Kalyeserye
Kalyeserye is a soap opera parody segment that was aired live on the Filipino noontime variety show "Eat Bulaga!" on GMA Network. The mini-show, as it has evolved, focused on AlDub, the fictional couple pairing — or "love team" as it is more commonly known in the Philippines — of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza's "Yaya Dub" character in which the two only communicate through lip-syncing to various pop songs and movie audio clips as well as written messages, and interact only on the show's split-screen frame. Richards is usually based in Broadway Centrum studio of  Eat Bulaga! in Quezon City, Metro Manila while Mendoza travels around to a different external location. With an initial runtime of a few minutes, the show soon expanded to over a half-hour for each episode, with specials running even longer and for more segments. Runtimes ranged from about 55 minutes on weekdays to about 1 hour and 15 minutes on Saturdays. The show featured live improvisation from Richards, Mendoza, Wally Bayola, Jose Manalo and Paolo Ballesteros, who all played various roles while the other hosts of "Eat Bulaga!" in the studio served as live commentators (usually as a live  panel consisting of 3–4 hosts) that interact with the characters and also with the audience. "Kalyeserye" had elements of comedy-drama, parody, romantic comedy and reality television. According to Anna Leah Sarabia, a Filipino anthropologist, the segment uses fairy tale and soap opera tropes. The term "Kalyeserye" is a play on the Filipino word "teleserye" (television series) and is a portmanteau of the Tagalog words "kalye" (street, from Spanish "calle") and "serye" (series, "serie"). It was coined by Joey de Leon, one of the primary hosts of "Eat Bulaga!", to refer to the location outside the studio, which was usually  shot out on the streets of Metro Manila or in the provinces of the Philippines that serve as the remote setting of the parody segment. The portion proved to be a success in both broadcast television and social media, resulting in a significant increase in viewership and popularity of "Eat Bulaga!" in its 36th year in Philippine entertainment. In addition, it has contributed immensely to the rise of the careers of Richards and Mendoza. "Kalyeserye" temporarily ended on September 3, 2016 and returned on October 15, 2016, after a month-break. The segment went on a hiatus on September 3 , 2016, and the entire segment concluded on December 17, 2016. Overview. The show follows the love story of Yaya Dub (Mendoza), a girl who converses only in dubsmash (lip-syncing to phrases from songs and other audio clips), and Alden Richards, a regular guest on the "Juan for All, All for Juan" television segment, during which they begin flirting with each other by dubsmashing and exchanging waves. Yaya Dub's employer, Lola Nidora (Bayola), is initially against the couple's budding romance. Lola Nidora then reveals her "Book of Secrets/Secret Diary" which contains various reasons for her disapproval. The  appearance of other characters like the luxurious Frankie Arenolli (from the word "arinola", "chamber pot") (Manalo) and the socialite DuhRizz (Bayola) make things even more complicated for the amorous pair. As the story unfolds, characters from Lola Nidora and Yaya Dub's past are revealed as a part of their backstory. Lola Nidora turns out to be one of the triplet children of the Zobeyala family (a parody of the Zóbel de Ayala family); the three are collectively known as the "de Explorer Triplets/Sisters" (in reference to "Dora the Explorer"). During the course of the series, Alden must prove  his trustworthiness and love for Yaya Dub by engaging in several challenges. From its return for "Season 2", it not only focused on the continuation of the AlDub story as a fictional married couple but also focused on the De Explorer sisters who become hosts for a cooking show, with their real-life mothers as guests, who can cook. Background. Casting. In 2015, Alden Richards, who had finished filming the mini-series "Ilustrado" (2014), was invited to join "Eat Bulaga!" as a host for a month-long trial period, hosting various segments such as "That's My Bae" with radio  disc jockey Sam Y.G. A month later, Maine Mendoza, who had initially gained online popularity by posting her Dubsmash videos in various social media platforms, auditioned for the program after catching the attention of its producers. Mendoza eventually joined the cast in July 2015. She was initially selected to act as a lawyer for "Eat Bulaga!"s "Juan for All, All for Juan" segment but was ultimately cast as Yaya Dub, a nanny for Wally Bayola's "Lola Nidora" character. Mendoza's character would communicate only by lip-synching to various pop songs and film audio clips and could not actually  speak onscreen. Her character was portrayed as a very serious and snobbish nanny who does not even smile or laugh. The characters Doña Nidora and Yaya Dub first appeared on July 4, 2015, in