Ang Walang Kuwentang Podcast: How Two Introverts Ended Up Hosting The Funniest Podcast In Town

(SPOT.ph) In the podcast landscape where everyone seems to have something Very Important to say, it’s refreshing to come across a conversation that doesn’t necessarily try to have a point. The name sums up its spirit well: Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast (AWKP), where the pleasure often lies in aimless conversation, and no topic is too ordinary for a good laugh.

Directors Antoinette “Tonet” Jadaone and Jaime “JP” Habac Jr. may be respected auteurs in Philippine cinema, but on their podcast, the pair fully embraces the goofy and the mundane. Pick a random episode, and there’s a good chance you’ll hear them talking about nothing in particular.

Sometimes they’re cracking up at each other’s childhood anecdotes and workplace bloopers. Other times they’re doling out unhinged advice to letter-writers suffering from unrequited love, inconvenient lust, or the occasional money problem. JP’s go-to advice? “Communication is key.” Tonet, meanwhile, is likely to hit them with “Mag-break na kayo!” Somehow, these two nuggets of sage wisdom apply to nearly every crisis.

To be clear, it’s not that Tonet and JP have nothing consequential to say—quite the opposite. Even in meandering conversations or the most wildly irreverent Sta. Angge letters (more on this later), their passion for film and commitment to the causes they care about are unmistakable. Together, they’ve built a tight-knit community of listeners affectionately called the ka-emes.

Maybe that’s not so surprising. After all, AWKP sprang from the early days of the pandemic, when everyone was craving even a little bit of lightheartedness and authentic human connection.

The first episode of Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast aired in May 2020, just two months after the pandemic locked down most of the world. At the time, the Philippine film industry was among the sectors hit hard, with every production frozen in place. For anyone used to the chaos of a film set, the sudden stillness was jarring.

“Kailangan ng outlet to release the creative energy,” Tonet recalls of those initial lockdown months. “Or actually, para lang din maka-chika yung mga taong gusto namin maka-chika.”

And so, a podcast. 

In those early days, and even when JP stepped in a year after the show’s debut, there were no live audiences, no video recordings, and no brand spiels. It was just two friends catching up: “Ako si JP,” “Ako si Tonet,” “at ito Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast.” As JP recalls, they were simply talking to each other, with little thought of the crowd that would eventually tune in.

On paper, pairing two introverted directors—experienced and accomplished as they may be—isn’t exactly the standard formula for a podcast where the job is basically to talk non-stop. (“After recording, bumabagsak yung energy namin,” JP admits.) But the two have a knack for turning just about anything into a funny conversation.

“Ang difference kasi sa podcast, hindi siya parang politiko na kailangan talaga may interaction,” Tonet explains. “Sa podcast, nagkataon may camera, pero nag-uusap lang talaga kami.”

Audio-only sessions turned into Spotify videocasts, then the YouTube channel followed. In the beginning, Tonet found herself stressing out over modest view counts. “Tapos lumaki na ng lumaki,” she says. Eventually, the podcast grew beyond the screen, too. By the time the pair opened Basta Cafe with other friends, bringing the podcast into the physical space with a live audience felt like the most natural next step.

As filmmakers, Tonet and JP must be used to the relentless discipline of set life, with every second of screen time meticulously planned. On the podcast, their instinct was the exact opposite: skip rigid structures and let each episode unfold naturally.

“Wala rin kaming outline, walang script. Kung ano lang yung mapag-usapan talaga,” Tonet confirms. For the most part, they don’t even use bullet points or talking points, except for certain advertising spiels that require a script.

That doesn’t mean their recording sessions are entirely without preparation, though. Often, they’ll anchor an episode around a broad thematic hook, like their long-running Memz series, where Tonet, JP, and their guests exchange personal stories on everything from shopping disasters and condo living to travel mishaps and formative concert experiences.

Other times, the episode revolves around incoming advice letters addressed to their pantheon of pop culture saints: Sta. Angge for questions on sex and intimacy, Sta. Jolens for matters of the heart, Sta. Yani for academic anxieties, and Sto. Atom for work-life existential struggles. With the letters kept anonymous, the letter-senders are often even more uninhibited than the hosts, spilling the beans on sneaky situationships, awkward bedroom dynamics, years of unrequited pining, and full-blown cheating confessions. During an episode featuring (Sta.) Angelica Panganiban herself, one letter-writer even asked, “Paano po ba lumuwag?”

