Ariel Pagtalonia Manalo, better known as Jose Manalo, is a Filipino actor, director, and comedian best known for appearing regularly on the noon-time variety show Eat Bulaga! on GMA Network. He is also known for his observational comedy humor in his stand-up performances.
Personal life
Manalo has five children from his wife, Anna Lyn, and two other children from a previous marriage:
Benj Manalo - Benj is also an actor like his father. He appeared in the musical ‘Rak of Aegis’ alongside Aicelle Santos. Benj has appeared on various TV shows with big names like Coco Martin. Benj recently launched his vlog, #BenjFTW, on Facebook.
Nicco Manalo - Nicco also chose to go into show business as an actor. He has had a number of supporting roles in TV shows, co-starring with the likes of Gerald Anderson. He has appeared in musicals like ‘3 Stars and A Sun’ and ‘Mula Sa Buwan’. He also sings in live gigs when he can. Nicco is most well known for his roles in indie films like ‘The Janitor’ and ‘Barber’s Tales’.
Ai Manalo - Ai is taking up Advertising and Public Relations at Assumption College in San Lorenzo, Makati. She finished her internship as an Accounts Manager in MullenLowe Philippines, one of the top integrated marketing communications networks in the country.
Colyn Manalo - Jose's bunso, Colyn, graduated from elementary last March 27, 2018. She was a Musical Intelligence Hall of Famer and received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence.
Career
Manalo first appeared in the Children's educational show Boyoyong He also appears on TV soap opera series Valiente in 1992 as one of the supporting characters. He later started working behind the scenes as a production assistant on Eat Bulaga!. He then became a comedian and with his friend Wally Bayola, who was also entering show business around the same time, later became a comic duo. He also appeared in several sitcoms on GMA Network like Daddy Di Do Du and Ful Haus, both starring Vic Sotto. In 2010, Manalo returned to TV5 for his former sitcom, My Darling Aswang with Vic Sotto & Ritchie Reyes. This was his second television program on TV5. In 2011, Manalo, along with his comedic partner Bayola, headlined his own TV5 comedy show, The Jose and Wally Show Starring Vic Sotto and also Jimmy Santos. Manalo also worked with Vic Sotto in movies, like Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak! and the MMFF film entry Enteng ng Ina Mo.
''Juan for All, All for Juan: Kalyeserye''
Beginning in July 2015, Manalo played various roles in Eat Bulaga!'s Kalyeserye including:
Don Francisco "Franing" Arenolli - Frankie's father
Tinidora Zobeyala – one of the triplets alongside Nidora and Tidora
Gasgas Abelgas – the narrator when a Kalyeserye episode ends
Gingging – a Parody Character from Batibot, who replaced Gasgas Abelgas as a Closing Narrator since Anselmo and Nidora's Lovestory Chapter in Kalyeserye.
Controversy
In 2012, Jose Manalo's wife lodged a complaint against the comedian for verbal and emotional abuse. In her affidavit, she claimed that the abuse started in 2011. Manalo denied the charges of abuse and also his wife's accusations of family abandonment and child neglect. In his official statement, Manalo asserted that he provided support, "financial or otherwise," to his children. In late 2013, however, Manalo's daughter filed a case of violation against her father for failure to provide financial support, which caused her to drop out of school. The following year, his daughter subsequently attempted suicide, citing her family problems and mainly blaming her father as the reason. Manalo had also refuted these allegations by his daughter.
