Back in the 80s, I took part in Eat Bulaga’s two-on-two basketball competition. I would have wanted to play point or the 2 guard but Coach Dave (pronounced as “Dobby” like the house elf) had bigger plans for me and so I was forced to resume my God awful role of being the team’s water boy where, among others, I had to wear a basketball jersey that had sleeves. Yep, sleeves. On national TV.
Our two players came from our championship team that had recently ruled our neighborhood league in Project 4. Taking care of the wings and the paint was Boy Dominguez, AKA “Boy Welding” because his family owned a welding shop while playing both guard positions was his sidekick Jojo Quijencio, AKA “Ki-ke” or “Ekiks” because that’s just how it is with us reprobates.
The big day finally came and so we trekked to Broadcast City in Capitol Hills where we had to wait in line all morning under the heat of the summer sun. At the time I remember wearing a pair of Wayfarer knockoffs, a pair of white Kareem Abdul Jabbar sneaks that perpetually looked brand new no thanks to Coach Dobby, my priceless Casio calculator watch that I would have traded for some playing time, and my ninny of a uniform that had “WATER BOY” emblazoned in the back.
When we were finally ushered inside, I was profoundly struck by how small the studio was. The whole place was cramped, only 30 to 40 seats were reserved for the live audience and obstructing our view of Connie Reyes were these huge unwieldy cameras that looked like the Guns of Navarone. After some waiting, the opening theme started and the show began.
Two hours later, we were on our way home.
Our team did not get the green light to play that day. Apparently, there was a mix-up in Eat Bulaga’s calendar and so our TV appearance was rescheduled for a future date. Weeks later, when our real turn came, I was immersed in far more interesting things down south, one of which was learning how to drown in a secluded lake in our province. When I planed back home right before classes, I learned that Boy and Ekiks got their butts kicked by our neighborhood rivals who eventually emerged as Eat Bulaga’s champs.
My memories of Eat Bulaga, of course, did not start or stop with this experience. The show has played a lead role in shaping the Pinoy pop culture by starting countless dance crazes and fads that everyone got sucked into like some cosmic vacuum. Now, memories of these crazes are neatly tucked away in the deep recesses of our subconscious, only rising out of their slumber everytime we hear songs forever linked to Eat Bulaga when they were still airing from Broadcast City.
This mixtape just aims to do that: to beam us back to a time when life was fun, simple, and easy.
This mixtape just aims to do that: to beam us back to a time when life was fun, simple, and easy.
Tracklist
01 Paradise - Change
02 Try It Out - Gino Soccio
03 Cars - Gary Numan
04 Crime Pays - Hall & Oates
05 Don't Stop Trying - Rodway
06 Wake Dream - Lime
07 Peek-A-Boo! - Devo
08 Lies - Thompson Twins
09 Street Beat - Toni Basil
10 (Hey You) Rock Steady Crew - Rock Steady Crew
11 Mirda Rock - Reggie Griffin & Technofunk
12 There's No Stopping Us - Ollie & Jerry
13 Body Dancer - Magic Fire
14 Rico Mambo - Breakfast Club
15 Rumors - Timex Social Club
16 New York, Rio, Tokyo - Trio Rio
17 Hypnotized - Copyright
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