Michael V. and Ogie interview Sen. Chiz Escudero

Michael V and Ogie Alcasid are tops in my book when it comes to comedy. They don't use physical imperfections and toilet humor to make the audience laugh. They rely on characterization and funny situations. Their work on the long-running "Bubble Gang" proves just how talented they are.

Now they've combined elements of "BG" with a talk show format in "Pare + Pare" (Sundays at 8:30 p.m., GMA-7). Unlike most talk shows, where the guest is usually seated beside the host, the guest in "P+P" is treated like someone on the witness stand being cross-examined by two lawyers.

Last Sunday, Senator Chiz Escudero gamely took the "stand."

On Heart rumor: 'Parang Korea telenovela yan'

At one point, the show aired a video of Heart Evangelista, who's rumored to be the senator's love interest.

In a voice that was obviously dubbed by someone else, "Heart" said, "Sa simula pa lang, obvious naman siya na parang nanliligaw siya. Kasi pag nagpapa-picture kami, sasabihin niya say 'Chiz." Tapos hihilig pa siyang ganyan sa akin"

Just like a politician, Chiz had no comment except to say, "Parang sa Korea telenovela yan." On Kris Aquino's morning show, he did admit meeting with Heart twice.

I am curious though why the two did not bring up the annulment of the senator's marriage. I guess marital breakups are not good subjects for comedy shows.

On Marcos being the 'greatest' president: 'That was probably said by Bongbong'

Then Ogie asked a serious question on whether the senator said that the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was the greatest president the Philippines ever had.

Chiz replied that the statement was probably made by Bongbong Marcos. (Chiz's dad, Congressman Salvador Escudero III, was one of the Ministers of Agriculture in the Marcos era.)

His official website chizescudero.com had this to say about the rumor: "Chiz has never issued a statement to that effect."

In fact, when asked who his favorite president is, Chiz says that he has no particular preference, and that each president in his lifetime has strengths worth emulating.

'Gasgas' gags

A gag doesn't work when it's repeated so many times. That's what happened when the two started playing around with the senator's nickname.

Michael V asked Chiz whether it was true he was quitting the Senate to sell chiz dog, chips escudero, chiz ahoy and whether he plans to give away chiz cake on the campaign trail.

They should have stopped here but they came up with another one "chiz and sanborn." Very few viewers will be able to recognize that as a play of words on Chase and Sanborn Coffee. Even Chiz didn't get the joke.

Little-known facts about Chiz

While the senator could not help but laugh during the interrogation, the two hosts kept a straight face all throughout.

Despite the serio-comic questioning, the viewers learned some trivia about the senator:

• He only paid P100 a semester as an undergraduate student in UP. When he took up Law in the University, this went up to P4,000 a semester;

• The senator is a frequent visitor of hardware stores and is a handyman on Sundays because he loves to fix things around the house.

• His family name is derived from the Spanish word "escudo" which means "shield." His ancestors took care of the weapons that the knight used in battle. Ogie cited a different meaning. Escudero means esquire in English, a man of high social standing who owns or lives in an estate. Michael V. commented that escudo is the unit of currency in Portugal.

I look forward to Michael V and Ogie's next victim.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.