Joey De Leon, the noontime show host and comedian who goes by the nickname “Henyo Master,” drew negative comments from netizens when he dismissed depression as “gawa-gawa lang” (just a made up thing) during the Juan for All, All for Juan segment of Eat Bulaga.
Jose Manalo asked their “Sugod bahay” winner Maria Cristina about the condition of her mother, and the latter answered that her mom was diagnosed with depression.
Jose: ‘Yan bang depression nakukuha ba ‘yan sa, dahil depressed ka, ganon ba ‘yon? (Do people get depression because they’re just depressed? Is that it?).
Maria Cristina: Ang sabi lang po ng doktor, depression tapos ‘yung katandaan nya kasi makakalimutin na po. (The doctor just said she has depression and also, her old age because she’s becoming forgetful already.)
Joey then swooped in to say: Yung depression, gawa-gawa lang ng mga tao ‘yan. Gawa nila sa sarili nila (Depression, it’s just made up by people. They do it to themselves). Jose agreed with the veteran host and said that people are just depressing themselves—it’s causing them illness and it’s how they get stress.
Here are Joey De Leon's disgusting and dangerous comments about depression on Eat Bulaga today + Maine Mendoza taking a stand. pic.twitter.com/jo6STsIcvs
— DryedMangoez (@dryedmangoez) October 5, 2017
Maine Mendoza on the other hand, was commended online for taking a stand to say that depression is not a joke and is, a matter of fact, a serious illness that many people are suffering from. She said that people who have depression should be given moral support.
Props to Maine for making a stand against Joey De Leon's ignorant and insensitive statement against depression
— A; (@offofunofficial) October 5, 2017
Maine Mendoza is an introvert and a cynical.She literally knows all about depression thats why she made a stand about Joey De Leon stupidity
— Bheverly M. (@Iambhevofficial) October 5, 2017
Be a 'Maine Mendoza' in a world full of 'Joey de Leon's. #DepressionAwareness#DiYanGawaGawaLangGaguKa
— Jo Na•﹏• (@jUnahjOnah) October 5, 2017
Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards lowkey educating the insensitive old hag Joey de Leon that depression is no joke. Thank you AlDub!
— Queen (@KweenJ19) October 5, 2017
But according to Joey De Leon, these people should not be given support because they’re just making it up, and Jose echoed that depression is just “all in the mind.”
Netizens were quick to call out De Leon for making light of something as serious as depression, and using a noontime show as a platform to talk poorly about a mental health condition that a lot of people are suffering from.
So I just heard Joey de Leon spout ignorance on live tv.
"Wag nyong suportahan. It's all in the mind!"
He was referring to depression.
— Sonny (HAISTBEAST) (@sonnyboyyyyyy) October 5, 2017
My reaction towards the Eat Bulaga's hosts, Joey De Leon and Allan K's words. Pls spread awareness abt depression. Don't take it lightly. pic.twitter.com/Wl7v1XYOkp
— Chariz Romina (@eversorterminus) October 5, 2017
main reason why people who suffer from depression are afraid to speak up is because of people like joey de leon @AngPoetNyo.
— aldrin (@aldrinhips) October 5, 2017
Go f*ck yourself joey de leon. He literally trivialized depression on national tv saying it's "gawa-gawa" lang?? I'm so fucking angry.
— audrey🖤 (@avdsey) October 5, 2017
"Henyo Master," Joey De Leon should educate himself about depression. Love Maine for doing her best to speak up about it.
— Nanadaime (@I_Am_Hokage) October 5, 2017
maine mendoza standing up against joey de leon trivializing depression is my new aesthetic
ihhhhh qiqil m0 ac0e joey
— auntie edna (@kittlsx) October 5, 2017
Mr. Joey De Leon, depression is not a joke. Stop treating it like a trend. People are actually suffering from it, including me. 😔
— AK (@akitabaquero) October 5, 2017
Depression, also known as “clinical depression” or depressive disorder” is a “…mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest,” according to Mayo Clinic. It affects our emotions, thinking, behavior, and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.
“More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn’t a weakness and you can’t simply ‘snap out’ of it.”
Depression is a real and serious mental health disorder that is sometimes linked to suicide cases such as the recent death of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington. It’s important for people not brush it off it as something close to nothing because there may be some people who are alone in their room right now, drowning with emotions they can’t control. Depression exists, the worst thing is that they have them.
It seems like Joey De Leon isn’t living up to his nickname and we need more people like Maine Mendoza to enlighten him.