On March 12, 2011, Willing Willie featured a segment in which a 6-year old boy performed a 'macho dance' to the tune of Dr. Dre's The Next Episode as his talent. At first, the incident came and went without much clamor. It wasn't until a clip of the show was posted on YouTube that it began eliciting an online furor. On March 25, Benjamin Pimental of the Inquirer wrote, "We have a big problem if it’s OK for most people to let a big shot TV host treat a child like garbage."[14] This was followed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development releasing a statement three days later asserting that this was a clear case of child abuse.[15][16][17] In a press statement, the DSWD condemned 'the emotional abuse and humiliation bestowed on a six-year-old child contestant'.[18] The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is currently pursuing an investigation of the program for violating Section 10 of Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.[19]
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board is also conducting hearings on the issue. On April 8, three members of the MTRCB panel inhibited from the case.[20] The decision of the MTRCB is due by the end of May.[21]
The issue received condemnation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, showbiz personalities by the likes of Jim Paredes[22], Bianca Gonzalez[22], Lea Salonga, Aiza Seguerra[23], Leah Navarro (of the Black and White Movement), K Brosas, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon (of rival program Mara Clara) and Tuesday Vargas, through the social networking site Twitter, columnists of the Philippine Daily Inquirer such as Randy David,[24] Rina Jimenez-David,[25][26][27] Michael Tan,[28] and Benjamin Pimentel[14], as well as militant organizations such as GABRIELA.
Mang Inasal, Procter & Gamble, CDO, Cebuana Lhuiller, Nutri-Asia and Unilever pulled out their advertisements from the show on the first week of April[29] after pressures resulting from this controversy.[30][31]
As a result, Revillame announced that the show would be on hiatus starting April 11. He warned that charges would also be filed against those who attacked him on Twitter.[32][33][34][35] He questioned why only Willing Willie was singled out, while other shows such as Showtime and Goin' Bulilit[36] were not.
On April 18, 2011, Revillame stated that he would no longer file charges against the celebrities who attacked him on Twitter.[37]
On April 25, 2011, the End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) filed a child abuse case against Revillame, TV5 and its officials, including chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.[38] The DSWD filed a similar suit two days later.[39]
The show did not resume on April 25, pending a go-signal from TV5.[40] On April 27, the Philippine Entertainment Portal reported that the show would resume on May 7 with a new format.
On May 3, 2011, MTRCB issued a month-long suspension for the show and placed it under probationary status, meaning that the show needs daily permits from the MTRCB before airing after the suspension is lifted. The days that had passed since the show voluntarily went off the air on April 8 were counted.[41]
In the process of deliberating the sanctions against Willing Willie, the MTRCB, saying that it was heeding the call for sweeping reforms of the television industry, also brought up the matter of whether the show, and others like it on Philippine television, attracts its audience by offering 'quick fixes' to the audience members' poverty in the form of prize money.[42]
In the decision of the board in which it suspended the Willing Willie show,[41], it stated[42]:
The MTRCB as a government regulatory agency, and as a stakeholder in the television industry, realize the value of setting a good example to the viewing public in general, who are composed of all gender[s] and of all ages, and especially to children. We should always promote the good, and not condone what is reckless. There is a very thin line between exposition and exploitation.When an uneducated impoverished man is in front of us, we are confronted with the question: "What should we do?" To teach by setting a good example, and not take advantage of his state, and never allow him to wallow in his miseries.
A quick fix does not solve anything permanent. The state of the Philippine television industry is a product of a long process of compromises, and quick-fixes. These quick fixes may be likened to drugs that are so addicting we end up being trapped in its unending cycles of perpetuating poverty, and uneven power relations.
There is a saying that goes: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." False hopes can never be a solution.
On May 9, 2011, Cristy Fermin reported on Juicy! Express that the show would return with a new title, Wil Time Bigtime, on May 14, occupying the same timeslot.[43]