Michael V.

Beethoven Michael Del Valle Bunagan (born December 17, 1969), known professionally as Michael V. and also known as "Bitoy", is a Filipino actor, comedian and recording artist, who appears in the GMA Network show Bubble Gang, and in his own TV show Eat Bulaga! Bitoy's Funniest Videos Pepito Manaloto.

Early life-
Michael V. was born on December 17, 1969 at Clinica dela Rosa in Malate, Manila to Cesar Felix Bunagan and Melba Balonzo del Valle. His father named him after German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, upon seeing a copy of Beethoven's LP in his boss' office, not knowing that "Beethoven" is a surname.

The nickname "Bitoy" was taken from a kiddie TV character played by comedian Bentot. When Bentot, as Bitoy, guested in Iskul Bukol, then-high school student Beethoven saw it and began mimicking Bentot's voice in school. His classmates then called him "Bitoy", to which the nickname stuck to this day. He finished his secondary education in Manila Science High School. Bunagan later earned a degree in mass communications from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. He joined a lot of contests on TV. In one contest in Eat Bulaga!, judge Ogie Alcasid turned him down. Later, Beethoven became a co-host of Eat Bulaga! and Ogie Alcasid became one of his close friends and co-star in the long-running Bubble Gang and Tropang Trumpo.

Known for his literal "translations" and parodies of popular Filipino and foreign songs, Michael V. has also made original songs, such as "Sinaktan Mo ang Puso Ko" ("You Hurt My Heart") and "Hindi Ako Bakla" ("I'm Not Gay"). The song "Sinaktan Mo ang Puso Ko" is closely similar to Weird Al Yankovic's "You Don't Love Me Anymore".

Television and film career
He has won the Asian Television Awards for Best Comedy Performance by an Actor for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. He recently joined MariMar as the voice of the eponymous character's pet dog Fulgoso. After his voice-acting in MariMar, he played a supporting role in Codename: Asero. On August 23, 2008, Michael V, after winning Best Comedy Performance Award at the Asian Television Awards for three consecutive years—was officially informed that he will grace the front cover of Reader's Digest (RD) 5th Annual Humor Special, September issue. Making him the second Filipino whoever landed on the covers of Readers Digest next to former President Cory Aquino

He also recently had a comedy movie with longtime friend Ogie Alcasid called Ang Spoiled Brat: The Movie produced by GMA Films and APT Productions, inspired from a segment of GMA 7's award-winning gag-show, Bubble Gang. Bitoy also hosted a game show on GMA, Hole in the Wall with Ogie Alcasid in 2009.

Bitoy hosted a comedy-talent show called Bitoy's SHOwwwTIME, which aired from 2009–Present and also hosted Kap's Amazing Stories: Kids Edition, while original host Bong Revilla had left the show shortly for re-election as senator, but Revilla won again as Senator a week later. Bitoy also won as a Celebrity Inductee to the Eastwood City Walk Of Fame Philippines in 2009. Bitoy had his first sitcom entitled Pepito Manaloto currently airing on GMA and is also co-hosting the longest-running noontime variety show, Eat Bulaga! from 2003 to Present

In 2010, Bitoy became Nestle Philippines' Laki sa Gatas advocate for Bear Brand Milk. In 2010, Bitoy returned to drama via Jillian Namamasko Po! which he plays a Santa Claus which he created a doll and gives to a good little child. In 2011, Bitoy appeared in Bantatay which he returns to voice as a dog. it was his 4th GMA Telebabad after Marimar and Codename: Asero and Jillian Namamasko Po!. In 2016, he conceptualized Tsuperhero along with Caesar Cosme.

Discography
Michael V. started his showbiz career as a rapper. In 1991 he released his first single "Maganda ang Piliin" (Choose Someone Beautiful), an answer to the wildly popular hit "Humanap Ka ng Panget" (Find Someone Ugly) sung by Andrew E. The song gained heavy radio airplay and he went on to release two more albums as a rapper in 1992 and 1994.

