Early years In 2004, Boobay first tried his luck in show business by joining
GMA Network's
KiliTV Comedy Hunt, a talent competition for comedians. Although he did not win the contest, he made the cut and became one of the top 15 finalists. Seeing potential in the aspiring comedian, director Cesar Cosme called Boobay for a TV project that year. Cosme gave Balbuena the screen name “Boobay” because he thought the comedian looked like the sexy comedian
Ethel Booba. After that, Boobay had several guestings in
Idol Ko si Kap doing character spoofs of
Rufa Mae Quinto and
Ethel Booba. Boobay was also one of the "anchors" of the satirical newscast television program
May Tamang Balita with Ramon Bautista, Maey Bautista and
Jinri Park where he hosted the segments
"Ang Twit-twit Mo!" and
"Bulag na Katotohanan" alongside Maey. In 2012, Boobay was picked as one of the three major hosts of the new season of
Extra Challenge along
Marian Rivera and
Richard Gutierrez. He then replaced
Wally Bayola in the comedy-game show
Celebrity Bluff as a "bluffer" or known as celebrity
gangnammm in 2013. It was in 2015 when Boobay joined the cast of
Ismol Family where he played the role of Lora the Explorer, the caretaker of "The Bekiry". The same year, he voiced the character of Fulgoso in the 2015 remake of
MariMar starring
Megan Young and
Tom Rodriguez. Boobay starred in his very first dramatic role when he played the life story of Paul John Presado, the dubsmasher who went viral after posting his video on social media while singing in a
jeepney in ''
Magpakailanman: Ang Ganda na 'di Nakikita. It is in the same year when Boobay once again showed his acting prowess in a more serious role in Magpakailanman: Una Siyang Naging Akin'' with actress
Glaiza de Castro. Boobay is now a co-host of the weekly entertainment news and comedy talk show
CelebriTV and a regular guest in various
GMA Network and
GMA News TV programs such as
Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,
AHA!,
Sunday PinaSaya and others. Recently, Boobay joined the cast of ''
Eat Bulaga's
Kalyeserye'' as Yaya Pak, one of the four applicants of Lola Nidora's new yaya (nursemaid). In 2016, he became the co-host of
Yan Ang Morning! with
Marian Rivera until its cancellation on the same year, and
Unang Hirit until 2018. He is currently hosting
The Boobay and Tekla Show with
Super Tekla. ==Filmography==