The all-around Joey de Leon

If he were to join a male beauty contest (and strangely enough, there are so many of such competitions these days), Joey de Leon is sure to be crowned Mr. Talent. No, make that Mr. Multi-Talented since he hosts, sings, acts, paints, draws, makes caricatures, makes impressions, and writes gags, sketches and songs.

He is also Mr. Multi-Media – having conquered radio, television, the movies and recording. Today, he is busy promoting Joey to the World (Tough Hits) for BMG Records, Pilipinas, Inc.

Joey to the World, which is available in CDs and cassettes, is a collection of songs with lyrics all re-written and sung by De Leon in wild comical fashion. (The Sexbomb Girls and even Toni Rose Gayda – believe it or not – have a special participation here.)

Truly amusing – although admittedly risqué – Joey to the World is getting very good response from the public and positive reviews from the press. (Check out Young Star writer Matthew Estabillo’s review of this album last Feb. 13.)

Prior to the release of Joey to the World, de Leon made Joeyrassic and before that, 12 Tough Hits albums with now Senator Tito Sotto and his brother Vic. But that was a long time ago.

"A long time ago" is really another way of describing Joey de Leon’s beginnings in show business. It was so long ago that his name is included in a marker put up by ABS-CBN in its new building to honor its pioneers.

Actually, Joey is one of ABS-CBN’s younger pioneers – his career in its radio station in 1968. He still remembers those humble years and tells me with relish how he began in showbiz.

A college dropout then (BSBA at the University of the East), Joey during those years was just hanging out with friends from Dart in the Paco district. His best friend then was a guy named Freddie, whose mother was the modista of Carina Afable (now based in LA).

One day, Joey got the chance to go to ABS-CBN. The modista mother has asked son Freddie to deliver a dress for Ms. Afable, who – along with Eddie Mesa – was hosting the Monday edition of ABS-CBN’s noontime show Stop, Look & Listen. Would he care to come along? Joey was asked by Freddie. It was a long trip from Paco all the way to Bohol Avenue in Quezon City, but Joey was just too eager to see the brand-new broadcasting complex.

When they got there, they didn’t immediately get an audience with Carina Afable. To while the time away, they visited the other studios and chanced upon an audition for disc jockeys. From the sidelights, Joey was watching with amusement aspiring DJs create their destiny with that audition when – without his knowledge – his prankster friend Freddie submitted his name to the guard on duty (Mortera – Joey still remembers the guard’s name) to give to the audition master.

All of a sudden, he heard the name Joey de Leon being called to come forward for the audition. "Ay, kapangalan ko pa!" was Joey’s initial reaction. When it was clear that there was no other Joey de Leon but him in that studio, he was forced to come forward and try out.

Since he wasn’t after the job, he was cool and relaxed when he was handed a script to read by the people running the auditions. Also, he knew how to modulate his voice since he had an oratorical background in college. His audition went so well, he was asked to read even the next page.

For the final stage, he was asked to talk about himself – which was a walk in the park for him since he only had to recall everything that was in his baby book, the contents of which he knew by heart. Oh, he had a lot to tell – from the names of the attending nurses to his first haircut on April 7, 1947. There was clapping after he was done – until finally came the words that today remain music to his ears: "Mr. De Leon, please remain."

Joey de Leon had entered – although reluctantly – the world of local entertainment.

(To be continued)