During routine catch-up episodes, the two hosts settle into a rhythm that’s as comfortable as it is funny. Even the more guarded personalities seem to loosen up on AWKP, chatting with Tonet and JP much like the directors chat with each other. More outgoing storytellers give the hosts room to just sit back and listen, while quieter guests require a bit more coaxing. JP says listeners sometimes pick up on this and joke in the comments: “Hala, magwo-work sila direk.”

Some of their most popular guests are also longtime friends, including Sta. Angge and director-actor Andoy Ranay, whom they're always happy to welcome onto the Basta Cafe couch.

“Very generous [si Angelica] mag-share,” Tonet says, adding that they appreciate the actress’s energy and unfiltered honesty. “Nagiging mas totoo yung conversation. Kung sa iba hindi niya yan masasabi, sa Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast masasabi niya, kasi yun yung environment sa podcast.”

Then there’s Anne Curtis, who gamely jumped in for an easy game reenacting her iconic film lines. Things took a turn when JP mistakenly brought up a legendary quote that’s not from a movie but from an infamous tabloid scandal from 2013: “I can buy you, your friends, and this club!” Curtis played along, in the process spilling the real, unedited story behind the famous line. (Spoiler: she didn’t actually say it.)

“Buti na lang chumika siya. Kasi kung hindi, baka end of career [ko] na yun,” JP jokes.

The easygoing atmosphere can sometimes make guests forget about the audience, too. Friends who work in the industry will occasionally let slip a secret that’s not meant for public consumption. But AWKP protects its own; the hosts are careful to edit out sensitive revelations before an episode goes live.

Sometimes, they warn their friends right in the moment: “Maka-cancel ka dyan.”

“Siguro, ganun nga yung nagawang atmosphere,” Tonet reflects. “Pag magkakaibigan naman talaga kayo, cancelable naman talaga yung mga sinasabi.”

As far as meet-cutes go, theirs is simple: Tonet and JP met as film students at the University of the Philippines Diliman. JP joined UP Cinema, the student organization Tonet co-founded, but it wasn’t until post-graduation that they really connected as peers. 

Eventually, they discovered they had plenty in common. “Pareho ng humor, pareho ng pinagdadaanan, parehong ma-drama,” Tonet lists.

JP chimes in: “Jologs.” 

“Oo, jologs,” she agrees.

Their friendship has become so intertwined with the podcast that sometimes they have to hold back funny stories from each other so they'll still have something to talk about on the show. “Kasi minsan dahil nagkuwentuhan na kami in real life, wala nang maikuwento sa podcast,” Tonet points out with a laugh.

As podcast and business partners, the two don't necessarily approach work the same way. Tonet is the workaholic driving projects forward, while JP handles much of the organization behind the scenes. “Iba kasi yung dynamics namin mag-work,” JP explains. “Ako, workaholic ako kapag may nagpupush sa akin maging workaholic. Si Tonet, siya yung magpupush talaga.”

“Kung ano yung mga hindi ko kaya, kaya niya gawin. Kung ano yung mga hindi niya kaya gawin, kaya ko,” Tonet adds.

Despite their different working styles, they trust each other to get things done. Years in the film industry have also given them a similar professional standard for the work they put out: neither wants to settle for something mediocre.

Above all, though, Tonet and JP share an enduring love for storytelling and Philippine cinema. That love is a defining part of who they are, both individually and as friends—and it has since grown into a community that gives other cinephiles a place to belong.

In a Basta Cafe live recording, there is no velvet rope or even a stage separating the mic from the room. The cozy space seats around 44 ka-emes at a time, although the “live count” during recording sees the number shoot up to 44,000, plus an extra 200,000 or so on Zoom. (Wink, wink.)

When industry legends step inside for an interview, they’re walking into a different environment from your usual media junket with publicists hovering in the wings. Instead, it’s a fun yet in-depth discussion with two people who speak the same language of set life and film devotion. Tonet and JP describe themselves as true film fans as well as industry professionals, which makes connecting with big-screen icons feel natural.

That shared understanding creates common ground with industry veterans like Hilda Koronel and Maricel Soriano. As JP observes, people tend to warm up when the conversation turns to the realities of directing and production. “I think mas nagkaroon ng common ground na naiintindihan namin yung struggle.”

Even better, the crowd that gathers to watch live recordings shares the same pulse. “Yung napalaki naming community, film fans din sila. So kapag may nakikita silang filmmaker or film worker na papasok sa podcast or sa Basta Cafe, genuine yung joy nila to see them,” Tonet says.

