Ang Dating Doon

"Ang Dating Doon" (English: "The old there") is a popular recurring segment on GMA Network's gag show, Bubble Gang from 1998 to 1999. It was briefly revived in 2001 and 2005. It was a parody of the TV show Ang Dating Daan (English: "The old path"). Comically it used the opening theme of the anime Voltes V as both its opening and closing song. It was of perfect timing, since it was an ingenious way of promoting Voltes V for the network.

Origins

The sketch was headlined by the show's writers Isko Salvador (Brod Pete, a play on the name of actor Brad Pitt and also a parody of Bro. Eli Soriano, founder of "Ang Dating Daan"), Cesar Cosme (Brother Willie, parody of Bro. Willie de Guzman) and Chito Francisco (Brother Jocel, parody of Bro. Jocel Mallari, who was always seen sleeping while on-air). The recent popularity of the religious program "Ang Dating Daan" and its sister program, "Itanong Mo kay Soriano, (Bibliya ang Sasagot)" inspired the segment.

Format

The segment would commonly begin and end with the Voltes V theme as the theme song; after it, various members of the audience would come up and present various questions to Brod Pete, who then has Brother Willy read various extracts from Nursery Rhymes or Folk songs. Brod Pete will then interpret the passage to answer the question presented.

Various exclamations such as "Alien!" or "Raise the Roof!" would also be used (a parody of the common exclamations "Amen" and "Praise the Lord").

A running gag in the show is that Brother Josel sleeps (he is seen with his head resting on his arms on the desk) during the segment proper (though this has not been the case on some episodes).

Notes

*Isko Salvador and Cesar Cosme once worked on the legendary sitcom John En Marsha.
*There are also brief revivals of Ang Dating Doon since the Bubble Gang segment ended. First, when Isko Salvador went to ABS-CBN and became a regular of the gag show "Klasmeyts", he revived "Ang Dating Doon" but with a variation. The segment features the same concept and the same usage of exclamations "Alien" and "Raise the Roof," but changes the segment title into "Doon Dati" ("Formerly There") which is a running joke about the segment's tenure in Bubble Gang. The theme song was also changed from Voltes V opening theme to Daimos opening theme. At the same time, "Doon Dati" has a sister segment named "May Tama Kami", which is a parody of Iglesia ni Cristo show "Ang Tamang Daan". Hosted by Bayani Agbayani, and Herbert Bautista (they play as a parody of Bro. Michael Sandoval and Bro. Maximo Bularan, Jr.), the show focuses on retaliating Brod. Pete's teachings by also using Nursery Rhymes and Folk Songs, sometimes the same rhymes referenced by Brod. Pete while teaching. This happened during the heated rivalry between "Ang Dating Daan" and "Iglesia ni Cristo".
* There is also another segment based on "Ang Dating Doon", this time calling it "Ang Daming Daan," which was shown on ABC 5's gag show Teka Mona! This segment was hosted by Joey de Leon as Bro. Elvis Soriano (a parody of Bro. Eli Soriano with an Elvis look) who usually has a guitar, and Mike "Pekto" Nacua as Brother Hud, Bro. Elvis' Judas Iscariot-like assistant. the concept was as same as "Ang Dating Doon", except for the fact that every question is worth P100.00 and it will be put into a fishbowl after the question was answered (a parody of one of the anomalities of "Ang Dating Daan" exposed by "Iglesia ni Cristo" wherein Bro. Eli charges his followers with a large sum of money).

ee also

*GMA Network
*List of Bubble Gang recurring characters and sketches