Wednesday, December 27, 2006

From KUWAN Jun Lana's Blog



Superstar

May natanggap akong IM galing sa isang close friend. Hiwalay na sila ng partner niya. Halos 15 years din sila. Sobra akong affected pag may mga kakilala akong naghihiwalay. Except yata nung maghiwalay si Ate Guy at Richard Merk. At saka si Ate Guy at John Rendez. Come to think of it, hindi pala ako affected pag nakikipaghiwalay si Nora Aunor. Mommy ko lang. Die-hard Noranian yun. Nung bata ako, kung pag usapan ng mga tita ko si Nora Aunor sa bahay, iisipin mo kamag-anak namin siya. In fact, mas madalas pa kaming manood ng Superstar (yung show ni Ate Guy sa channel 9) tuwing linggo kesa magsimba. Kakaiba ang variety show noon. Walang nangyayari. Hindi kagaya ngayon, pag nanood ka ng SOP o ASAP o SIS, akala mo laging may piyesta, laging may confetting bumabagsak, laging may mga baklang impersonator, at ang favorite spiel ng mga host: "Ang saya saya!" kahit mukhang bored na bored sila.

Dati, nauso sa showbiz ang tangga. Yung bathing suit na kita ang singit at kuyukot ng babae. Si Alma Moreno, Maricel Soriano, Vilma Santos, lahat sila nag-tangga. One Sunday night habang naglalaro ako ng game-and-watch sa kuwarto ko, narinig kong nagkakagulo ang mga tita ko sa sala. So agad akong lumabas para makita kung ano ang nangyayari. Nanonood pala sila ng Superstar. And lo and behold, naka-tangga si Ate Guy. At hindi lang basta tangga, naka-hair extension din siya na 5 feet ata ang haba. Eh hindi naman matangkad si Ate Guy di ba? So yung hair extension umabot na sa sakong niya. And to complete the look, naka-blue contact lense din ang lola, dahil uso din yun noon. Tuwang-tuwa ang mommy ko at ang mga kapatid niya. Ang ganda-ganda daw ni Ate Guy. Ako naman, hindi makaimik. Kakaibang creature ang napapanood ko ng gabing yun. Hind siya si Nora Aunor. Para siyang yung babaeng smurf. Later, nung nauso ang troll dolls, naalala ko uli si Ate Guy.

Ibang klase din noon ang showbiz. Close to 300 pinoy films ang pinapalabas every year. So almost every other week, may pelikula rin si Ate Guy. At ang karibal niya sa takilya na si Ate Vi. Isang beses, biglang nagsabay ang playdate ng "Condemned" ni Ate Guy at "Alyas Baby Tsina" ni Ate Vi. Ang mommy at mga tita ko, nangampaya sa buong Salvatierra Compound ng Sta Mesa para panoorin ang pelikula ni Ate Guy. 7 years old lang ako noon, at for adults only ang "Condemned" pero ang mommy ko, nagdecide na kailangang sumama akong manood para makadagdag sa ticket sales ni Ate Guy. Hindi mahigpit ang mga sinehan noon, tatangungin ka lang ng takilyera, ilang taon ka na? Sasagot ka lang ng 18, at papapasukin ka na. But to play safe, pinagsuot ako ng long sleeves at balat na sapatos ng mommy ko para magmukha raw akong mature. Well, it worked. Walong beses ko yatang napanood ang "Condemned", and each time naka-long sleeves at balat na sapatos ako.

Anyway, balikan ko lang yung tungkol sa friend kong nakipaghiwalay. Ang lungkot. Buti na lang andiyan ang memories ni Ate Guy to comfort me.

Monday, December 25, 2006

THE SUPERSTAR IN ACTION



Once the Superstar takes centerstage, her main goal is to entertain the fans who came to watch her perform. Ate Guy amazingly gives her all in each number. She even throws one liners at the audience. In the numerous occassions I've seen her perform, this was the only time she really took command of the entire show. Unlike in her previous engagements where she would take breaks during the guest comedian's routine, here she only had 5 minute breaks during each set.