the "Problem Solving" portion of the "Juan For All, All For Juan" segment performed in Cainta, Rizal east of Manila. Their presence filled the void left by Doktora Dora de Explorer's character (also played by Bayola), who has left the previous day to attend a seminar in South Africa. However, the Kalyeserye segment officially started on July 16, 2015, when Yaya Dub sees Alden for  the first time. Section::::"Day 1" onwards. On the episode broadcast July 16, 2015 (retroactively referred to as "Day 1"), performed in Olongapo, Zambales, Mendoza broke out of her "Yaya Dub" character when she accidentally smiled after noticing Alden Richards watching her on the show's live split screen. Upon seeing Mendoza's spontaneous reaction, the studio panel members Allan K. and Joey de Leon teased the pair and thus prompted the producers to make an on-screen couple of the two. Mike Tuviera, a resident director of the show, revealed that the resulting "love team", christened "AlDub", was formed by  accident because of the pair's natural on-screen chemistry. Due to the audiences' positive reception to the pairing, the producers decided to make a 30-minute portion under its daily "Juan For All, All for Juan" segment to replace "Problem Solving". Pegged as "Kalyeserye", it was characterized as a dramedy series with elements of parody of Philippine television drama, romantic comedy and reality TV performed by improv acting, broadcast live from the streets of different towns and cities. Poochie Rivera, one of the program's directors, described it as "natural and unscripted", saying that "Nothing is rehearsed. We are  trying to maintain the spontaneity because that is a big part of its charm." Aside from the AlDub love team, Kalyeserye also featured comedians Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros. The trio, collectively known as "JoWaPao", played various characters, but most prominently, as the three "lolas" (grandmothers) of Yaya Dub. AlDub. AlDub is derived from a portmanteau of the show's main characters' names, Alden Richards, who portrays a fictionalized version of himself, and Yaya Dub, portrayed by comedian Maine Mendoza. Both joining the program's cast in 2015, Richards first appeared as a host of "Eat Bulaga!"s various  segments, such as the "That's My Bae"; while Mendoza appeared only as "Yaya Dub" in the "Juan for All, All for Juan" segment. The couple exclusively interacted through the show's split screen frame and only communicated with each other by dubbing audio samples of popular songs, films and TV series as well as handwritten messages (or "fan signs") on screen. As of early October 2015, the AlDub couple had yet to meet in person. Some of the running gags and gimmicks throughout the parody series include a special gesture between Alden and Yaya Dub, called the Pabebe Wave . Another narrative involves Lola Nidora lobbying for a pairing between Yaya Dub and Frankie Arenolli dubbed as the "YaKie" tandem, with the couple almost ended up getting married. Other events include Lola Nidora issuing labor challenges to Alden to prove his love for Yaya Dub, and the incompetency of the numerous Rogelios, Lola Nidora's bodyguards. The Kalyeserye's main storyline is the Cinderella-like forbidden courtship between the AlDub tandem, with its paramount goal being the first physical meeting of the two, a move continually opposed by Lola Nidora. The AlDub couple's near-encounters on live television also  became pivotal throughout the series. In the show's August 8, 2015 episode, which featured the first wedding between the "YaKie" tandem, Mendoza collapsed unexpectedly while performing on live television and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, resulting in an improvisation by the segment's remaining characters — Frankie (Manalo), Lola Nidora (Bayola) and Alden himself. Mendoza later revealed through her social media accounts that she experienced fatigue hours prior to the show. In its August 12, 2015 episode, Yaya Dub appeared at Broadway Centrum's TAPE Eastside Studio for her Cinderella-themed performance on "Eat Bulaga!"s ""Bulaga Pa More ! Dabarkads Pa More!"" segment. The episode marked as the closest rendezvous between the two, only to be interrupted by Lola Nidora, who played as an evil witch and forced Yaya Dub to leave in the middle of her performance. Section::::"Tamang Panahon". The series reached the climax of its story on the October 24, 2015 episode entitled "Sa Tamang Panahon"("In the Right Time"). Approximately 55,000 people gathered at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan to witness the most awaited meeting of Alden and Yaya Dub; the couple was able to see and interact with each other without any hindrance from Lola  Nidora. One hundred percent of ticket sales (Php 14 million) was allotted for the AlDub Library Project, which aimed to build libraries for less fortunate schools across the country. With 41 million tweets within 24 hours, #ALDubEBTamangPanahon, the