The thing is, Willie Revillame has done this way too many times, starting from all those suspensions during the Magandang Tanghali Bayan days for cracking vulgar jokes. He survived a lot of things from the Ultra stampede to allegations of spousal abuse to sexual harassment to the allegations of a rigged contest segment. He survived that quip during the Cory funeral by a hairline. The word "hubris" has often been used each time something like this comes up. His apologists have propped up a variety of excuses: the temper, of course, the unhappy childhood, the street-smart instincts, blah blah blah. At this point, I'd like to rephrase Albay governor Joey Salceda's famous quip: Willie Revillame is a lucky son of a bitch.

Somehow, sooner or later you knew he'll implode. Sooner or later, he'll be sucked straight into a miasma of controversy, more often than not, of his own making. It's not just a matter of character. It's destiny. The other major ABS-CBN celebrity with a similar predilection, despite her with oligarchic pedigree, is….nah, forget about it.

ABS-CBN's relationship with Willie Revillame is akin to that of a woman who staying in an abusive relationship. She will hate him, and profess to leave him only to return to his loving arms as if nothing happened. The hope of him changing his ways seems to hover at the back of her head. After the abuse, she'll kick him out but he'll come back again with soft, tender puppy dog eyes and they'll be happy again. After half a year he'll give her another diamond ring–and a black eye.

And I will not be surprised if the damn show returns to status quo. The fact that there's a 38-storey Wil Tower condominium mall being constructed just right across the ABS-CBN Studios means that Willie will have to swallow his pride. By the way, that building is a joint venture with his losing candidate, Manny Villar. Let us hope that said tower does not remind the TV host of the limits of his powers, that while he may successfully cheap entertainment and hopes and dreams, there are some things he cannot sell. Let us also hope that the Wil Tower doesn't end up being another Manuela or Starmall (If you had three million pesos, would you live in a place where Willie Revillame's face is plastered all over?)

So: status quo, perhaps. Then we just wait until he says something offensive and does something outrageous again. At this point, it no longer appears as if choice and free will are factors.   The actions of Willie seem like they have been long inscribed in the book of his remorseless fate.

As   of this writing, Robin Padilla is pinch-hitting for Willie Revillame as Wowowee host. Bad news for Willie: Robin Padilla isn't just pleasing to the eyes. Goddamnit, Robin Padilla also knows how to treat a woman.

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Artwork by Warren Espejo.