In 1997, he released a parody album entitled "MTB: Miyusik Tagalog Bersiyon" which contained literal translations of pop music hits from the '80s and '90s. But what made the album a big success was the original single "Sinaktan Mo ang Puso Ko" (You Hurt My Heart). Written by Michael V. himself, the humorous love song gained commercial success and became the "unofficial anthem" for the heartbroken, despite its violently funny lyrics. In 1998, Bitoy released the sequel parody album "MTB: Miyusik Tagalog Bersiyon 2" where he released more original songs than the first album. In 1999, he unleashed "MEV: Miyusik English Version" where he literally translated hit OPM classics into English while his original compositions (led by the hit single "Mas Mahal na Kita Ngayon") were in Filipino.

In 2006, Michael released his studio album, The Bubble G Anthology, which is a compilation of his song parodies from the TV show Bubble Gang under GMA Records. Anthology was described as "an audio-visual venture", with songs such as Mamaw, a parody of Kamikazee's song Narda, and DJ Bumbay, a comical take at the Indian merchants that are doing business in the Philippines. Some the songs in his album, like Wag N'yo Kaming Pansinin, poked fun at his gay colleague, Diego, and Myka, a black woman who is also a regular at Bubble Gang. The album was also released partly due to bootleg recordings of his songs which came in mono and had laugh tracks interspersed throughout them, owing to being ripped from existing Bubble Gang episodes.

Albums

 * Maganda Ang Piliin (1991)
 * Joke Time (1991)
 * Gusto Kong Sumigaw! (1994)
 * MTB: Myusik Tagalog Bersiyon (1997)
 * MEV: Music English Version (1997)
 * Miyusik Tagalog Bersiyon 2 (1998)
 * The Bubble G Anthology (2006)

As composer
Aside from his new album, he is a composer of theme songs not only for his show Bubble Gang but also in other GMA shows. One notable song he composed is "Alinlangan", sung by Jolina Magdangal for the GMA fantasy serial Super Twins. He is also notable for creating some parody songs, including "Sabog Sabog Tayo", which was released on February 20, 2009.

He also composed "Tim Song Ku" sung by Regine Velasquez for the 14th Anniversary of longest-running comedy show, Bubble Gang.

Television

 * Bitoy's Adventures In Bilibkaba! (GMA Network) - Himself (host)
 * Bilibitornat! (GMA Network) - Himself (host)
 * Bitoy's World (GMA Network) - Etoy, Betong and Bebang
 * Ready, Text, Go! (GMA Network) - Himself (host)
 * Haybol Rambol (GMA Network) - Charlie
 * Ready, Get Set, Go! (ABS-CBN) - Himself
 * Pare and Pare (GMA Network) - Himself
 * Home Along Da Riles (ABS-CBN) - Extra

Film

 * Banana Split
 * Oha! Ako Pa?!
 * Isko Adventures in Animasia
 * Si Ayala at si Zobel
 * Biboy Banal: Pagganti Ko, Tapos Kayo! - Ching
 * Mama's Boys
 * Ang Tatay kong Nanay
 * Halik ng Bampira
 * Rubberman - Bitoy/Rubberman
 * Ano ba Yan
 * Ano ba Yan 2
 * Ten Little Indians - Vincent
 * Anting-anting
 * Bitoy Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin - Bitoy
 * Sinaktan Mo Ang Puso Ko - Miguel
 * D' Sisters: Nuns of the Above - Michael
 * Manolo en Michelle
 * Kwentong kayumanggi - Narrator
 * Bestman: 4 Better, Not 4 Worse - Joey
 * Lastikman - Junee Lee
 * Fantastic Man - Professor Manalo
 * Enteng Kabisote: Okay ka fairy, the legend - Itim
 * Enteng Kabisote 3: Okay ka fairy ko... The legend goes on and on and on - Kabayo (voice cast)
 * Paraiso: Tatlong Kuwento ng Pag-asa - Didoy
 * Urduja - Kukut (voice cast)
 * Dayo - Narsi (voice cast)
 * Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie - Yaya Rosalinda Lucero (Cha-Cha)
 * Boy Pick Up The Movie - MC Bits
 * Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat (upcoming movie, Bitoy's 1st Viva Movie)
 * D' Kilabots Pogi Brothers Weh?! - MMDA Traffic Enforcer
 * Family History (GMA Pictures, 2019) - Bitoy's 1st Drama Movie & Also 1st Debut Movie Directing)