Don't be deceived by his looks

MANILA, Philippines - Until he opens his mouth to speak, Shivaker strikes you as your typical Bumbay shrouded in mystery.

But the minute he opens his mouth to speak,   you start loosening up. The guy can make you feel like you’re his long-lost friend.

“I try to make people happy. That’s my passion,” he explains.

More than the perks of being recognized in the streets, Shivaker gets a kick out of seeing text messages from people he hardly knows who tell him he brightens their day.

“They tell me they feel better when they hear me on radio while they’re stuck in traffic. Ang sarap ng feeling! I feel so fulfilled,” he adds.

 His years on radio as Sam Y.G. are paying off handsomely. Radio, Shivaker says, taught him how to think fast to avoid having that dreaded dead air that has led to some anchors’ downfall. It taught him how to engage the listener even without a script, every single day he was on board.

The training wasn’t easy. Shivaker learned how to look out for catchy spiels and witty lines every second. He has to open his eyes and ears to everything happening in the radio booth.

“You have to observe. You have to take note of details — a person’s clothes, his way of speaking, etc. You must say amusing, interesting things.”

At times, the mental fatigue takes its toll. Shivaker ends up sitting quietly in a corner right after his show.

“When people see me, they are surprised why I get suddenly quiet when I was so hyper only a few minutes ago,” Shivaker shares. “It’s because my brain is so exhausted. It’s even worse than physical fatigue.”

Shivaker knows though, mental and physical well-being are two peas in a pod. One can’t work without the other. So he gives up late nights out and wakes up early to work out in the gym. That’s where he gets all the energy he needs not just for radio, but for TV. Shivaker is one of the three “editors” in Q-11’s daily showbiz talk show Twitbiz (the others are Tim Yap and Mr. Fu).

True to form, Shivaker’s sense of humor adds more spice to the juicy stories the paparazzi, made up of Justine Ferrer, Suzuki Sadatsugu, Gorgy Rula, Ron Carrasco, Dansen Santos and Sebastian, come up with.

Shivaker is not wanting in role models. He admits Tito, Vic and Joey have always influenced him a lot. He loves Eugene Domingo and Anjo Yllana’s punch lines. Among the foreign comedians, Shivaker enjoys watching Katt Williams and Russell Peters.

Shivaker not only learns a lot from these funny men, he also likes the way they make him feel good about himself.

“It’s hard to make people happy if you’re not happy yourself,” he declares.

But isn’t Daiana Meneses, among other girls being linked to him, making him happy?

“I’m amused at how people automatically link me with girls just because I hang out with them,” he replies. “I’m single by choice.”

That’s good news for ladies out there. But wait, there’s more.

“It’s hard for me to fall in love,” Shivaker reveals.

Don’t let those playful ways deceive you. There’s more to him than meets the eye. Deep within, Shivaker, a.k.a. Sam Y.G. is more serious than what he seems to be.