official hashtag of the event, became the third most tweeted topic for the TV category worldwide in 2015 and the most used hashtag within 24 hours on Twitter. The show garnered a 50.8% rating in Mega Manila, becoming the highest-rated episode of "Eat Bulaga!" and the most watched show in 2015. Wedding. "Kalyeserye" went on a hiatus on September 3, 2016 , to give way to new segments. The story concluded with Lola Nidora and Lola Tinidora leaving to go to the United States. After a month break, the series returned on October 15, 2016. The storyline opened five years later with the three "lolas" returning to the Philippines and Alden asking them for Maine's hand in marriage. The week then focused on the couple's preparations for their marriage. On October 22, 2016, two days before the anniversary of "Sa Tamang Panahon", the wedding of AlDub took place at the Shrine of Jesus the Divine Word in Quezon City. #ALDUBWedding , the official Twitter hashtag for the awaited event, gained over 6 million tweets within 24 hours. The seemingly realistic wedding marked another milestone for the love team's story, sealing their marriage with a kiss. Ending and concert tour. "Kalyeserye" ended on December 17, 2016, with AlDub's twin babies baptized and the family ready to migrate to Russia with Lola Babah. The following year, the story continued with an American concert tour called "KS sa US" ("KS in the US"). The concert tour began on April 9 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California and concluded on April  12 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. Production. Music. Kalyeserye utilized a number of songs while Alden and Yaya Dub communicate through split-screen. The most used songs for their lip-synch interaction include "God Gave Me You" by Bryan White, "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran, "Twerk It Like Miley" by Brandon Beal, and "Fantastic Baby" by Big Bang. Alden even sang "God Gave Me You" live before going to Lola Nidora's mansion to visit Yaya Dub for their second date. Yaya Dub and Alden frequently danced in celebration to the tune of "Fantastic Baby". In one  episode, the couple also sang "Wish I May," which is included in Alden's titular album, using their own voices and not via Dubsmash/lip-synch as they usually do in the show. There were also other songs that served as theme music that played when either one or all of three sisters, Nidora, Tidora, and Tinidora, enter or exit their scene. Towards the end in most of the episodes of Kalyeserye, the three sisters pose "a la Charlie's Angels" with "Wannabe" by Spice Girls being played in the background. While entering her scenes, Tinidora and her Quandos would  dance to the tune of Lou Bega's version of "Mambo No. 5." Tidora, before entering the scene, was always shown lip-synching to various Mariah Carey songs. The chorus of the song "Dessert" by Dawin was played when Nidora entered the scene or was feeling very happy. The chorus of "Macarena" by Los del Rio was played when Isadora is entering into the scene. The chorus of "Fashionista" by Jimmy James was played when Cindy is entering into the scene while modelling. Prior to the second incarnation, a new set of songs were used during the entrance of Yaya  Dub and the Lolas such as "Work" by Rihanna and "Focus" by Ariana Grande. Towards the end, a new set of songs was used during the entrance of the Lolas such as "Choopeta" by T-Rio (as covered by Leticia) and "Halukay Ube" by SexBomb Girls. Reception. Section::::"Eat Bulaga!" ratings. "Kalyeserye" proved to be a success in both broadcast television and social media. The segment helped boost the show's ratings, the August 12, 2015 episode of "Eat Bulaga!" posted a 36.1 rating in AGB Nielsen's overnight measurements among Mega Manila households, the highest rating for the year. The  AlDub couple became an overnight phenomenon on both television and social media. The pivotal wedding episode between the YaKie tandem on August 8, 2015, scored a 32% percent rating and a 300% increase in viewership for "Eat Bulaga!", according to the Nielsen ratings conducted by AGB Nielsen Philippines. On a weekly survey by Kantar Media Philippines, the tandem was cited in helping the program to become a number one daytime program for weeks. According to AGB Nielsen's research, the August 12, 2015 episode marked the first time that the show reached the all-time high in viewership for the  year with a 36.1% rating, which was mainly alluded to the tandem's near-meeting. More than a month later, on September 26, 2015, during the tandem's second date, the show broke their previous record with a 45.7% rating. Almost a month later, "Eat Bulaga" breached the 50% mark at 50.8%, superseding their previous turnout. Cultural impact. "Eat Bulaga!" director Poochie Rivera theorized that the coupling's successful response from audiences was because of the Filipinos who can relate with their predicament. He remarked, "People who have partners who