He has a new movie, Weyt a Minit, Kapeng Mainit with Blakdyak, Angela Velez and Geneva Cruz.
To top this all, Viva Entertainment has chosen him to be their banner artist for the company’s 20th anniversary presentation concert, Viva’s and I. This is slated to be staged at the Araneta Coliseum tonight with Pilita Corrales, Pops Fernandez, Jaya, Lani Misalucha, Andrew E. and Ogie Alcasid as his guests.
"I guess Somebody up there really loves me and I really want to thank Him for all His blessings," declares Janno.
Is this the reason why he reportedly promised to be a good boy from now on, particularly after the controversial Jackie Forster incident?
"Aray ko po!" Janno quips. "You know, among all the women who were linked to me, siya ang pinakamalaking babae. But I was really stunned when I saw her being interviewed and making all those revelations. Actually, Bing and I were watching at the same time and we were both shocked. We weren’t shocked by what she told, because I don’t deny that I really became very friendly to her.
What shocked us was that when she had herself interviewed, more than a month has passed since the incident she was narrating happened and it was bit exaggerated."
Didn’t Bing also allow herself later to be interviewed on TV? "That’s true, but we first talked to Boss Vic, and to Jackie herself, to clear up that Bing would have to make a reply so she can be given the chance to explain her side. At that time naman nagkaliwanagan na kaming mag-asawa and what happened only helped to strengthen our relationship as a couple."
How come he keeps on being linked to other ladies even if he is now very much married, like Angela Velez when they did Tusong Twosome?
"I really don’t know. Perhaps it’s because malambing naman talaga ako. I’m the type who tells the girls I work with, ‘ang cute mo, crush kita!’ But I’m malambing even with my male friends. You can ask even sina Ogie Alcasid, my co-host in S.O.P. and Anjo Yllana, my co-star in Beh Bote Nga. Nagho-holding hands pa nga kami niyan. Now, with Blakdyak in Weyt a Minit Kapeng Mainit, we have become textmates. So you can see, malambing lang talaga ako by nature."
It is said, though, that he kept his distance from his leading lady in Kapeng Mainit, Geneva Cruz, because he is scared of her boyfriend, KC Montero.
He laughs and adds: "And it also happens that I’m the godfather of her son, Heaven. Seriously, lie low na lang muna ako sa ganyan, lalo na ngayon, our two daughters are growing up fast. Next year, our eldest child, Alyssa, will be a teenager and high school student na. I really can’t believe how fast time flies. It seems just like yesterday when Bing and I met in That’s Entertainment in 1987. Our youngest girl, Gaby, is now four years old."
These days, Janno makes sure he is actively involved in all the projects that he does. He makes it a point to participate in brainstorming sessions, like in Weyt a Minit, Kapeng Mainit.
"Kasi noon, in Tusong Twosome with Andrew E., I noticed that several portions of the movie failed to entertain the audience, so this time, we all saw to it the movie will be hilarious from start to finish. Kapeng Mainit is inspired by the comedy, Some Like It Hot. Blakdyak and I play waiters in a classy Italian restaurant. We got to witness the showdown of two rival syndicates inside the restaurant. Because of this, we became the target of the killers so we disguise ourselves as women applying as entertainers in Japan. Blakdyak’s name here as a girl is Jaya. We meet Geneva and Angela, they became our roommates."
Didn’t he have difficulty working with Blakdyak? It was bruited about then that the guy has an attitude and this is the reason why Viva did not give him a follow up album and a new movie even his comedy with Eddie Garcia, Asin at Paminta, made big money at the tills.
"A, he has no such problem anymore. As a matter of fact, we were able to finish shooting the movie in record time. Direk Ben Feleo asked him to show his bare butt in one scene, and he didn’t even complain. He has plenty of comic suggestions for the movie which we were able to use. We became good friends while shooting the movie. In our cross-dressing scenes, I even lent him some of the dresses and accessories of my wife dahil nagkataong kasya sa kanya, e."
Bing and he have two daughters. Doesn’t he want to have a son?
"I do, of course."
With Bing or some other party?
"Teka... the truth is I really pity Bing kasi siya ang nahihirapan tuwing magbubuntis siya. Aside from that, she also gets fat and it becomes difficult for her to get rid of the unwanted pounds. E, as of now, she’s already slim and sexy. Out of my good concern for her, if she’d agree with me, sa iba na lang ako mag-aanak ng baby boy," Janno delivers in a deadpan manner, then suddenly changes his voice to a hilarious tone, "Hoy, joke lang ’yon, huh!" And quickly throws a glance at Bing, seated at a nearby table, to make sure she didn’t hear what he just said.