Allan K.

Early years

Quilantang began his professional singing career after he graduated high school and joined a band, performing in bars around Bacolod. In 1984, he flew to Manila to work in sing-along bars as a singer^[3] and as a stand-up comedian.^[4]

Quilantang was discovered in 1995 through a reporter during a press conference of Eat Bulaga! where the show's impending transfer to GMA Network was announced.^[4] The reporter who frequented the place where he worked at that time, asked if there were any new talents to be introduced, then followed up by asking if they had heard of an "Allan K." who performed at The Library—a comedy bar in Malate, Manila.^[5] The noontime variety show's producer, Antonio Tuviera, was unaware that his children also frequented the same place, thus, they ended up contacting and visiting the bar on the night after the press conference.^[6]

1995–2014

Quilantang's first appearance in Eat Bulaga! was in the segment "Bulagaan" in 1995.^[7] He became a regular host of Eat Bulaga! starting with his own segment entitled "Allan Knows Best", attending to the viewers problems and giving out advice.^[4]

In 2002, he opened his first comedy bar Klownz in Quezon Avenue.^[8] Subsequently, in 2004, he opened Zirkoh—also a comedy bar—in Tomas Morato.^[9] They were home to several stand-up comedians such as impersonators Ate Gay and Boobay; comedy duo Jose and Wally; and various other celebrities who had performed there nightly throughout the years.^[10]

Alongside Eat Bulaga!, Quilantang also hosted All Star K! together with singer and host Jaya from 2004 to 2009. Shortly after the show concluded, he co-hosted once more with Jaya in BandaOke! until 2010. Later in the same year, Quilantang co-hosted the comedy talent show Comedy Bar with actress and fellow comedian Eugene Domingo.^[11][12]

In 2014, Quilantang was inducted by German Moreno into the Eastwood City Walk of Fame.^[13]

2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Quilantang closed down his comedy bars Klownz and Zirkoh. After trying to keep his businesses afloat, he soon filed for bankruptcy in July because of accumulating expenses and increasing losses.^[14][9] On the December 12, 2020, segment of "Bawal Judgmental" on Eat Bulaga!, Quilantang and his co-host Wally Bayola publicly shared that they were afflicted with COVID-19. In his statement, he said that he was brought to the hospital because of persistent symptoms, leading to his confinement in an intensive care unit (ICU) for 3 days. Eat Bulaga! pillar Vic Sotto revealed for the first time that the doctors told him that Quilantang "doesn't look good", describing how critical his situation was.^[15] Quilantang did not undergo intubation and eventually recovered.^[16]

2021–present

In 2021 as he recovered from the aftermath of the pandemic, Quilantang opened a Japanese restaurant^[17] and a new comedy bar closely resembling its predecessor's name.^[18] In November 2022, he launched another comedy bar also similarly resembling the name of his former business.^[19]

Film

Television