“Iyong pakiramdam namin, we’re just overwhelmed and we’re so happy. Totoo naman iyong sinasabi mo na so many people that doubted us. Ang daming nagsabing hindi magtatagal iyan. Dahil simula nang nawala ang ABS-CBN, nagsilabasan ang lahat ng noontime shows from all over networks di ba, in different channels?”
This is how Lunch Out Loud (LOL) host Billy Crawford expressed his happiness as the show reached a year on the air despite doubts from others when asked by PEP.ph during the media visit with selected media on Monday, October 4.
Crawford is a former Kapamilya, but he left the Network after its shutdown on May 5, 2020.
Thousands of its employees were retracted and the production of shows was lessened.
He said he was thankful for having the opportunity to work again through Lunch Out Loud.
“So, noong nabigyan kami ng platform na ito, obviously we weren’t doing it for the popularity, we weren’t doing it for the longevity. We were doing it because we were blessed to have been given the opportunity to work again. So iyong goal namin, iyong motivation namin, iyong inspirasyon namin, galing sa isa’t isa—coming from the staff, coming from the hosts, the production, even from Cong. Albee. Lahat ng tao that was involved, everyone had faith, everyone had hope.”
When rumors surfaced about the show getting canceled, he admitted that he and the whole mainstays were hurt.
“When everyone was speaking ill about Lunch out Loud, syempre, nasaktan kami at one point na totoo ba? Are we gonna be replaced? Are we gonna be taken out, canceled, whatever? But at the end of the day, it really is a blessing from God talaga. Hindi namin ine-expect that we would last this long kaya hindi rin namin inexpect na lalakas iyong samahan namin.Kasi if you actually look, lahat ng tao na nandoon, iba-iba kami. Iba-iba iyong attitude namin, iba-iba iyong pananaw namin sa buhay o sa industriya. It is just sobrang sobrang laki ng pasasalamat namin sa Diyos na nandito pa rin kami after one year and we are hoping for many more years to come. Dahil ang goal lang namin dito ay magpasaya ng tao at makatulong sa kapwa. We are not competing with anyone. Kung sinumang gustong mag-compete sa amin bahala kayo, sige. Pero kami, we are not competing. We are just doing our jobs and we are just loving what we do and we are thankful we are doing it, ayun lang.”
Despite the negative rumors about the show, Crawford said he is overwhelmed as Lunch Out Loud is gaining good ratings throughout its run.
He said, “Medyo nakakaubos ng pananalita kasi it’s hard to explain na hindi naman talaga namin ine-expect na lahat kami mapupunta sa kahit na saan pang network. So iyong expectations namin talaga were zero. So when we were rating at 0.4, at 0.6 or 0.8 then 0.4 again, kumbaga wala, expected na namin iyon. Pero noong pumalo kami we were going 1, 1.5 tapos nag 2 ‘tapos bumaba ulit ‘tapos nag-2 ulit, doon mo mari-realize na parang there are still people who are willing to watch and willing to be glued to the TV. Kasi nawala na iyong ritual ng tao na nasa bahay ka na lang, manonood-nood tayo ng TV, wala na ang free TV, it’s very hard nowadays. So para makuha lang namin iyong audience namin ay nakakataba talaga ng puso, and they’re still there until now and it’s improving and we just want to improve, ayaw namin pabalik.
“Ang goal lang talaga namin here is just to be humble, with all humility and respect amongst each other and iyong mai-inspire at ma-motivate lang natin ang mga kapatid nating nanunuod na they will learn something from watching the show. Makakatulong kami kung may kailangan silang tulong if ever and iyong mga kalokohan namin, it’s as is, wala kaming masyadong script, bahala na si Batman.”
Crawford said that conducting a prayer after taping changed everything a lot.
He shared, “So honestly, we’re guided by God, to be honest with you, ha. Kasi noong sinuggest ni Direk Bobet Vidanes at one point…
“Kasi we always pray bago kami matapos ng cycle o ng taping, nagpe-pray kami.”
He said referring to Vidanes, “‘Alam mo, maganda iyong idea na magdasal na lang tayo at the end of the show live.
“‘I-take natin at iparamdam natin sa lahat na ipinagdadasal natin ang lahat, ang Pilipinas at buong mundo. That’s where we got the attention na we care so much that we are just praying kasi iyon ang number one na pwede naming ibigay sa lahat, prayers para sa ating bansa, prayers para sa ating kalagayan. So it changed everything when we started to devote ourselves to God and when we offered this show to God, it was completely different na, sobrang nag-iba.”
In its upcoming first anniversary celebration, Crawford revealed that the show has prepared big prizes for the Kapatids.
He said the show opted to do this instead of spending money on extravagant performances.
“Itong pandemyang ito ay talagang limitado niya ang lahat, nilimitado niya iyong funds na paparating, funds na papalabas para makatulong, medyo limitado kami. Pero dito, guaranteed naman kami, we are not looking for the super pasabog performances of your entire life na makikita nyo si Alex, kakain ng bubog o kakain ng apoy. We’re just here to give good production numbers pero number one ang role namin, alam naming this anniversary month, milyun-milyon ang ipapamigay namin.
“So instead of us spending so much money for extravagant performances, we put the money, consolidate it, and invest sa mga taong may kailangan. Siguro dati, kapag nagsasagot ako, 12,000, 25,000, this time hindi natin alam kung talagang may kailangan, baka may kotse, baka may bahay, you never know. But it’s in that likes na engrande ang mga papremyo namin sa mga kapatid naming nangangailangan, that’s our biggest pasabog.”