Fans flock to the stage each time and it was extremely difficult for us to maintain crowd control. Since there was no security at the venue, we had to take charge of the audience. They will be trying to pull her off the stage. When Ate Guy decided to join the fans they are drawn to her like moths to a flame. This much I can say, she is first and foremost an entertainer, and by watching her perform you're not just entertained, you are taken to her world. The world of Nora Aunor, the One And Only Superstar.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A SUPERSTAR CHRISTMAS





Our dear Noranian friend Nestor de Guzman sent this photo of Ate Guy.
A special greeting from someone close to my heart the One And Only Superstar.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

BEFORE THE SHOW
Minutes before the show, Ate Guy's business manager Norie Sayo gave her specific instructions to do a spiel first instead of singing her opening number so she can warm up the audience. This was the very first time I saw the Superstar perform all by herself. Unlike her previous engagements where she would have Fe de los Reyes, Bernardo Bernardo and Leonard Obal to perform the comic routine, Ate Guy had to do it all. She was nervous at first. After wishing her goodluck, we left the Superstar inside the dressing room as she prayed. Afterwhich, I handed her the microphone as she took center stage.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

A SUPER SURPRISE
During the almost two hour autograph signing after the show, a fan gave Ate Guy a gold chain. I was surprised by the gesture. She just placed the necklace around Ate Guy's neck . In the numerous times, I've been in the same situation, something extraordinary always happens. Ate Guy thanked the fan and gave her a big hug. She even showed me the necklace hence the photo. The elderly woman behind me whispered, Tingnan mo, ang ganda ng kuwintas na ibinigay kay Nora! to which I responded, Opo nga eh! She even asked me Magkano ang ibinabayad ni Nora sa 'yo? I smiled and simply said, Ginagawa ko po ito dahil sa pagmamahal ko kay Ate Guy! She said Ang suwerte mo naman! I then told her Talaga po! After our short conversation, I took her to Ate Guy so she can sign her CD's and have her picture taken with the Superstar.

Monday, December 04, 2006

A CHRISTMAS SONG TO REMEMBER



Since Christmas is just around the corner, during last Saturday's concert Ate Guy was asked to sing Pasko Na, Sinta Ko which was not included in her repertoire. While getting ready for her next set, the show's musical director General Norie Sayo told me to inform Ate Guy about the number, she said she doesn't know the lyrics to the song, General asked me to write it for her. Next thing I knew, there I was backstage, writing the lyrics to Pasko Na, Sinta Ko so Ate Guy can sing it. While she was singing the song with my hand written lyrics in tow, we were all in tears. Ate Guy just sang it with so much longing... we all felt the loneliness in her voice. Her performance almost brought the house down. After the number, she kept on apologizing for not memorizing the lyrics, she probably forgot that it was an impromptu number. This was actually the first time I saw her in a show by herself, and I'm still enthralled by this truly gifted and amazing performer.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

A SUPER CHRISTMAS PRESENT




As all hardcore Noranians know, once you've bonded with Ate Guy it would be impossible to convice the Superstar to sign an autograph. When I first met Ate Guy during the first leg of her Power Of Two US Concert Tour with Pop Diva Kuh Ledesma a couple of years ago in San Francisco, I brought the DVD of Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit (1989) with me so I can have it autographed. Unfortunately for me, after spending sometime with Ate Guy, when I asked her to sign my DVD she refused to do so. She told me that I am not a fan anymore but a family member. From the number of occassions, I've spent time with the Superstar, I would constantly beg her to sign my Nora memorabilia. Last summer when she was here in the East Coast, I tried asking her if she could sign my poster of Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina? (1990) and once again, she didn't give in to my request. Over the weekend, Leonel and I was asked by her business manager General Norie Sayo to watch her show in Baltimore. I brought a lobby card from her film Minsan, May Isang Ina (1983) so I could ask her for the nth time to sign it for me. Before we left this afternoon, she called me to her hotel room and to my utmost surprise, she handed me the lobby card with a personal dedication. I cannot believe that after all the pleading she finally gave in to my lifelong request. I told her that it's really a Super Christmas present!