FANS knew “It’s Showtime” host Amy Perez was about to say something that carried an air of seriousness to it when the music on the studio came a sudden stop during the episode on Friday.
And they were right, as she delivered a sincere apology for a crude joke a member of the noontime program’s girl group, GirlTrends, made about being an orphan.
“Ang buong programa po ay humihingi po ng inyong paumanhin. Hindi po namin intensyon na mawalan ng respeto at gawing katawa-tawa ang kahit na sinong tao,” Perez said.
The joke in question was from Erin Ocampo and came during an “It’s Showtime” segment where hosts trade banter with one another.
She asked Hashtags’ member Jimboy Martin: “Paano gumawa ng panget na anak?”
After giving it a thought for a minute or two, Martin replied: “Bakit hindi mo tanong sa nanay mo?”
Ocampo then clapped back by insisting in jest: “Mali. Tanong mo sa totoo mong magulang kasi ampon ka!”
She drew ridicule from many viewers online, as well as from Norfil Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that provides orphaned children help.
The joke was labeled “insensitive” and “ignorant.”
Perez’s apology acknowledged that the joke was in poor taste and added: “Magtiwala po kayo na mas lalo po kaming magiging maingat, responsable, at sensitibo sa aming mga salita para sa kasiyahan po ng lahat. Muli, amin pong paumanhin sa lahat at mahal po namin kayo, Madlang People. Maraming salamat po.” (ABS-CBN News)
