The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
What are friends for if not to reunite when one of them is gone?
This was how the cast and crew of the television comedy show “Champoy” remembered the loss of their kindred colleague Cherie Gil who recently succumbed to cancer.
The still active and living members of the cast who were available on the reunion were around like Tessie Tomas, Leo Martinez, Mel Villena, German Salvador, Noel Trinidad, Mitch Valdez, Ronnie Lazaro, Leo Rialp and other creative team players.
Noel hosted the event with memorial thoughts not only on Cherie but to their other departed costars like Gary Lising and Subas Herrero. It was also a tribute to their friend and supporter, Peque Gallaga.
“Cherie was fondly called ‘Chichi’ on the set of ‘Champoy’ because she was just a stunning 17 year-old teen-ager when she joined us in 1981. She enjoyed doing with us ‘Walang Sisihan’ and ‘Boom-Boom’ jokes. She also became ‘Champettes’ together with Mitch Valdes and I doing rock and roll numbers like “Crack That Whip”!
“Noel hosted a yummy Jap meal at Sugi Resto last Thursday so we can reminisce ‘the good old days’ of ‘Champoy’ with Cherie.
“After all the naughty banter and some knock-knock and other corny jokes, we sobered up to do a Candle Ceremony led by Leo Rialp for the repose of the souls of our ‘Champoy’ friends Subas, Gary and Peque.
“Ahhh, Chichi—we will truly miss you!!” exclaimed Tessie on her Facebook wall.
It was during the heyday of Broadcast City—the broadcast hub of TV networks as Radio Philippines Network (RPN Channel 9), Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC Channel 13) and Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Channel 2)—in Tandang Sora in Quezon City when the gag show in RPN-9 was on top of the ratings game.