Born Jose Marie Viceral, he knew at an early age that he was different. "I wasn’t like the other boys in the neighborhood. I had more finesse and paid more attention to details," he recalls adding, "but unlike many of the stories we hear, I had quite a happy childhood, none of those sob stories about being abused or maltreated because I acted swishy-swashy."
It also helped that he had another gay brother. "May precedent kung baga," he kids "parang court case di ba, may kaso nang ganon kaya mas madaling litisin." This svelte twenty-something funnybone once dreamt of becoming a lawyer, having chosen Political Science and Philosophy as his major fields of concentration in the university. "But I don’t think I’ll make a good lawyer, kasi nga in this culture, if you’re a lawyer, you have to act tough. Hindi ako ganoon, I’m all heart. Baka kahit inamin nang may kasalanan yung kalaban namin sa korte, patawarin ko pa dahil maaawa ako."
Fate had it one night when Vice went out with some friends to a sing-along joint. That particular night out, bar owner Andrew de Real and then already-famous Allan K took a second look at Vice when he was invited on stage. He was immediately offered a job which was the beginning of beautiful things to come.
But Vice admits it wasn’t easy the first few nights. "Of course, if you’re new, you’re always being evaluated. Critical lahat ng galaw mo at spiels. Nanliit ako sa mga kasama ko the first time," he remembers. Vice cried unabashedly that night but after the last tear fell, he took a pen, jotted down what he thought were his flaws, and planned his next gig in his mind. "The next evening, naloka na sila dahil may sagot na ako sa mga binabato nila, and my co-hosts started to get fond of me."
Vice’s other strong asset is his wonderful voice. Although most of his spot numbers are impersonations of popular female singers, the technique he uses in unleashing his falsetto is simply amazing. He can soar like Mariah Carey or mimic local singers like Lani Misalucha. He effortlessly transforms himself into the personas of his idols.
Asked how he classifies himself in the gender game, Vice got lost for a few seconds, then quickly replied, " I’m a cross-dresser!" He likes to dress up like a woman but he says he never nurtures grand illusions that he will become one someday.
"I am quite happy with who I am and what I have," he asserts, bursting into laughter. "I guess that’s my secret I’m able to look people in their eyes, say what I want to say and make them laugh."
Vice tells us that among the thousands of people who have seen him perform, he counts the mother-daughter tandem of Imelda and Imee Marcos as his all-time favorites. "Nabigyan pa nga ako ng pera ni Madame kasi sabi ko, ‘You’re so rich naman eh, you can sell all your shoes kaya pahingi naman ng pera.’ Mrs. Marcos apparently obliged and Vice went home all smiles that night.
Vice says he feels fulfilled in making people happy. "The world is becoming a sad place for many – the threat of war, back-stabbing, terrorism, insecurity, inggitan, etc. So however I can to make people laugh and smile, I will." The fact that he earns his living by doing so makes him doubly satisfied.
He first earned big two years ago when his first club show at the Chatterbox became a sell-out event. A first-time producer, Anna Paz, believed so much in Vice’s talent and invested in him. Their tandem scored another hit last year when she brought him to perform at the Music Museum, the first big step for every entertainer.
Paz, who describes Vice as somebody whom you’ll never get rid off once you get to know him well, got so inspired by their success that she has decided to give Vice another solo show this year, also at the Music Museum. "Parang repeat, pero mas bongga!" she beams.
On March 29, Vice is slated to give the best performance of his life and he admits that he’s having butterflies in his stomach. "Hindi lang sa stomach kundi sa lahat ng parte ng katawan ko. I’m having jitters kasi parang pressured to topple the successful concert last year, kung baga sa mga tulad namin, it’s a big challenge!"
Vice’s versatility has taken him to places he never imagined. He has performed for overseas contract workers in Taiwan, Japan and Korea. He just flew back from a series of shows in Canada, performing with Judy Ann Santos and is soon scheduled to do shows in US.
"I feel blessed. Before, people would laugh at me because I looked and sounded different. Now, I’m able to turn the tables around and make them laugh and give them joy and happiness," he ends.