Laugh out loud with Luis

Luis Manzano could probably talk for hours on end without getting his audience bored. His wit and charm keep you glued on your seat while his informative spiels are worthy of your time. But Luis is not in the front line just to do his “speaking job.” He, too, is a good listener eager to hear colorful stories of people and learn a thing or two from them.

“Hosting is not just about standing in front of people and talking. Besides the talent we get to see on TV, there are so many stories to learn from. Let’s say, in my two months in Wowowee, I get to learn every single day. Our interaction with the audience was different,” Luis shares. “It’s nice to listen and discover things from real-life experiences.”

But Luis knows how to balance everything depending on the type of show he is in. He is a bit formal on ABS-CBN’s Pilipinas Got Talent while he feels it is a must for him to know everything with co-host Billy Crawford in Panahon Ko ‘To, Ang Game Show ng Buhay Ko. He is just a cool guy when doing his part as Studio 23’s MYX VJ.  

So expect Luis to be at his “craziest” when LOL (short for Laugh Out Loud) starts airing on Dec. 4 after MMK. He describes his job as “mangungulit naman.” And he won’t be doing it alone. His co-host Queen of Cosplay Alodia Gosiengfiao is equally ready to give everyone a good dose of laughter.

LOL has funny videos showing real-life reactions of real people caught up in unusual practical joke situations — be they at work, school or on the streets. The show has a Laugh Team in charge of looking for prank “victims.”

With co-host Alodia Gosiengfiao

When asked about LOL’s obvious similarity to Wow, Mali, Luis answers, “I think there are more shows that came before Wow, Mali so we can’t even claim it really came ahead of the rest, not just in the Philippines, marami ng naunang prank show. So kung nagawa na ‘yan ng certain channel, it doesn’t mean ABS will not have the right to do its own show that will make people laugh.”

Will Alodia and Luis also pose as pranksters?

“Hopefully, we look forward to doing that. Celebrities are no exception, I’d like Nikki Gil and Anne Curtis to be our victims because they sometimes are so gullible.”    

Is it a choice for Luis to do hosting than acting?

“Wherever (ABS-CBN) management needs me. I know there are drama projects in store for me and a drama project is not easy to mount,” Luis replies. “And with my schedule, it’s impossible to accept any other project.”

Find out how Luis spends his day from the time he wakes up until he hits the sack:

10 a.m. — I wake up. I do have my morning rituals na pagkagising ko I would text my PA, simple lang kain. Every single day my breakfast is cereals alongside my green tea then vitamins.

11 a.m. — Rest, watch TV, muni muni.

About 80 percent of the time depending on my schedule, I do Muay Thai ng 12 noon. So that’s about 12 to 1:30.

1:30 p.m. — Take a bath, get dressed and go straight to ABS-CBN for Panahon Ko ‘To taping.

2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — On the set for the taping.

7 p.m. — Dinner time. Sometimes I eat after the taping. I’ll have a simple sandwich because as much as possible I try not to eat rice but of course sometimes I do have my freak-out days when I’m craving for rice or sweets. If not, I just eat tuna sandwich or turkey sandwich.

8 p.m. — There are days when I still train MMA (mixed martial arts), depending on how I feel.

9 or 10 p.m. — Go home (in Ortigas area). Chances are all my friends come over whether invited or uninvited, dumarating na lang sila. We play Playstation, hang out or kwentuhan lang. They leave at around 3 a.m. but I sleep at 1 or 2 a.m. bahala na lang sila sa sarili nila. — Bot Glorioso