Several changes in timeslot, a couple of issues and even a name change. These did not stop Tropang LOL from securing its place in the noontime slot and slowly gaining fans from all over the country.
Tropang LOL was formerly Lunch Out Loud and was the banner noontime show of TV5 until it had to welcome It’s Showtime as its back-to-back program on the network middle of this year. Billy Crawford led the pack in the warm welcome, which was returned with barely an acknowledgement from Showtime given the colorful past of both shows’ production.
It can be remembered that Tropang LOL’s director Bobet Vidanes had a headline-grabbing exit from his former show in ABS-CBN back in 2021 and he even had a rift with former colleagues on It’s Showtime even though it was he who directed the show as well. Even a number of the Tropang LOL hosts came from there. It’s good though because even the hosts of the show besides Billy, like Alex Gonzaga, Bayani Agbayani and Wacky Kiray who came from ABS-CBN, to name a few, have stayed true to their mantra of good vibes and authenticity and moved on from the internal issues that the back-to-back shows had.
One more hot topic of Tropang LOL that they managed to fix was when Matteo Guidicelli sat in for Billy and he had a supposedly friendly banter with Alex, which netizens spliced in a video. It went viral and was blown out of proportion.
Alex would bring up Matteo’s past relationship and use it in her punchlines so the actor jokingly called Alex out on national television. All ended with Matteo joking about Alex’s toes, which was edited out in the video circulating online. But Matteo was gentleman enough to quickly call us and publicly clear the air between him and Alex. He even said, “I super enjoy being part of Tropang LOL and yes, if it permits that I become a regular then why not di ba? Totoo iyong sinasabi nila na iba ang samahan dito.”
Out of all the noontime shows, Bayani was also quick to point out one thing: “Kung mapapansin ninyo, kami lang ang noontime show na nagdadasal sa end ng programa. Magaan talaga ang mga loob namin at nag-pi-pray talaga kami kay God na patagalin pa ang show namin para mas marami ang matulungan.”
And now, two years down the road for the program, Tropang LOL has already given over P45 million worth of prizes. It is also leveling up and giving more cash prizes in each segment, including the hits Pera Usog, Maritest, Beat The Who, Sagot Mo, Sagot Ko at Hope.
Bayani further said, “Thank you Lord at two years na po ang Tropang LOL. Actually, nag-umpisa kami LOL, naging Tropang LOL na. Hindi ko alam (on our) third year, fourth year, kung ano na pangalan namin pero ang mahalaga nakaka-dalawang taon na po kami. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa Tropang LOL. And I’m very excited, very happy and thankful to God that our prayers are heard every episode.”
Jeffrey Tam added, “Thirty years ang target namin. So maraming salamat sa Tropang LOL. Magkita-kita tayo.”
The gang is set to wrap up a two-day live show at the Masskara Festival in Bacolod today. Yesterday, the hosts were greeted by thousands of fans who partied it up during the free live celebration at Panaad Park and Stadium. People came in as early as 7 a.m. to see Alex, Matteo, Bayani, Wacky Kiray with Laboching, KC Montero, Jeffrey, Alexa Miro and JD Axie. They even brought in special guests like Juan Caoile & Kyle Swish, Mc Einstein, Yuridope and Makino.
Before Billy went to France to revive his fan base there, which he is successfully doing so through his strong performances in Danse Avec Les Stars, he mentioned that his priority in the Philippines in terms of projects is his Tropang LOL.
Catch them Mondays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on TV5, A2Z and Kapamilya Channel. Our global kababayans can also watch Tropang LOL via Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC and TFC Global.