Saturday, March 21, 2009

Willie is YES! mag's most powerful entertainer


Leading entertainment magazine “Yes!” listed “Wowowee” host Willie Revillame and Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, chairman and chief executive officer of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., as the most powerful entertainer and most powerful executive, respectively, in local show business.

The latest issue of Yes! features "The 50 Most Powerful in Showbiz." The 48-year-old Revillame is in the No. 1 position in the entertainers category.

“As many people adore Willie as disapprove of him – but nobody can be indifferent to him,” the magazine said.

It pointed out that the comedian’s show, "Wowowee," has kept “Eat Bulaga!,” the longest and popular noontime show in the country, on its toes. It described "Wowowee" as the “persistent thorn in Eat Bulaga!’s side.”

It also mentioned Revillame’s “global” status with his popularity among Filipino workers abroad.

“What’s even more amazing is his audience’s continued adulation despite the negative issues that hound him to this day, foremost of which is the deadly 2006 stampede at the Ultra stadium that marked his show’s anniversary,” the magazine said.

P1 million a day?

The magazine said Revillame reportedly earns P1 million per day from his contract with ABS-CBN and endorsement agreements.

Revillame is followed by Kris Aquino, John Lloyd Cruz, Robin Padilla and Marian Rivera. They occupied the top five spots.

Other Kapamilya stars who made it in the list are: Toni Gonzaga, Sarah Geronimo, Bea Alonzo, KC Concepcion, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Sam Milby. Ai-Ai delas Alas, Piolo Pascual, Sharon Cuneta, and Judy Ann Santos.

Gabby Lopez

Under the showbiz executive category, meanwhile, Lopez is on top spot as the magazine noted his aggressive expansion projects and the steady growth in ABS-CBN's main business (i.e. broadcasting) ever since he assumed leadership in 1997.

These expansions include ABS-CBN Interactive, Star Records, Roadrunner Network, and ABS-CBN Global.

“Another bright spot: ABS-CBN Global, carrier of The Filipino Channel, managed to lure close to two million overseas viewers to TFC by the end of 2008 via its many platforms – cable, direct-to-home, online streaming, mobile, and syndicated ABS-CBN programs on free television,” the magazine noted.

“Yes!” said the personalities who made it on its 2008 list are “industry players who took an active role in shaping the landscape of entertainment over the past 15 months: January 2008 to March 2009.”

Just a 'caretaker'

In an interview with ABS-CBN's Mario Dumaual, Revillame denied he earns P1 million a day from ABS-CBN.

"Hindi ako kumikita ng ganung kalaki....Babayaran ba ako ng ABS-CBN ng ganun? Kumita man ako ng piso o isang milyon, sinisikap ko na pareho pa rin ang aking performance dahil maraming sumasaya sa pera na yan," he said.

Revillame said it is the support of viewers that makes him and "Wowowee" strong, adding that he is just the show's "caretaker."

Source: absCBNnews.com

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