TV Pinoy | Celebrities | News | TV Guide

HONOLULU—Where in the world is Willie?

More than 200 fans waited for hours and paid $100 (P4,248) each to attend a private party that was supposed to include the cast of the television game show, “Wowowee,” but the stars never showed up, they said.

Dave Tiu, spokesperson for Bigatin Productions, producer of the “Wowowee VIP Bash,” said most of the cast members did attend Thursday night’s event, held at Rumours nightclub at the Ala Moana Hotel here, including some of the stars.

But fans and nightclub doorman Mel Buted said only three of the show’s dancers turned up and none of the stars. “I felt really sorry for all those people, especially the older people,” Buted said. “I was upset.”

When asked to comment, Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN corporate communications, said in a text message: “We are gathering details as to what exactly was the participation of the supposed Wowowee talents in what seemed to be a privately organized party.”

Wowowee, a popular television noontime game show in the Philippines, is touring the United States.

Thousands of fans were expected to turn out at Aloha Stadium here on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) to watch a performance of the show, which will be broadcast on The Filipino Channel and ABS-CBN as an international two-hour special.

Expected to arrive from the Philippines are more than a dozen celebrities, including game show host Willie Revillame and co-hosts Mariel Rodriguez, Valerie Concepcion, Precious Lara Quigaman, Pokwang and RR Enriquez, as well as the Wowowee Dancers.

‘Terrible’

Jason Fernandez paid $300 (P12,746) for tickets to the private party for himself, his wife and daughter but said that after hours of waiting, the stars never materialized. “They said to be patient, they’re on their way,” he said. “It was terrible.”

Fernandez said none of the people who were selling tickets stayed behind to explain what happened.

Wowowee made headlines in 2006 when 74 people were killed and more than 500 people were injured in a stampede in Pasig City. A huge crowd had surged toward a stadium gate in a frenzy to get raffle tickets and seats for the show, trampling elderly women and children.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered a probe and promised that those found liable would be prosecuted and punished.

A government fact-finding inquiry said the organizer of the show, which raffles off cash prizes, had failed to secure the event for the roughly 30,000 people who showed up—far beyond the stadium’s capacity of about 19,000.

{seyretpic id=37 align=center} {seyretpic id=38 align=center}

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment