- GMA Network’s Starstruck is back on its seventh season
- Jose Manalo is set to complete the StarStruck council of the talent competition along with Heart Evangelista and Cherie Gil
- Jose gave his comment about netizens questioning his capability as a judge
Four years after its last edition, StarStruck, the original artista search on television, is back and is all set to discover the next Ultimate Survivors. Its seventh season is slated to air on June 15, 2019.
The new season is still hosted by Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes with StarStruck Season One‘s Ultimate Survivor Jennylyn Mercado as his co-host.
It is confirmed that Kapuso comedian-host Jose Manalo is one of the judges of the talent competition along with Heart Evangelista and Cherie Gil.
After the news circulated on social media that the Eat Bulaga host will be one of the talent search’s judges, Jose received criticisms from netizens saying that he is not credible as a judge.
At the press conference of StarStruck Season 7 last Monday, the media asked for Jose’s reaction to those who have been doubting him as a judge.
“Sabi ko nga, hindi ko naman nilalagay sa kokote ko sa utak ko na judge ako. Pinili ako kasi karapat-dapat ako dito. Hindi ko po nilalagay sa ulo ko ‘yon kaya kung ano ‘yong marinig ko sa kanila hindi na masakit,” he told the press.
Heart Evangelista and Cherie Gil were quick to defend Jose, commenting on his innate talent in comedy.
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“For those people who are judging why he’s here as a judge, sobrang hirap maging komediyante. It’s really something that’s innate and I think for him to be a judge is perfect because hindi biro ‘yong ginagawa niya every day,” Heart said.
Cherie also expressed what she thought about Jose being a judge, mentioning he’s the man behind Eat Bulaga’s auditions.
“Ngayon ko lang rin nalaman na he does all the auditions in Eat Bulaga! That’s why he begets in all the people who are performers who are supposed to come and perform ikaw ‘yong nago-audition,” Cherie shared.
In addition, Jose said he was a production assistant when he witnessed and guided actor Jericho Rosales do his spiels.
“Ako ‘yong nag-demo sa kanya kung paano niya babasahin ‘yong spiels na ‘yon. Mahirap mag-audition dito kasi sa studio sa Eat Bulaga pag nag-audition ka kami kami lang ‘yong nakakakita,” he said.
He revealed that he chose to stay off social media to avoid reading negative comments about him that would only make him angry but his relatives would sometimes text him about what they read about him online.
“Magte-text mga kamaganak ko ‘uy sabi ganito’ sabi ko ‘anong sabi mo?’ ‘siyempre pinagmumura namin’ sabi ko ‘very good very good’ sila na lang ang dami ko na ngang problema, poproblemahin ko pa ba sila di ba?” Jose joked.
Based on an article from PEP, Henyo Master Joey de Leon was the one who gave the opportunity to Jose Manalo to be a StarStruck judge.
Joey had been a judge or council member of the talent search for Season 1, 2, 3, and 6. He was supposed to be a judge also for the 7th season of the reality show but couldn’t so he chose Jose to replace him.
