VIC SOTTO’S sitcom, ‘Darling Kong Aswang’, is bowing out after its contract with TV5 expired and it’ll be replaced starting May 15 by the new edition of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Why was the show’s first edition terminated last October when it was rating well? “It lasted for more than 5 seasons and the contract with its British mother company, 2-Way Traffic, ended so it was made to rest for a while, replaced by LOL that I’m still hosting up to now,” says Vic. “After six months, heto, TV5 is bringing ‘Millionaire’ back on the air with some changes meant to further improve the show and make it more fun and exciting. Tatanggalin na yung fastest fingers para mas mabilis ang pacing. Contestants can now join through mall auditions and can now also avail of more lifelines to help them out in giving the right answers. Aside from 50-50 and Phone a Friend, we now have People Speak where members of the studio audience themselves can help and win up to P20,000, and Switch that entitles the contestant to switch the original question for another one of the same price or value.”
Vic celebrated his 57th birthday on April 28 and TV5 made an audio-visual presentation for him showing his children, other relatives and his friends greeting him during the presscon. The one who greeted him last was Dolphy, disproving the rumor that he’s now so ill and is in the hospital. Dolphy congratulated Vic for the return of “Millionaire” and even told him “Ingatan mong sarili mo.” We were surprised to see that Vic’s other kids, Vico (with Coney Reyes as mom) and Paulina (with Paula Luz as mom) are now grownups. “Vico just graduated from Ateneo majoring in political science at accepted na siya sa UP College of Law this June. Si Paulina naman just finished high school and will take up comm arts at Ateneo. Magaling siya mag-paint like her lolo (Arturo Luz),” says Vic who’s obviously very proud of his two non-showbiz kids.
He and Pia Guanio were said to be so sweet together when they did ‘Eat Bulaga’ in Vancouver. “Ano naman ang masama roon? We started as friends and up to now, we’re still good friends.” Is it true his new girlfriend is a stewardess? “Yung stewardess, matagal na yun, bago pa si Pia. Yung mga balita, they just got mixed up.” So he’s loveless now? “No, marami ngang nagmamahal sa akin, not just one person kundi naka-networking sila sa family ko, sa mga anak ko, even my grandchildren and my fans.”
He now lives alone in his house in Paranaque. “Oyo used to live with me and when he got married, nanibago akong wala siya. But now, I’m used to it. Malapit lang naman ang nilipatan nila sa bahay ko.” Is his daughter in law Kristine Hermosa now preggy? “Not yet, but they’re working on it. It’s Danica who’s pregnant again. Second baby na nila ni Mark Pingris.”
