WARING meant to be from the start ang tambalang Jose Manalo at Wally Bayola, now one of the showbiz comic duos to beat, as they mount the stage of the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 2 for their first concert, The Jose & Wally Show! Party for Every Juan.

“Never na pumasok sa isipan ko that this will happen,” ani Wally, who was born and raised in Bicol.

Ang lola niya ang nagpalaki sa kanya. Never niyang nakita ang kanyang ama at ina in his growing-up years. Ganunpaman, ’di raw siya nakaramdam ng lungkot, hinanakit o kahit anong pagdaramdam.

Obviously, ayon kay Wally, nakatulong na bata pa siya, he became a choir member sa church. Kaya, lumaki siyang positive ang outlook sa buhay. More than that, masayahin siya.

Si Jose, on the other hand, ay tubong-Tondo. Sa TV, he started as a sidekick sa series na Valiente na nagkakaroon ngayon ng remake on TV5. Then, he became a production assistant-cum-floor director ng Eat Bulaga.

In no time, though, Tony Tuviera, top gun ng APT Entertainment at TAPE, Inc., producer ng Eat Bulaga, saw in Jose his  flair for comedy, talent sa pag-awit at pagsayaw.

He then tapped him to be part ng regular hosts ng programa, with no less than veterans Tito (a senator anew), Vic and Joey for co-workers.

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Meanwhile, Wally was a top favorite in sing-along bars when an Eat Bulaga talent scout handpicked him to be one of the long-time running show’s junior hosts.

It was again the ‘brains’ behind Eat Bulaga who saw potential in the Jose-Wally  comedy team.

Soon, they were given a segment of their own in Eat Bulaga, the highly successful Juan for All, All for Juan, Bayanihan of the Pipol.

In no time, too, the duo were performing live sa Zirkoh and Klownz, where they are considered formidable attractions.

Now, they are invading, wika nga, the Big Dome, no less.        

Both promise to leave no stone unturned to make it truly a lively, attractive at tunay na nakakatawang show.

“We owe that to Mr. Tuviera, yes, for his unwaivering trust in us. Parang sobrang nakakahiya if we fail him.

“And, of course, the public. Those, lalo na, who are buying tickets to the concert. Dapat lang that they get their money’s worth,” susog pa ni Wally.

Now, guess kung sinu-sino ang special guests sa nabanggit na concert. On their own, may kanya- kanya ring following ang mga ito.

Sina Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, Gary Valenciano, Dennis Trillo at Aljur Abrenica,  Ai-Ai de las Alas and Regine Velasquez. Also in the line-up of guests are Aiza Seguerra, Ciara Sotto and Solenn Heussaff.

Directing the show is Philip Lazaro.

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As an Eat Bulaga talent, according to Wally, isang importanteng happening ang naganap sa kanyang buhay.

When he and the EB group performed sa isang lugar, he had a reunion with his dad. Somehow daw, ‘nakatulong’ ang meeting na ’yon sa ‘pagbuo’ sa kanyang pagkatao.

“Actually,” aniya, “it was my lola’s dream na magkita kaming mag-ama. Alam kong sa katuparan ng pangarap niyang ito para sa akin, higit ang kasiyahang nadama niya,” ang punumpuno ng damdaming wika ni Wally.                                    NEL ALEJANDRINO