Key Points
- Vice Ganda, a top Filipino comedian and actor, turned 50 years old on Tuesday.
- He champions LGBTQ+ rights and is the highest-grossing Filipino actor ever.
- Celebrated his birthday at Amanpulo Resort, expressing gratitude and pride for his community.
From the stage to the screen, and even in music, there are only a few entertainers who can do it all as he can.
Vice Ganda, one of the most popular actors and comedians in the Philippine show business, turned 50 years old on Tuesday. Noted for his stand-up comedy routines and jokes about Filipino culture and the LGBTQ+ community, he is a host on ABS-CBN’s variety show It’s Showtime, and has starred in three of the 10 highest-grossing films in Philippine cinema. Also known as the “phenomenal superstar” and “unkabogable queen” (a Filipino slang term for “unstoppable”), Vice Ganda is the highest-grossing Filipino actor of all time, with a total movie gross of 4.6 billion pesos since 2022.
Born and raised in a large family based in Manila as Jose Marie Viceral, Vice Ganda started his career as a singer, then a stand-up comedian for Punchline and The Library, in the late 1990s. The owner of the clubs gave Viceral the stage name Vice Ganda, which translates to “beautiful Vice” in English. He made his TV debut in the Judy Ann Drama Special and made cameo appearances in various TV shows and independent movies throughout the early 2000s, while performing as a stand-up to make ends meet.
In 2009, Viceral started as a host for Its Showtime, a variety show and talent search program of ABS-CBN, and he gained widespread popularity due to his jokes, humor and sarcasm. The comedian also had his own Sunday talk show from 2011 to 2020, called Gandang Gabi, Vice!, while featuring and starring in many box office and independent films. In addition, the Super Parental Guardians star released many hit songs throughout his career, including his self titled album that includes the hits “Manhid Ka” and “Whoops Kirri.”
Known for his unapologetic nature, the Filipino comedian has always used his platform on Its Showtime and on social media to chamption LGBTQ+ rights and voice. Viceral has been with fellow It’s Showtime host and Filipino actor and model, Ion Perez, since 2018, and secretly tied the knot in Las Vegas in 2021. He has opened up about the difficulties of being in a gay relationship, especially in the Philippines, noting how it can be perceived as “not normal” and the struggle to convince people of a partner’s genuine love.
“I will always retell our story with pain but with high hopes, gratitude, joy and #PRIDE. May WE all continue to love and win,” he wrote in an Instagram post in June 2024. “Happy Pride to my LGBTQIA+ community! 🏳️🌈🌈❤️.”
Viceral shared on his Instagram stories on Tuesday that he celebrated his Golden Birthday on the beaches of the Amanpulo Resort in Palawan. A fan resposted a video of the Filipino comedian stunned in a beautiful, floral, floor-length dress, while being surrounded by loved ones.
It’s Showtime typically airs Monday to Saturday at 3 p.m ET. The popular Philippine noontime variety show is available on multiple platforms, including the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, ALLTV and online on Kapamilya Online Live. In addition, all of Vice Ganda’s songs that he has released in the 2010s are available on streaming platforms.
About the author
Entertainment Writer, Parade
Liz Lindain is a freelance entertainment journalist for Parade Magazine with a strong background in reporting the arts, music, breaking news, sports, TV, fashion and pop culture. She has interviewed influencers, musical artists, comedians and stylists across entertainment and fashion.
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