After Nancy Binay Skin Colour Puns, Gay Filipino Comedian’s Rape Joke Incurs Ire of Women’s Group, Netizens

After racist jokes about a dark-skinned senator, gay Filipino comedian is getting the flak in the Internet over his rape and weight jokes he made about the news executive of a rival TV network.

The comedian, Vice Ganda, initially made fun of Jessica Soho, a multi-awarded journalist and assistant vice president for news of GMA 7, particularly her weight problem. He then compared her to a roast pig and then proceeded to joke of the hefty newscaster being gang raped.

While the jokes elicited laughter at Vice Ganda's concert on May 17, colleagues of Ms Soho protested the jokes. The representative of Gabriela, a women's group also slammed the comedian for the offensive joke.

Ms Soho herself issued a statement that rape is not an appropriate topic for a comedy show. The issue was picked up in media and Twitter is now alive with comments, mostly negative about the gay comedian.

Ros Simbulan tweeted, "I should take my stand here, as a writer, I admire Jessica Soho among all Filipino journalist. Vice Ganda is such a mistake himself."

Neoxyrel agreed that Vice Ganda is an anomaly and does not deserve to use the word ganda, which means beautiful in Filipino, because he has often been compared to a horse.

Genesis Santos chided the gay comedian, "Na-ah. You don't do that to her. You're still nothing compared to her." Pauline Ezra Lachica added that Vice's joke is foul and very unprofessional.

Likewise, Bb Gandanghari, a gay actor, tweeted, "I don't see any good thing about Vice Ganda's 'rape joke' to Jessica Soho, you don't need to hurt feelings just to amuse people."

However, Matthew Abuyo defended Vice's jokes. He said, "Those who are dissing Vice Ganda over his Rape/Jessica Soho joke are pure Bigots! Some Filipinos are just over reacting."

Devee Monasterio said he likes Vice Ganda, but the Jessica Soho jokes were below the belt. He said the comedian should apologise to Ms Soho.

In the same concert, Vice Ganda also made fun of Nancy Binay, the daughter of the Philippine vice president, Jejomar Binay, who was elected senator. His jokes centered on her dark skin colour.

Like the Nancy Binay jokes, the Jessica Soho jokes are expected to divide Filipino netizens, although based on the surge of tweets, majority are in favour of the respected newscaster.