September 8-14

Eddie Garcia

Ako Si Kiko, Ako Si Kikay 

Lokomoko U 

Dear Jasmin

Eddie Garcia is one of my favorite actors and role models. It's really nice to see him in the midnight variety program Master Showman on Aug. 25, 2012 being interviewed by a fellow living legend, "The Master Showman" German "Kuya Germs" Moreno, who has discovered and mentored dozens of aspiring young stars. Eddie is already in his 80s but he has the charisma and the body of a much younger man. He started his acting career in 1949 after a stint in the Scouts, the predecessor of the Philippine Army, as one of Manuel Conde's Sietes Infantes De Lara. Eddie made a name as a brilliant actor even if he did a lot bit parts and villain roles, finally doing lead roles in action movies in the 90s.

He gave himself 15 years to be a director but it took less than that. His directorial debut was Karugtong ng Kahapon, starring Mario Montenegro, his  Infantes co-star and one of the most bankable leading men in Philippine cinema's "Golden Age" in the 50s.

Today, Eddie, after the soap Legacy, is starting a new TV series on GMA-7, Aso Ni San Roque; and he and Kuya Germs will be starring in the movie Talo, Tabla, Panalo with Boots Anson Roa.

"Be punctual," he tells the new generation of young stars. Don't be a pain in the neck, prepare for your role, be disciplined, "and you'll go places!"

(See more Huggybear stories on Eddie Garcia, German Moreno and Boots Anson Roa on 2Rivers. Eddie Garcia is part of Huggybear's League of Extraordinary Filipino Gentlemen)

***

Roderick Paulate, who started as an award-winning dramatic child actor, became a box office star in the 80s doing gay (as in "flagrant queen") roles, and is now a councilor in Quezon City. In Ako Si Kiko, Ako Si Kikay, he plays twins. The macho Kiko meets his cross-dressing, super gay brother, Kikay. Family lunch: Kiko proudly tells their mother (the late great Nida Blanca) and aunt (the ageless Nova Villa) that he's been promoted. His friend Randy (the late matinee idol Ronnell Victor), for whom Kikay has a crush, says Kiko is now dressing the bodies in a funeral parlor instead of just washing them before embalming. Kiko tells Kikay to apply. What else, laughs Randy, as a make-up artist!

Their mother's life savings gets swindled, and the twins concoct a plan to raise money: Kiko will fight the boxing champion Baculao (Jimmy Santos). But Precious (Beverly Salviejo) kidnaps Kiko to force him to marry her. So Kikay goes up againts Baculao.

Then there's the magic cough syrup that turns Kiko into Adonis (Jestoni Alarcon) and Kikay into Venus (Rita Avila), and of course, Adonis and Venus falls for each other

***

Empoy brags to Edgar Allan Guzman that he's not afraid of his wife because he has a secret weapon: his tattoo. I stumbled upon the TV5 gag show Lokomoko U while channel-surfing last Sept. 1, 2012, Saturday. Empoy's wife comes looking for him, angry because it's already late and he's still outside. So Empoy takes off his shirt, and his wife goes away. Edgar is impressed by his buddy's tattoo and wants to have one too so he can use it against his wife. He asks to see it. The tattoo reads "Mauna ka na boss! Sunod na me! (You go ahead, boss! I'll follow!)"

***

Surfing through the radio around 10 p.m. last Feb 18, I discovered Dear Jasmin. I've heard about it but it's the first time I tuned in. It's a dramatization of readers' love stories on Tambayan 101.9 FM. Yumi's blind date with Dave was a disaster, finding him obnoxious. Next day, Dave had a proposition: help him find a girlfriend before New Year, 23 days away, for him to win the bet with his friends. In return, he'll find Mr Right for her; her cousins thinks she's a tomboy because she's so choosy.  Eventually, Yumi introduced Dave to Corinne, and he gave her Enzo. I love the dialogue: witty and snappy. There was a pointed reference to One More Chance, even playing the theme. Then Yumi realized she misses Dave. The second story is about a girl, Bern, who broke up with her boyfriend Jonas after 2 years. She wanted to focus on her career. Soon, she realized she wanted him to come back. She was about to tell him, when Jonas said, "I have a new girlfriend!"

***

Cannot think of anything more important than freedom. What could be more comforting than knowing that you're not stuck wherever you are? Sometimes, your comfort zone becomes the twilight zone