga! segments revived as part of the noontime show's 40th anniversary celebration.[1] The short-lived and rapid-fire revival of the segments aimed to give the new generation of Filipinos an opportunity to experience the show's several iconic and original contests. Winners were scheduled to face off in the Tatak Eat Bulaga! Grand Showdown in mid-2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the final competition indefinitely.
Buboy Villar, a 20-year-old Kapuso actor who competed under the drag name Kidney Spears, was crowned as the grand winner at the end of the competition.[2] He entertained the audience with a Britney Spears-inspired production number as he danced to the 2004 hit single "Toxic".
Overview
Contestant selection
Ten local male celebrities who are willing to dress in drag were invited by Eat Bulaga! to compete in the segment. The contestants adopted a drag name parodying the female personality whom they were trying to impersonate.
This edition discontinued the long-running gag of Bebot involving Wally Bayola and his character of Blackylou Blanco who joined almost all of the previous editions of the pageant but kept losing repeatedly. He reprised his character to co-host the 2020 edition instead.
Daily rounds
The daily rounds occurred from 5 to 9 August 2019. They were hosted by Wally Bayola or Paolo Ballesteros who reprised their Bebot 2005 characters, Blackylou Blanco and Precious Paola Nicole Ballesteros, respectively.
Each round featured two new contestants who competed against one another under witty drag names of the celebrities whom they are trying to impersonate. The contestants first showcased their skills and abilities in the talent portion and then tested their wit and confidence in the interview portion.
The regular panel of judges for the daily rounds included Allan K, Luane Dy, Pauleen Luna, Ruby Rodriguez, and Maine Mendoza. The criteria for judging were as follows:
- 40% – Bebot beauty
- 40% – Bebot talent
- 20% – Bebot brains
Winners received ₱10,000 and advanced to the grand finals.
Grand finals
The grand finals took place on Saturday, 10 August 2019. It was hosted by Pia Guanio and Wally Bayola (as Blackylou Blanco).
The panel of judges included model Sam Pinto, actor Derrick Monasterio, Binibining Pilipinas International 2014 Bianca Guidotti, actress Lovi Poe, and Bebot 2005 grand winner Paolo Ballesteros (as Precious Paola Nicole Ballesteros). The criteria for judging were the same as the daily rounds.
Bebot 2019 grand winners
The five grand finalists underwent final talent and interview portions. The contestants presented their ultimate level-up talents and skills in the talent portion, while their wit and confidence were finally tested in the question-and-answer portion with the panel of judges providing a different question to each of the finalists.
Buboy Villar, who competed under the drag name Kidney Spears, was hailed as the grand winner at the end of the event and took home the grand prize of ₱100,000. After the competition, he was slated to compete against the winners of other revived segments in the Tatak Eat Bulaga! Grand Showdown. However, the final competition was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Edgar Allan Guzman, who competed as J. Low-Blood, emerged as first runner-up and received ₱30,000. Meanwhile, second runner-up Clint Bondad, who competed as Shakira Brown, took home ₱20,000.
Hosts
The following hosts were involved in the presentation of the segment at some point in its week-long run.
Contestants
A total of ten contestants competed in the 2019 edition of Bebot. The following table sorts them alphabetically based on their last names, and also includes their drag names as well as the celebrities whom they are trying to impersonate.
| Contestant | Age | Drag Name |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Abalos | 34 | Selena Stop and Gomez (Selena Gomez) |
| Carlos Agassi | 39 | Katy Perry Christmas (Katy Perry) |
| Mico Aytona | 31 | Beyoncé Knows Best (Beyoncé) |
| Clint Bondad | 25 | Shakira Brown (Shakira) |
| Edgar Allan Guzman | 30 | J. Low-Blood (Jennifer Lopez) |
| Kristoffer Martin | 24 | Ariana Engrandeng-Engrande (Ariana Grande) |
| Manolo Pedrosa | 21 | Lady Baga (Lady Gaga) |
| Jak Roberto | 25 | Nancy-Lang Ka (Nancy of Momoland) |
| Paul Salas | 21 | Lisa Mauban (Lisa Manoban) |
| Buboy Villar | 20 | Kidney Spears (Britney Spears) |
Results
Daily rounds
The daily rounds took place from 5 to 9 August 2019. Each episode featured two new contestants who competed against one another under witty names of the celebrities whom they are trying to impersonate. Winners advanced to the grand finals.
| Date | Contestant | Age | Drag Name | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 5 August 2019 |
Kristoffer Martin | 24 | Ariana Engrandeng-Engrande | Eliminated |
| Paul Salas | 21 | Lisa Mauban | Advanced | |
| Tuesday 6 August 2019 |
Clint Bondad | 25 | Shakira Brown | Advanced |
| Carlos Agassi | 39 | Katy Perry Christmas | Eliminated | |
| Wednesday 7 August 2019 |
Jason Abalos | 34 | Selena Stop and Gomez | Eliminated |
| Mico Aytona | 31 | Beyoncé Knows Best | Advanced | |
| Thursday 8 August 2019 |
Edgar Allan Guzman | 30 | J. Low-Blood | Advanced (tied) |
| Buboy Villar | 20 | Kidney Spears | Advanced (tied) | |
| Friday 9 August 2019 |
Manolo Pedrosa | 21 | Lady Baga | Eliminated |
| Jak Roberto | 25 | Nancy-Lang Ka | Advanced |
Grand finals
The grand finals occurred on Saturday, 10 August 2019 and was hosted by Pia Guanio and Wally Bayola. The five grand finalists underwent final talent and interview portions. In the end, Buboy Villar's Kidney Spears was hailed as the grand winner.
Beyoncé Knows Best Mico Aytona |
Shakira Brown Clint Bondad |
J. Low-Blood Edgar Allan Guzman |
Nancy-Lang Ka Jak Roberto |
Lisa Mauban Paul Salas |
Kidney Spears Buboy Villar |
| Contestant | Age | Drag Name |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Salas | 21 | Lisa Mauban |
| Clint Bondad | 25 | Shakira Brown |
| Mico Aytona | 31 | Beyoncé Knows Best |
| Edgar Allan Guzman | 30 | J. Low-Blood |
| Buboy Villar | 20 | Kidney Spears |
| Jak Roberto | 25 | Nancy-Lang Ka |
| Contestant | Age | Drag Name | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Buboy Villar | 20 | Kidney Spears | Grand winner |
 |
Edgar Allan Guzman | 30 | J. Low-Blood | First runner-up |
 |
Clint Bondad | 25 | Shakira Brown | Second runner-up |
Trivia
- The grand finals of Bebot 2019 was re-aired on Friday, 20 March 2020. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on live programming, Eat Bulaga! opted to replay episodes of some of its most iconic segments and other special presentations from the past.[3]
Footnotes
- ↑ Paolo Ballesteros reprised his drag character, Precious Paola Nicole Ballesteros, to host the pageant. His character became notable as the first-ever grand winner of Bebot in the 2005 edition.
- ↑ Wally Bayola also reprised his drag character, Blackylou Blanco, to host the segment. His character first appeared as a Bebot 2005 contestant and then reappeared in later editions of the pageant.
References
- ↑ 40th anniversary celebration ng 'Eat Bulaga,' napuno ng pasasalamat at big announcements, 30 July 2019, GMA News.
- ↑ Buboy Villar wins Eat Bulaga's Bebot 2019, 12 August 2019, Philippine Entertainment Portal.
- ↑ GMA suspends production of entertainment shows; to air ‘pre-taped’ episodes, 14 March 2020, Philippine Daily Inquirer.