Controversial TV host Willie Revillame is said to be deeply upset over the negative reaction he has received regarding the comments he made pertaining to the airing of President Cory Aquino’s funeral cortege on his TV show, “Wowowee” on Aug. 3.

“He feels isolated,” said friend and Wowowee director Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan who has taken the cudgels for his beleaguered colleague.

Manahan revealed that Revillame had relieved himself of his duties from the show “for the time being.”

“He has been asked to go on leave [starting] Monday [Aug. 10] but he did not wait. I don't know when he will be back. He is in limbo right now,” Manahan disclosed.

A week ago, an online petition for the ouster of Revillame from the show was initiated by viewer Roel C. Saguisag, who addressed his protests to the ABS-CBN management, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).

The signature campaign was fueled by videos uploaded on the World Wide Web showing Revillame visibly irked while a live streaming video of President Cory Aquino’s cortege was being flashed via a small window in a portion of Wowowee.

"Pangit! Hindi ho maganda sa atin. Nagsasalita [ako], ipinapakita yung kabaong ni Tita Cory, hindi ba? Papano kami makapagsasaya?” Revillame was heard saying.

An earlier portion of the video also shows the host addressing someone off-cam.“I don’t think dapat ipakita ‘yan. Nagsasaya kami dito, papakita n'yo sa amin yun [libing]...? Hindi tama, okay?”

The adverse reaction to Revillame’s spread like wildfire. As of this writing, the petition has chalked up 32,358 supporters since Aug. 5, the day Pres. Aquino was laid to rest.

It didn’t escape the attention of MTRCB chairman Consoliza Laguardia who, during the weekend, made public her plans to “do something about it.”

“It is wrong. What he [Willie] did was objectionable. It is against the broadcast code of ethics of the KBP (Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) and then sa part ng MTRCB, Sec. 3 of PD 1986 that of being objectionable and contrary to good customs and tradition," Laguardia said.

The National Press Club (NPC) and the Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamahayag (AFIMA) also expressed their dismay over Revillame’s remark.

"Siguro dapat mabigyan siya ng leksyon ngayon. Iba na to eh. Ibang case na to eh (He should be taught a lesson this time. This is a different case)," said AFIMA president Jerry Yap.

"Sobra na ito. Kung hindi niya titigilan yung ganong attitude niya, I don’t think dapat pa siyang panoorin ng tao (If he will not change his attitude I don’t think people should continue watching him)," said NPC president Benny Antiporda.

Influential writer Conrado de Quiros also slammed Revillame for his remarks.

“Willie Revillame’s objection to a Cory video clip interrupting Wowowee…lacks a sense of proportion, not to speak of propriety, testifying only to [his] staggering ego and petty mind…the obvious conclusion was for him to give way, not Cory,” wrote Quiros in his column.

Comedian Joey de Leon added fuel to the fire commenting in jest, “Eh pa’ano kung siya pinaparada? Huling pamamaalam na ‘yun…dapat hindi paalisin…kabastusan ‘yun…kababuyan ‘yun.”

De Leon’s “Eat Bulaga” co-host Vic Sotto rejoined, “Ang baboy kahit damitan mo ng ginto ay baboy pa rin,” during a portion on the show on Aug. 8.

Manahan feels that Revillame’s critics had been grossly unfair.

"His enemies have turned things around and made him seem arrogant, self-absorbed and insensitive. Nothing could be further from the truth…among the artists I have known in 35 years, there is none more gracious than Willie…deep down, he is simple, compassionate and a pushover…he would never disrespect anyone,” he says.

According to Manahan, Revillame was among the first of those who grieved with the Aquino family, specifically because Kris is "a good friend.”

"Willie had very deep respect not only for Kris Aquino na kasama niya sa industriya, but also for President Cory. When she was alive, ilang beses na ipinaabot ni Pangulong Cory ang pasasalamat niya kay Willie for mentioning her name in the show, and for always being gallant in praising her."

Manahan admitted that he has spoken to Revillame about his oft-repeated “on-air outbursts.”

"I told him that it is never good. This is perhaps his greatest fault as a performer. He hides displeasure poorly and likes to make corrections right away, even during live shows. He has to work on this because it has caught up with him but the incident was not caused by him alone.”

Other ABS-CBN executives also defended Revillame.

“It was an internal communication problem. Willie.... loves Tita Cory and wanted to honor her that day. [His outburst] was taken out of context,” said Cory Vidanes, the network’s television head.

Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN’s corporate communications, said they respect the “comments and diverse reactions” but that they have heard Revillame’s side and they believe “Willie was able to explain appropriately.”