AlDub: The TV Phenomenon That’s Been Sweeping the Nation
You see and hear them around through numerous billboards, TV commercials, radio commentaries, forum topics, and social media. This “AlDub” thing that is all the rage these days conquering all kinds of media may have made you feel curious and we can’t blame you. No one wants to feel left behind especially when something has become too big to ignore and almost everyone around you is talking about it.
So what exactly is AlDub, and what makes it such a huge hit in the Philippines?
Topping social media trends since July 2015, AlDub is now considered one of the most popular loveteams in the history of Philippine entertainment. AlDub is a portmanteau of the names of the two hosts of the popular noontime show Eat Bulaga, Alden Richards and Maine ‘Yaya Dub’ Mendoza. Alden is a movie actor while Maine is a breakthrough personality in the social media who became popular for her Dubsmash antics. This phenomenal loveteam started out in the show as just accidental onscreen partners. Nothing intentionally manufactured, just a candid moment of a girl who couldn’t hide her admiration for a guy. The camera captured it, the viewers got to witness it, and the rest is history.
HOW IT ALL STARTED. (July 16, 2015 episode) when Yaya Dub felt all conscious and girlish seeing Alden Richards’ smiling face on the screen
The two became a hit because of their onscreen chemistry and humor which clicked with the Filipino masses. What makes this loveteam unique from other loveteams is that their show evolves via split screen. Alden Richards, interacts from the Broadway Studio of the show while Yaya Dub acts from the local community (barangay) where the segment Juan for All, All for Juan is located. The segment originally just featured a rich lola (grandmother) with a yaya or personal nanny (Yaya Dub) which, after that captured moment of Yaya Dub blushing over Alden, eventually evolved into a story of a budding romance between the two. A story of an actor, falling in love with a simple nanny was developed from there and became a hit. A classic fairy tale plot retold in a relatable Filipino context.
Now, AlDub has their own segment in the show called “Kalyeserye,” along with Yaya Dub’s three grandmothers playing support roles. AlDub mostly communicates through dubsmash (a lip syncing trend) and exchanging fan signs which make them a unique pair in this generation. The thing that got people become really hooked on the show is that these two were strictly forbidden to see each other for a time, which thrilled and intrigued viewers more. In reality, the two hosts had not seen each other personally yet, making the people wait for the “tamang panahon” (right time) when they can finally be allowed to meet. When the Right Time happened, the show held its much-anticipated event last October 24, filling the 55,000 seater Philippine Arena with tickets sold-out in just a week after the announcement.
Every day, AlDub garners 1 million tweets for every Twitter hashtag made for the show. This is through the support of both local and international fan base called the AlDub Nation, people who were bitten by the AlDub love bug ever since it started.
What makes AlDub loved by many Filipinos is that their show incorporates Filipino values and good courtship traditions in the segment’s plot. One of which is the “Right Time” concept, which advocates that patience is a virtue and that there is always a right time for everything. The moral values that the show imparts about love and family make it appreciated by Filipinos of all ages. Perhaps one of the reasons for its fame is its unique way of tackling some morality issues in the context of Filipino humor, wit, and romance. Also, what makes people support the show is its cause-oriented initiative to help the less-privileged by giving rewards and prizes to game participants in exchange for their donations of recyclable plastic bottles. These are then used for raising funds for school chairs, libraries, and livelihood projects for the barangays (districts) they visit. Through the AlDub loveteam craze, the show and its advocacy have become more successful thanks to the outpouring of support of the AlDub Nation.
AlDub, with all its media power and mass appeal, is actually more than just a popular commercial entity that draws the crowds. With a dash of humor and old-school romance, it warms the heart and teaches people to believe that beautiful things can still happen no matter the odds. And yes, it’s just a matter of #tamang panahon J.
Article by Philippine Primer Staff
Photo credits to EB Social Media Department
