Vice Ganda Apologizes On-Air Following 'It's Showtime' Colorism Controversy

Courtesy: It's Showtime

Vice Ganda issued a live, on-air apology during the July 25, 2026 broadcast of It’s Showtime, taking full accountability following intense public backlash over an insensitive comedy skit. The controversy erupted a day prior during the noontime show’s "Laro Laro Pick" segment, where the comedian's humor was heavily criticized by netizens for promoting colorism and racial insensitivity.

The Controversial Incident

During the Friday, July 24 episode, Vice Ganda was performing in character as "Memerimar," a comedic alter-ego. As part of the skit, the host splashed water at Johaira Morris—a resident dancer and member of the girl group Baby Dolls—before making a joke that explicitly targeted her skin tone.

The segment immediately sparked outrage across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. Viewers slammed the joke as a form of colorist bullying, arguing that using skin color as a punchline reinforces harmful racial stereotypes and has no place on modern television.

Fast Public Apology

Recognizing the escalating public outcry, Vice Ganda used the final minutes of Saturday's live episode to address the "Madlang People" directly. Dropping the comedic persona, the host acknowledged the validity of the audience's negative sentiments.

"Yesterday, there was a segment featuring Memerimar, our dancer Johaira, and the Baby Dolls. Many of you felt uncomfortable, offended, and found it insensitive. We acknowledge your sentiments, sincerely apologize to you, and we will try to do better," Vice Ganda stated during the broadcast.

The host further clarified that offending the viewers or Morris was never the intentional goal of the production, but accepted that the joke crossed a line.

Industry Pressure and Next Steps

The swift public response comes at a time when Philippine media networks face heightened scrutiny from regulatory bodies like the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) regarding live television ethics. By addressing the backlash within 24 hours, It’s Showtime aims to de-escalate the controversy while promising to re-evaluate their live comedic standards. Neither ABS-CBN nor the MTRCB has released an official separate statement regarding the incident.