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WATCH: How studio-less 'Showtime' held live telecast amid coronavirus quarantine

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/entertainment/03/26/showtime-hosts.jpg"/><figcaption>&#x27;It&#x27;s Showtime&#x27; hosts, plus director Bobet Vidanes, hold a live episode of the noontime program from their respective homes amid the coronavirus quarantine. <em>ABS-CBN</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Nearly two weeks since ABS-CBN halted its entertainment productions due to the coronavirus pandemic, its flagship variety program &quot;It&#x27;s Showtime&quot; went live Thursday through a virtual gathering of its hosts, in a defining image of the new normal of physical distancing.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s Showtime,&quot; which had been airing memorable episodes since the initial government lockdown of Metro Manila, held its first live episode sans a studio setup.</p><p>The setup, instead, was digital, with a dozen video call screens shown on television as the hosts streamed from their respective homes.</p><p>Vice Ganda mentioned they were on Zoom, the now-ubiquitous app that allows group video calls and which has similarly been used in other online entertainment efforts, like the ongoing &quot;Bayanihan, Musikahan&quot; concert series.</p><p>The hosts, plus director Bobet Vidanes, opened the Thursday episode by dancing and singing along to the &quot;It&#x27;s Showtime&quot; theme song, as they usually do in the regular telecast.</p><p>&quot;Maraming ways para magpasaya ng tao, that&#x27;s why you&#x27;re here,&quot; Vidanes said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zaaz3-H4afM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Unique segments included the &quot;Corona Ba-Bye Na&quot; dance challenge, where hosts and fans shared their take on the Vice Ganda choreography; as well as a battle of wits with the mainstays divided into two teams.</p><p>The latter game notably had participants improvising buzzer sounds with items at home to determine who would answer first.</p><p>Despite the physical distance, the hosts&#x27; fun-filled banter still translated to their virtual get-together. Vice Ganda, Vhong Navarro, and Jhong Hilario traded teasing remarks, while new mom Anne Curtis whispered her usual high-pitched greeting to avoid waking up her daughter Dahlia.</p><p>The online setup was not without hitches. Throughout the episode, Ryan Bang appeared to have connection problems, with delayed responses and choppy audio that became the target of a running joke.</p><p>The live portion comprised two hours of the Thursday telecast of &quot;It&#x27;s Showtime.&quot; Its last 30 minutes were dedicated to a re-run of &quot;Tawag ng Tanghalan.&quot;</p><p>Before giving way to the singing competition, Vice Ganda announced that &quot;It&#x27;s Showtime&quot; will continue holding live episodes via Zoom this week, as the program looks to carry on its mission of making people happy, especially amid a worldwide crisis.</p>

<p>Nearly two weeks since ABS-CBN halted its entertainment productions due to the coronavirus pandemic, its flagship variety program "It's Showtime" went live Thursday through a virtual gathering of its hosts, in a defining image of the new normal of physical distancing.</p>

Nearly two weeks since ABS-CBN halted its entertainment productions due to the coronavirus pandemic, its flagship variety program "It's Showtime" went live Thursday through a virtual gathering of its hosts, in a defining image of the new normal of physical distancing.