"Like Superman," he said.
Or Captain Barbell, the flying creature he’s playing in the new GMA 7 teleserye which starts airing tomorrow, May 29 (with a Captain Barbell Primer showing tonight after S-Files).
"Now, I’m seeing that childhood dream come true, even only make-believe."
In the all-star cast teleserye, Richard wears a very expensive (cost undisclosed) costume that showcases his beautiful body, done by no less than Hollywood designer Miles Teves who also did the costumes for George Clooney (Batman & Robin), Peter Weller (for RoboCop) and Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man). It was Richard’s mom, Annabelle Rama, who hand-carried the costume all the way from Los Angeles Sunday last week, rushed to the Mall of Asia sizzling hot straight from the airport in time for Captain Barbell’s launching on the GMA noontime show S.O.P. (GMA provided Annabelle and son Ritchie Paul first-class round-trip PAL tickets for the "mission.")
Asked if he saw the first Captain Barbell movie (also based on the late Mars Ravelo’s komiks serial), starring Bob Soler (who’s a cousin of Richard’s father, Eddie Gutierrez), Richard said no, he wasn’t born yet at that time.
"But I saw the comedy version starring Herbert Bautista and Edu Manzano," added Richard who felt honored when he was tapped to play the TV reincarnation of the legendary folk hero. "Captain Barbell has a big following and I won’t disappoint them."
But unlike when he did Sugo, another GMA teleserye, Richard didn’t have to train with a martial-arts expert from Hong Kong. "Whatever I learned from that training, the tricks and the choreographed movements, also helped me in my portrayal of Captain Barbell," assured Richard who had to undergo cardio-vascular workouts and weight-lifting before he started shooting for Captain Barbell.
Because he can fly, Conversations will give Richard the honor of "breaking in" the new Either/Or (broken series), distantly similar to other Sunday fun (broken series) like The First Time/The Last Time, If He Were/If She Were, The Best/The Worst, The Alphabet Game and the Who/What/Where/When/How quiz.
So here’s Richard Gutierrez, no ifs and buts, only "either/or":
• ANGEL LOCSIN or GEORGINA WILSON?
"Georgina. Because she’s the one who inspires me right now."
• GEORGE W. BUSH or OSAMA BIN LADEN?
"Neither. I think they are both war freaks. They are both evil."
• BEAUTIFUL GIRL WITHOUT MONEY or PLAIN-LOOKING GIRL WITH MONEY?
"Beautiful girl without money. I will provide for her."
• BOX-OFFICE HIT MOVIE or AN ACTING AWARD?
"Right now? An acting award."
• MORNING or AFTERNOON?
"Morning. I’ve started to appreciate mornings recently. It gives me a nice feeling to wake up early and watch the sunrise from my window."
• HIS NEW PAD or HIS PARENTS’ HOME?
"My new pad. I’ve been staying there for almost one year. I’m having fun fixing it and putting things together. I’m also learning how to be independent."
• FORMAL WEAR or CASUAL WEAR?
"Casual wear. I’m not so comfortable in a suit, although I have to wear one when the occasion calls for it."
• LOVE WITHOUT SEX or SEX WITHOUT LOVE?
"Let me think... It’s hard to choose. Okay, I think love is more important than sex because when you love someone, eventually you learn how to show your love for her, and vice-versa, without having sex."
• WEALTH or WISDOM?
"Wisdom. I think what you know is more important than what you have. What you know stays with you for life while what you have can be taken from you anytime."
• FILIPINA or FOREIGNER?
"A little bit of both. But I should say na iba magmahal ang Pinay. Maalaga and malambing (caring and sweet)."
• DRAMA or ACTION?
"Action, for the meantime. But I also like drama even if in the beginning I found it hard to cry. For now, I’d rather do action roles because they excite me."
• EASTWOOD or ROCKWELL?
"Rockwell. I like the shops there."
• ANNABELLE RAMA or EDDIE GUTIERREZ?
"Both. I love them both."
• SEX BOMBS or HOT BABES?
"Another hard question. Yes, Sex Bombs. They are a bit more wholesome, pero mas magaling gumiling."
• MARTIN NIEVERA or GARY VALENCIANO?
"Gary Valenciano. His songs are more inspiring. Among his songs, my favorite is The Warrior is a Child."
• POPS FERNANDEZ or REGINE VELASQUEZ?
"Regine Velasquez. She’s Asia’s Songbird. Among her songs, my favorite is Dadalhin. I also like her latest album consisting of covers (remakes)."
• MIKE ENRIQUEZ (GMA’s early-evening newscast 24 Oras) or DONG PUNO (ABS-CBN’s late-night newscast Insider)?
"Mike Enriquez. Why? Kasi hindi ka niya tatantanan (he won’t let you be)."
• MEL TIANGCO (24 Oras and Mel & Joey, also of GMA) or KORINA SANCHEZ (ABS-CBN’S Rated K)?
"Mel Tiangco. Why? Because she’s not biased."
• MADAME AURING or MYSTICA?
"Mystica. Because she knows how to split. Can Madame Auring do the same?"
• KRIS AQUINO or BOY ABUNDA?
"Kris Aquino. I’ve met her and I like her. I still have to meet Boy Abunda."
• JENNYLYN MERCADO or PAULEEN LUNA?
"Jennylyn. I’m closer to her. I think she’s a good singer. I’ve worked with her in a movie (GMA Films’ Let The Love Begin)."
• ARMANI or RALPH LAUREN?
"Ralph Lauren. I like its casual style and its line of cosmetics, especially Polo Blue."
• VILMA SANTOS or NORA AUNOR?
"Vilma Santos. She serves her people well (as Mayor of Lipa City) and she’s a good actress. I want to work with her."
• MERCEDES BENZ or BMW?
"Benz, of course! My car is a Benz."
• LIVING ROOM or BEDROOM?
"Bedroom. I miss my bed all the time. What do I do in my bedroom? I relax. I listen to music."
• JULIA ROBERTS or NICOLE KIDMAN?
"Nicole Kidman. I like her understated elegance."
• TOM CRUISE or BRAD PITT?
"As an actor, Tom Cruise. As a disciplined person who takes good care of his body, Brad Pitt."
• MISSION IMPOSSIBLE or X-MEN?
"Mission Impossible. I like the way the action scenes were shot."
• LOVE SONGS or ROCK MUSIC?
"Depends on my mood. Sometimes, I play love songs; sometimes, I play rock music. I appreciate both types."
• COFFEE or TEA?
"Tea in the morning and coffee late at night when I’m still working."
• HOT BATH or COLD BATH?
"Hot bath. It’s more relaxing. I take a hot bath as often as I can."
• WATER or SODA?
"Water. I take more than eight glasses a day."
• CHRISTMAS or NEW YEAR?
"Christmas. Time for giving."
• SUPERMAN or BATMAN?
"Superman. When he wakes up in the morning, he doesn’t hide his face. We don’t see Batman’s face, do we?"
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)