In a display of the power of social media to shame, a popular Filipino gay comedian who poked fun of a respected female news executive from a rival station was shamed on Tuesday for his joke that had become viral and gone bad.

On Wednesday, ABS-CBN comedian Vice Ganda made a public apology to GMA 7 Vice President for News Jessica Soho during the airing of his noontime programme, Showtime.

Vice Ganda made the jokes on May 17 at Araneta Coliseum. The public reaction became viral on Twitter and other social networking sites, prompting the comedian to meet the executives of his mother network.

"Jokes depend on how people take it, not all jokes could be accepted by all people," he initially said in Filipino. However, he admitted he could have offended Ms Soho with his jokes on her weight problem and an imagined rape scene if the news executive would become a sexy actress.

Ms Soho has publicly said she was offended by the joke. Vice Ganda said he would not dispute the fact that Ms Soho was offended, prompting him to ask for forgiveness from the female executive personally through a phone call. The ABC-CBN management agreed with his decision.

However, when he called, Ms Soho indicated she was not ready to talk to the comedian that day or any time soon. Vice said over Showtime that probably Ms Soho was still hurt by the jokes and is not ready to forgive him leading him to instead make a public apology.

"Yes, that was a joke which to you appears like a bad one ... if I hurt you with that joke, I am apologizing. I am sorry. And I promise you that I will never include you ever more in any theme of my future shows," he said in Filipino.

He insisted no one among the thousands of concert goers could remember him making fun on rape, but he said he does not in any way want to ostracise any rape victim. Nevertheless, he apologised if he had hurt any of them.

"I am a human being, I just look like a horse but I am not a perfect comedian. Not all people find my jokes funny," Vice Ganda said.

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