work abroad often communicate and pursue their relationship online, through  Skype or FaceTime." Pauleen Luna, a castmember of "Eat Bulaga!", commented that AlDub "has brought a different kind of energy to the show." Anthropologist Anna Leah Sarabia cited the use of fairy tale and soap opera tropes contributed to the tandem's increasing popularity, saying, "It's a 'Cinderella' story that's fake and true-life at the same time." Television executive Malou Choa-Fagar also cited the unpredictable nature of the Kalyeserye had largely contributed to the AlDub success. On Twitter, hashtags with AlDub became top trending topics in both the Philippine and Worldwide trends. Various outlets also lauded  the show's use of old and new media for the AlDub tandem, which also pulsated in raising the value of the Dubsmash app in the Philippines. The popularity of the tandem even reached some schools and became a topic discussed in classrooms; for instance in a University of the Philippines Diliman Filipino class. Several Filipino politicians also referenced the AlDub couple in various interviews: Ralph Recto cited the tandem as a symbolism regarding the Philippine Land Transportation Office license plates, while Mar Roxas also referenced AlDub in his 2016 presidential campaign. The August 22, 2015 episode earned positive feedback  from Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Radyo Veritas via Twitter for highlighting Filipino love, responsibility and marriage moral standards. Recently, Mendoza (as Yaya Dub), Bayola (as Lola Nidora), Eat Bulaga and TAPE Inc. were awarded by the 1st Catholic Social Media Awards for promotion of values. Maine Mendoza was also awarded the Gintong Kabataan Award by the Provincial Government of Bulacan. Professor Randy David of the University of the Philippines, in his Philippine Daily Inquirer column Public Lives last August 23, 2015, wrote about the depth and significance of Maine Mendoza's voice/mime characterization of Yaya  Dub, challenging us to look deep within our own nature, who we really are when we are not performing: Social media. The segment was also a frequent Twitter trending topic while the abridged versions uploaded in "Eat Bulaga!"'s Facebook page and highlights on GMA Network's YouTube channel had become viral. From July 27, 2015, to August 26, 2015, 16 out of the 30 Philippine trending topics are from the show's AlDub tandem. Twitter records. On August 29, 2015, 3.5 million messages were sent on Twitter with the hashtag #ALDUBMaidenHeaven, a record number of tweets in the Philippines  about a single subject. This amount, which was achieved in one day, exceeded the number of Tweets sent with the hashtag #PapalVisit, during Pope Francis's January 2015 visit in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation. However, the October 24, 2015 record with the hashtag #ALDubEBTamangPanahon currently stands as the most tweeted at 41 million, beating the 2014 World Cup match between Brazil and Germany. Careers of Richards and Mendoza. The success of the AlDub tandem also contributed to the careers of Richards and Mendoza. "Kalyeserye" helped Richards secure a four-year film contract with APT Entertainment, while the Philippine  Basketball Association team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Mahindra Enforcers was also reported to have been considering inviting Mendoza as their muse for the 2015–16 PBA season, but she refused. Mendoza and Richards also appeared in separate profile interviews regarding the AlDub's success on the television program "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho". Tuviera also revealed in an interview about a possibility of making 2015 feature film starring the AlDub couple. Another report also confirmed that Richards and Mendoza would be part of 41st Metro Manila Film Festival entry "My Bebe Love" starring Vic Sotto and Ai Ai delas Alas. In  an interview with the celebrity talk show "Startalk", Richards revealed that he did not expect the success of the show/segment and was overwhelmed by the popularity of the AlDub tandem. In other interviews, Richards revealed that he was open to the possibility of AlDub to star in a movie or TV show. To date, Mendoza has appeared in advertisements for 555 Sardines and O+ Ultra (with Wally Bayola in his Lola Nidora character), while both Richards and Mendoza have appeared together for McDonald's Philippines' promoting their "Chicken Fillet ala King" product, Talk 'N Text's "Extend" promo, Zonrox  Plus Thick Bleach and Bear Brand Adult Plus. Since after the "Tamang Panahon" event, Mendoza commenced her co-hosting stint in the "Juan For All, All For Juan" segment and (briefly) the "ATM with the Baes" segment with Alden Richards in "Eat Bulaga!". Mendoza and Richards have their first photoshoot for the upcoming movie "My Bebe Love", alongside Vic Sotto and Ai Ai delas Alas. Mendoza makes her television drama debut as Chef Elize in "Princess in the Palace" which stars Ryzza Mae Dizon.