What draws viewers to Aga’s show

MANILA, Philippines - For two weeks since it premiered on primetime TV, Let’s Ask Pilipinas, the newest game show hosted by Aga Muhlach, featured celebrity contestants who played, answered questions and won money.

The likes of showbiz stars Gelli de Belen, Ruby Rodriguez, Rufa Mae Quinto, Mr. Fu, Dennis Padilla, Luke Mejares, Martin Escudero, Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao, Keanna Reeves, Randy Santiago and Ate Gay have played in Let’s Ask Pilipinas.

After featuring celebrities in this interactive game show, ordinary viewers are now given the chance to try their luck without even leaving their homes. No wonder, there has been traffic in enlisting and registering to play in the game show.

It is not surprising if viewers are easily enticed to join Let’s Ask Pilipinas because one does not have to leave the house to become a contestant. Thanks to modern technology. You can join, play and win money right in the comfort of your own home.

By testing your knowledge on what other Filipinos think, you can win as much as P500,000. All the answers are survey-based, so there are no right or wrong answers in the choices. Contestants simply have to choose what majority of the respondents will answer.

In most game shows before, viewers at home merely contented themselves with becoming home partners of the studio contestants. With the use of the Internet today, becoming a contestant, playing at home and winning money on TV is readily possible.

Let’s Ask Pilipinas is a Filipino franchise of the US game show, Let’s Ask America. The local show airs nightly, Mondays to Fridays, after the early evening newscast Aksyon on TV5.

Initially hesitant to accept Let’s Ask Pilipinas — because it would mean going out of his comfort zone — Aga now looks like a veteran game show host more than three weeks into his latest TV assignment. He is at ease in front of the cameras and if he does read his script, he does it with ease.

He also interacts well with the contestants even if they are only seen via webcam. He talks to them, even to their partners and children. Every now and then, he manages to inject his personal touch to the questions. “Sinigang na baboy ang kinain ko noon kaya ako tumaba,” Aga nonchalantly shared.

Often, Aga delights viewers by doing brief dance steps on the show. Everybody knows that he is a good dancer, so seeing him execute those moves is certainly an added treat for his viewers.

The game has three rounds. The first part has four contestants, two choices for possible answers and three questions where one can successively win P2,000, P4,000 and P6,000. After the round, the contestant with the least money leaves the game.

The second round has three contestants, three choices for the answers and three questions for P8,000, P10,000 and P15,000. The third round has two players, four choices for answers and two questions for P20,000 and P35,000. The remaining contestant with the most money can bet all or wager a part of it if he does not want to risk his winnings.

Let’s Ask Pilipinas is Aga’s second show on TV5 to date. He also hosts the weekly travel-cum-adventure show, Pinoy Explorer, which now airs Saturday nights at 7 after Showbiz Police (as part of Weekend Do It Better block).