Magandang Tanghali Bayan Suspensions

Willie became a co-host of 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila on ABS-CBN in 1998. He then joined his former Lunch Date co-host Randy Santiago and John Estrada in a new noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan (MTB), which replaced 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila. He immediately bonded with his co-hosts and the three were noted for their comic chemistry.

The newborn triumvirate of Santiago, Estrada, and Revillame was noticed by the viewers. Criticism followed Willie's new-found fame as TV host. Some branded the new trio as a rehashed version of the more established Tito, Vic and Joey, their rival counterparts in the other noontime show, Eat Bulaga on GMA 7. Other viewers and critics denounced Willie for acting like a "sex maniac" with his vulgar behavior with the Calendar Girl contestants in MTB.

Magandang Tanghali Bayan started its first live episode on November 30, 1998. In August 1999, Randy, John and Willie were suspended by ABS-CBN from Magandang Tanghali Bayan because of the vulgar jokes that they threw at the contestants that joined the contest during the show's portion Calendar Girl. The suspension was meted after MTRCB, then headed by Armida Siguion-Reyna, issued a warning on ABS-CBN regarding MTB. A week later, the whole noontime show was suspended and was replaced temporarily by Esep-Esep.

In 2001, Willie was terminated from Magandang Tanghali Bayan after he defied orders from ABS-CBN management to refrain from making vulgar jokes. He was replaced in the show by the matinee-idol triumvirate of Marvin Agustin, Dominic Ochoa and Rico Yan†. Soon after, he started appearing as guest star in some GMA 7 shows, fuelling speculations that he will soon be transferring to ABS-CBN's rival network. But after guesting at GMA 7, there was no news coming from Willie's camp except for his appearance during an EDSA 3 rally.

When Magandang Tanghali Bayan went off air, it made a comeback with a different title Masayang Tanghali Bayan with almost the same group, plus new hosts. Then in December 2003, the MTRCB ordered ABS-CBN to terminate Willie from the show, when he remarked nasty jokes with Masayang Tanghali Bayan mainstay Mahal, but before the order could be carried out, the host-comedian filed his resignation instead. In January 2004, Willie appeared on ABS-CBN's The Buzz and made a tearful farewell appearance full of tears.

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