Saab Magalona’s husband cries foul over podcast mocking Josh Aquino

• Jim Bacarro has spoken out against the controversial remarks made by the podcast Machong Chismisan about Kris Aquino’s son, Josh Aquino
• The musician and father of a child with cerebral palsy said ignorance about people with special needs should be addressed through education, but condemned the podcast’s decision to publish the remarks
• Jim also criticized what he described as an inappropriate use of neurodivergence as an excuse and questioned the sincerity of the podcast’s apology
• His comments come as the podcast faces widespread backlash and other public figures voice support for Josh and people with disabilities

Saab Magalona’s husband, Jim Bacarro, has reacted to the controversy surrounding the podcast Machong Chismisan after the program drew criticism for remarks mocking Kris Aquino’s son, Josh Aquino, who has special needs.

Jim, who shares son Pancho with Saab Magalona, openly addressed the issue through his Instagram Stories. Their son has cerebral palsy, giving the discussion particular personal significance for Jim and his family.

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In his post, Jim said he has learned over the years that education is generally the best response to ignorance, particularly when it involves inappropriate comments about people with special needs. However, he distinguished the Machong Chismisan controversy from an ordinary instance of ignorance because, according to him, the remarks were recorded and deliberately published as entertainment.

“I’ve learned throughout the years that the best way to deal with ignorance, especially idiotic comments about people with special needs, is to educate,” Jim wrote.

He then questioned what such comments might indicate about conversations taking place privately, given that the remarks had already been made publicly.

“But in this case, they recorded and decided to publish their horrific attempt at ‘comedy,’” he said.

Jim was also critical of what he described as the podcast’s use of neurodivergence as an explanation for the controversial remarks. He argued that there was an important distinction between people who may genuinely be uninformed and those who knowingly make hurtful comments.

“There are people are ignorant. But these guys are just evil and have zero values,” Jim wrote.

The issue has drawn considerable attention online because the subject of the remarks is Josh Aquino, the eldest son of Kris Aquino. The controversy has also prompted public personalities to speak about the importance of respecting people with disabilities and avoiding humor that targets their conditions.

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Jim additionally questioned the wording and sincerity of an apology attributed to the podcast. He suggested that an apology generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence should not simply be designed to find a loophole after receiving criticism.

“Plus if you’re gonna use chat gpt to issue an apology, make sure you tell it to be sincere, and not just find a loophole since you got ‘caught,’” he wrote.

For Jim and Saab, the subject is particularly close to home. Their experience raising Pancho, who has cerebral palsy, has made disability inclusion and awareness part of their family’s public journey. Jim’s response therefore focused not only on the specific controversy but also on the need for greater understanding and respect toward people with special needs.

Kris Aquino is a well-known Philippine television host, actress and producer who also comes from one of the country’s most prominent political families. She is the youngest child of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., as well as the younger sister of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Widely recognized by the title “Queen of All Media,” Kris has hosted numerous television programs and appeared in successful films, particularly horror movies such as Feng Shui and Sukob.

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The Pod Network has previously announced that it terminated its agreement with the podcast Machong Chismisan following the public backlash over controversial remarks concerning a person with a disability during an episode about Kris Aquino. The network made the announcement on October 15, with the termination taking effect immediately. The move came after the episode generated widespread criticism among listeners and social media users, prompting further scrutiny of the podcast and its handling of the controversy.

Former Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste also came to Josh Aquino’s defense amid the controversy surrounding the viral podcast. Mark described Josh, Kris Aquino’s eldest son, as someone he personally knows and deeply cares for, and strongly condemned the remarks directed at him. In his statement, Mark expressed anger over what was said and stressed that an apology should not merely be offered for public relations purposes. He maintained that those responsible should demonstrate accountability and take meaningful steps to ensure that similar remarks are not repeated.

Source: KAMI.com.gh