Will the real Allan K please stand up? - FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo

Just who is this Gorgonio Magalpoc and what madness is he going to inflict on an expected SRO audience at the Music Museum on Friday (Nov. 10) evening?

You guessed it: GM is the newest addition to a fast-growing array of hilarious characters Allan K has great fun impersonating on his shows, the latest being Gorgonio Magalpoc (Di Basta-Bastang Diva), again directed by Allan K’s bosom buddy Andrew de Real and the fourth project of High Expectations Productions Inc. owned by Aiko Melendez and her friends (Mel Martinez among them).

Says Aiko (currently waging a battle with hypothyroidism – and happily winning, although little by little), "We believe in Allan K’s talent and it’s about time he starred in his own solo concert."

GM was concocted by Allan K’s Eat, Bulaga! co-host Joey de Leon "out of the blue" and it clicked. Since then, Allan K has become known as Gorgonio Magalpoc, the "frustrated diva" who copies the mannerisms, poses and attire of Eat, Bulaga!’s girlie contestants – and how the show’s followers love the act!

In his Music Museum show, GM will impersonate a Latin Diva, a Sexy Diva, a Beauty Queen Diva, a mataray diva who engages guest Rufa Mae Quinto in a witty verbal tussle and even a Crazy Diva named Sisa who’s revealed to be a man named Narciso Bu—raot when her wig falls off.

But to Allan K, there’s only one – and only one – diva and she’s none other than Kuh Ledesma (whom Allan K just might impersonate one of these days, watch out!).

"Kuh has the talent, the stature, the beauty, the attitude and the enduring appeal of a diva," says Allan K. "Siya lang ang talagang diva, di ba?"

Allan K is not yet a "diva" and he knows he’ll never be. But since he graduated from The Library, that happy and hilarious funhouse in Malate, he has amply proven that he highly qualifies to be a, that’s right, diva-divahan as Andrew de Real himself will agree.

"Aside from his ilong, what makes Allan K different from other stand-up acts, from other comedians?" Andrew ponders the "mystery." "For one thing, iba ang atake niya sa comedy. Nagri-research talaga siya, unlike others na nanggagaya na lang ng kapwang comedian. Allan K is an original; he’s one of a kind."

I saw Allan K perform his "Miss Universe act" during MTRCB Chief Armida Siguion-Reyna’s birthday last year and he was a show-stopper. He mimics a dozen Miss U "contestants," basking in each contestant’s country’s imaginary national costume, accurate with each country’s quaint customs and perfect with his exaggerated aping of each contestant’s accent and intonation, from Miss Botswana to Miss Aruba to Miss Japan to Miss South Africa to Miss China to Miss Philippines.

Aiko and friends saw Allan K impersonate all these "misses" in his Nose Series at The Library and she loved it at first viewing. "So I thought of putting Allan K on a bigger show in a bigger (than Library) venue. That’s how we thought of putting up the Gorgonio Magalpoc concert at the Music Museum."

It’s Andrew who’s again conceptualizing the whole show, in collaboration with Allan K who has the same frame of (crazy) mind with Andrew. "We’re comfortable working with each other," admits Andrew, an Accounting graduate from Adamson University. "In fact, whenever I create a new character, it’s always Allan K I have in mind. He’s my inspiration."

They traced their friendship back to the late ’80s when Andrew was studying at Adamson spending his spare time at night at the nearby Minus Cafe where Allan K was trying to carve a name as a comedian. Andrew was then already with the CCP’s Bulwagang Pilipino. Their professional tandem began in 1991 at The Library where Allan K had moved to and where Andrew was conceptualizing and directing (he still does) hilarious stand-up acts (featuring such other Library finds as Arnell Ignacio, Phillip Lazaro, Leonard Obal, Kernie who’s now with Mulatto and many others).

Their most popular collaboration is the long-running (for 10 years now, would you believe?) Si Nura at si Velma, a spoof on Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos with Allan K as Nora and Phillip Lazaro as Vilma.

"I studied Nora Aunor by watching videotapes of her movies," claims Allan K. "Madaling kopyahin ang mukha niya."

A confessed Noranian, Andrew says that he’s intrigued by Nora’s colorfully topsy-turvy life. "Nakakaaliw at nakakabaliw," adds Andrew who does watch Vilma’s movies.

The Nura/Velma act was completed by Andrew and Allan K during a brownout in Aug. 1991.

"There we were," recalls Andrew, "waiting for the lights to come back. It so happened that there were Noranians and Vilmanians at The Library and maybe to pass the time, nagkaroon ng argument who between the two was better, Nora or Vilma? So, Allan and I thought, ‘Why don’t we do an act around Nora and Vilma?’ So, we did. Nang bumalik ang ilaw, hayun, natapos na namin i-conceptualize ’yung show at may playdate na."

Through the years, even now that he’s successful, Allan K has remained unaffected, he’s still the same, going back to The Library to perform gratis et amore if need be.

"Andrew and I have never quarreled," says Allan K, "neither over money nor over men. We know each other inside-out. We’re soul-mates."

Not many people know that Allan K passed the auditions a few years ago for the Broadway version of Miss Saigon, impressing the screening committee with his rendition of a La Cage medley.

"I’m a frustrated Broadway star," admits Allan K who passed that Miss Saigon chance (sans regrets) due to "US Actors equity" problems, "and a frustrated classical singer."

No problem, though. In Gorgonio Magalpoc, Allan K will have a chance to pit his "classical" prowess with Nolyn Cabahug with whom he does a duet of Ang Boyfriend Kong Bading.

Appear?

"Yes," laughs Allan K, "Nolyn will appear (and so will other guests like Jomari Yllana, Phillip Lazaro and The Confused???)."