“What hafen, Vella? Why you cryin’ again? I knoe, vamfyr, right? Vamfyr will feyt to me.”
Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard this quote circulating on various social media platforms, in everyday conversations, and even parodied by various brands and personalities.
So, what is it, and why is it viral?
What does “What hafen, Vella?” mean?
The viral “What hafen, Vella?” is a social media trend in which celebrities and regular folks post their own renditions of a skit from a contestant from It’s Showtime’s Kalokalike.
Although the trend seems relatively new, the actual clip circulating online dates back almost 12 years.
In 2013, Christopher Diwata of Orion, Bataan, joined the second season of the “Kalokalike” segment on It’s Showtime, where contestants impersonate local and international figures. He copied Taylor Lautner, particularly his character Jacob Black from the Twilight series, talking to Bella Swan.
According to Diwata (not the vlogger), when he joined the segment, he had to prepare for a performance quickly because time was of the essence. So, he did a quick online search, watched the first one he could find, and practiced it. He just did what he could.
What came out of him was the amusing delivery of the lines, which eventually became the trend we all enjoy today. And if his performance wasn’t enough, he followed the skit with a stanza from A Thousand Years, the OST for Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1.
Watch the original performance here:
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Before and after going viral on TikTok
When Christopher first tasted fame more than a decade ago, he was still a college student. It resulted in some guesting where he earned some money. Being young, he thought his initial prominence would last, so he neglected his studies and never got his degree.
However, when he tried his luck in show business, he faced the harsh reality that fame is fleeting. He even had to scavenge for food just to survive. Eventually, he returned home to Bataan, where he became a fish dealer.
Just when he was least expecting it, his 11-year-old video suddenly boomed on TikTok.
Now 35 years old, Christopher shared that he was struggling financially and ended up in debt. So, when his friends broke the news that his old It’s Showtime performance had become active again after years of being dormant, it opened new doors of opportunity for him and his family.
Where is Christopher Diwata now?
The second chance at fame through social media virality resulted in several partnerships with brands like Shopee and Mang Inasal, allowing him to pay off his debts and support his family. Afterwards, smartphone brands like Xiaomi and HONOR also tapped Diwata to make content for their social media pages.
What’s impressive about Christopher is his positive outlook on his major break and his humility, particularly as some netizens were concerned that brands would underpay him. He said he’s thankful for the opportunities and that his pay is good enough for him.
His performance exploded that even celebrities are copying him, like Pablo of SB19, Kyline Alcantara, Piolo & Iñigo Pascual, and Bella Padilla. Even Netflix jumped into the trend.
One thing he hopes to do someday is revive his showbiz dream and become an actor, specifically to share a scene with Coco Martin in the hit TV series Batang Quiapo. But for now, Christopher is enjoying plenty of brand collaborations as he dominates the social media space with this trend.