Alex Calleja accepted the public apology of fellow comedy writer Chito Francisco following accusations of joke theft that sparked online discussions.
On Saturday, February 15, Calleja posted on Facebook, saying, “Apology accepted. Let’s move on,” alongside a screenshot of Francisco’s lengthy apology.
In his statement, Francisco admitted his negligence and acknowledged the damage caused to Calleja’s reputation.
“I would like to publicly apologize to Alex Calleja, my fellow writer, for accusing him of stealing the car wash joke, when in fact, as he has presented proof and receipts, Alex wrote it ahead, which substantiated that he wrote the joke earlier than mine,” said Francisco.
The controversy began when Francisco claimed on social media that he saw a joke from his material being used in a Netflix comedy special.
‘Nanood ako ng Netflix special ng isang Pinoy stand-up comedian. Ginamit ‘yung isang joke ko. Well, marami pa ako niyan brod. Madami ka pa puwede nakawin,’ (I watched a Netflix special of a Filipino stand-up comedian. He used one of my jokes. Well, I have plenty more, bro. You can steal as much as you want,) he posted.
His statement referred to Calleja’s show, Tamang Panahon, which is currently the most-streamed comedy special on the platform.
In response, Calleja shared screenshots proving he had been using the car wash joke since 2011.
He explained that in comedy, if two comedians have similar jokes, the proper course of action is to discuss it privately rather than posting accusations online.
“Sa mundo po ng comedy writing, kapag may kaparehas o parallel joke ka sa isang comedian, may disenteng paraan po para magsabi ng parehas kayo. Ang tawag po dun ay pribadong usapan tulad ng cellphone at chat,” (In the world of comedy writing, if you have a similar or parallel joke with another comedian, there is a decent way to address it. It’s called a private conversation through a phone call or chat,) Calleja stated.
He also warned about the legal implications of accusations, saying, “Anyway, let’s be careful with the word ‘steal.’ We have cyber libel laws, and that’s no joke. Remember, I have a friend.”
Following this, Francisco issued a public apology, admitting the serious consequences of his statements.
“What I said was wrong, and I would like to minimize the extent of the damage already suffered by Alex caused by my negligence to the best that I can,” Francisco wrote.
He also acknowledged the potential legal repercussions of his accusations and expressed hope that his public apology would resolve the issue.
“I know what I had said has civil and criminal implications and penalties, which I hope in writing this public apology and posting it, can show my remorse and (acknowledgment) of my irresponsible act against Alex. I hope that this public statement will peacefully end the issue and settle the matter between me and Alex once and for all,” he added.
With the apology accepted, both parties hope to move forward and leave behind any conflicts in the world of comedy.