Kamuning Film Club sprung from the community’s endless well of affection for local cinema. The community-based film club of Basta Cafe regularly hosts exclusive film screenings with Q&As, roundtable discussions with industry professionals, and even workshops on filmmaking and screenwriting. Events are announced monthly, some of them overlapping with the podcast, including the Kanto Roundtable Discussions. In typical AWKP fashion, it isn’t actually a round table at all; guests gather around the literal kanto of Basta Cafe’s wooden rectangular table. 

For all the questionable advice letters and cracking jokes at each other’s expense, AWKP has become a sanctuary for Philippine cinema lovers. And as much as the direks pour into their little community, it flows right back in moments like their Veteran Directors’ Kanto Roundtable episode featuring cinema heavyweights Olivia Lamasan, Joey Reyes, and Joel Lamangan.

“Nakakatuwa na nakakaiyak,” Tonet reflects on sitting across from the trio as a moderator. “Even with their years and years of experience, and with their age, sobrang inspired sila to do more. Sila nga mga beterana, anong karapatan nating mawalan ng gana sa Philippine cinema?”

For two filmmakers steering their careers through an unpredictable industry, conversations like these are good reminders of why they continue to do what they do.

“There will be episodes and guests na sobrang grateful ka na you are part of the conversation,” Tonet says. “Na kami yung nandun sa tabi nila while we see those gems of wisdom from them.” 

The Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast carries a surprising amount of weight, considering it’s supposed to be "walang kwenta.” One minute Tonet and JP are wheezing over an audio letter asking for advice; the next, they’re unpacking labor conditions on film sets, speaking earnestly about an upcoming election cycle, or discussing reproductive rights with the same stark honesty.

Not everyone may stick around when the conversation turns the slightest bit political, but many of the ka-eme regulars share the hosts’ sentiments. “Siguro nagkakaintindihan na kami, sa mga jokes, sa humor, sa mga kinoconsume na pop culture, sa mga pinaglalaban,” Tonet fondly describes the audience they’ve cultivated over the years.

That demographic skews mostly toward Gen Zs and millennials, though the hosts make sure to shout out a surprising pocket of older listeners. Today, that community is more a part of the show than ever, usually filling the seats at Basta Cafe during live recordings and shaping the show's growing lore, which has turned behind-the-scenes folks like director-editor Noah Tonga into fan favorites.

And of course, there are the social causes Tonet and JP champion. When choosing organizations to support, they focus on sectors that are personally close to them: education, youth empowerment, and women’s rights. Sometimes, they’ll take suggestions from the ka-eme community on Facebook.

“Nag-start kami sa mga scholars,” JP says. “Pumili ng five scholars na sila yung naging unang beneficiaries namin. Tapos saka kami nag-transition to NGOs and youth groups.” Recently, one of the first scholars graduated and posted a heartfelt thank-you to the ka-emes who helped fund their education.

Other partnerships stem from their creative work. Tonet’s research for her film Sunshine, for instance, led to partnerships with women’s health organizations such as Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) and Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN).

It might sound like a lot: directing films, Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast, Basta Cafe, and Kamuning Film Club. Tonet and producer Reign Anne De Guzman also recently launched a women-led production company called Ilaya Ilaya Studios. Meanwhile, JP was introduced as the newest addition to Cornerstone Entertainment’s roster of directors. In a recent catch-up episode of AWKP, the two touched on other upcoming projects on their slate, from films to cocktail bars and clothing lines.

With so much on their plates, JP emphasizes the importance of hard boundaries: “Ang ginagawa ko, yung Sunday ko, kung kaya, walang work talaga.”

After six years and hundreds of episodes, the Ang Walang Kwentang universe has grown well beyond the podcast itself. There’s the film club, the community around Basta Cafe, and the many familiar characters who have become part of the show. Still, the podcast remains one of the pair’s most rewarding creative outlets.

“Ang tingin ko, yung pagpa-podcast nakakatulong siya sa filmmaking namin. At the same time, yung filmmaking nakakatulong sa pagpa-podcast,” Tonet reflects. “When you're a writer and a filmmaker, nagiging mas buo yung worldview mo kapag you open your eyes to more experiences. Malaking bagay yung podcast na may gine-guest kami, nakikipagkwentuhan kami. Lumalawak yung tingin namin sa mundo as filmmakers.”

When it comes to finding something to laugh about week after week, she says it’s simple: “Inspiration and comedy are everywhere.” It’s a sentiment that helps explain the way many people have stuck around. Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast has always made room for laughter, honest conversations, and creativity in equal measure. 

For ka-emes, it’s the same as it’s always been: Tonet, JP, and their microphones, with the rest of us laughing along. Whether you’re listening with 458,000 other Zoom viewers, 458, or just a few dozen—well, you’ll never really know. But does it matter? At least you know you’re never laughing alone.