'Banana Nite' director defends Xian
"Banana Nite" director Edgar "Bobot" Mortiz defends Xian Lim, noting that the actor was not aware of the show's gimmick.
During the gag show's press conference on Thursday, February 6, Edgar revealed that they wanted to surprise Xian by putting Kim Chiu's impersonator Charmae Viking onstage while he sang. They wanted to surprise Xian and did not inform him about it.
Caught off-guard
This explains why he was caught off-guard and appeared distant towards Charmae while repeatedly referring to her as Bea Binene.
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"Sa totoo niyan, may kasalanan din kami. Hindi kasalanan ni Xian yung nangyari kasi biglaan talaga yung show na iyon. Ako nakaisip na i-good time si Xian. Actually, hindi niya alam na darating iyon. Ang problema lang, hindi siya na-brief na habang kumakanta si Xian lalapitan siya ni (Charmae) yung lookalike ni (Kim). So, ang nangyari, nakatayo lang siya. So, walang nakakaalam kung ano man ang mangyayari," Edgar said.
He shared that they could have properly briefed Kim's impersonator on how to pull off the surprise. The show's director Frasco Mortiz also tweeted on Sunday, February 2, that Xian's reaction "was not scripted" as the gimmick was the show's plan. They also apologized to Charmae.
Taking the blame
"May kasalanan din ako doon na hindi dapat ganoon yung nangyari kung naturuan namin yung kalook-alike, kunyari bibiruin or lalapitan niya si Xian. Pero nakatayo lang siya doon. Siguro kung nilapitan niya si Xian, baka lapitan din siya ni Xian. Siguro nagulat din si Xian doon sa nangyari," Edgar said.
Netizens went abuzz over Xian's behavior during the show's live episode. Some were disappointed on how Xian treated Charmae and how he dealt with the situation. Xian immediately apologized on Twitter and said it was not his intention to offend anyone.
"Hindi niya alam (ang plan). Ang gusto lang naman naming mangyari, masorpresa siya. So, parang miscommunication yung nangyari kaya ganoon yung naging reaction."
Change topic
"Banana Nite" mainstay Jayson Gainza, who interviewed Xian and Charmae onstage, admitted Xian’s reaction came as a surprise.
"Hindi ko pa natatanong si Xian kung bakit niya nagawa iyon. Siguro hindi niya lang nakilala. Kasi makapal yung make-up nung si 'Bea Binene' daw. Iyon daw ang sabi niya, nagsorry naman na yung tao. Hindi ko rin napanuod yung simula kasi nasa backstage kami. Nagulat ako kung bakit hindi niya kilala, iniba ko na lang yung topic," Jayson said.
In a separate interview, Xian's onscreen partner Kim Chiu told ABS-CBN News that the criticisms he got after guesting in “Banana Nite” affected Xian a lot. Kim tries to cheer him up by encouraging him to share happy thoughts and messages in his social media accounts.
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http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/02/06/14/kim-xian-hindi-kumakain-hindi-makausap
‘Sobrang lungkot’
"Sobra siyang malungkot, hindi mo siya makausap. As in hindi siya kumakain, hindi siya nagpapagupit ng hair, ayaw niya. Sobra siyang na-down kasi ang daming bashers sa Instagram. Actually hindi ko alam paano siya i-chi-cheer up," she said.
Bea, on the other hand, took the issue lightly and even thanked Xian for mentioning her name. http://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/news/bea-binene-cool-on-xian-charmae-issue-085330447.html
