Singer-songwriter Zack Tabudlo addressed the “maasim” comments thrown at him following a viral performance by turning the criticism into humor during a recent year-end concert.
Zack became a trending topic after clips from his performance at UST Paskuhan 2025 circulated on social media. In the videos, the OPM artist could be seen visibly sweaty as he interacted closely with the crowd. Some netizens later claimed they were at the venue and alleged that the singer smelled “maasim,” sparking a wave of mocking and malicious comments online.
The issue resurfaced during Zack’s performance at the Marikina Yearend Concert, where he openly joked about the viral criticism. In a TikTok clip taken from the event, the singer paused mid-performance and quipped: “Bababa ako mamaya pero kailangan ko munang magpabango, e. Medyo maasim daw, e,” before spraying perfume on himself on stage.
The moment drew laughter from the audience and was widely shared online, with many praising Zack for handling the situation with humor.
Following the backlash from the UST Paskuhan clips, Zack had earlier taken to TikTok to directly address the harsh remarks about his appearance and alleged body odor. Speaking candidly, he said: “There were certain comments in that video regarding how I smelled, how I looked like, how my weight was, and all that, and it’s just very bad.”
He went on to reflect on his experience in the industry and how repeated controversies have affected him.
“I think I’ve been in the industry for a while that I’ve gone through so much rumors and so much issues that it just numbs you and you get to a certain point where you see these comments, it sucks but at the same time, you’re like, damn people don’t change.”
Zack also shared how social media narratives have painted an unfair image of him over the years.
“For the past few years, I’ve been dragged into a lot of rumors and issues that go around, and it hasn’t been the best few years in terms of my name,” he said.
“And to sum it all for you guys, I’m painted in social media as this smelly, ugly kid who has an attitude, who’s always late, who doesn’t dress good, who is fat, ugly, and can’t sing, and slams doors at people when it’s not 10:15 yet.”
Despite the hurtful labels, the singer ended his message with a reminder about empathy and kindness.
“We’re all human at the end of the day. Lahat tayo tumatae, lahat tayo pinagpapawisan, lahat tayo nagkakamali sa buhay. Being nice isn’t hardest to do. Be nice, guys.”
