Twisting and shouting with Gary and Martin

MANILA, Philippines - Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera have more things in common than just singing and hosting. Mr. Pure Energy and the Concert King respectively share one dream co-star: Toni Gonzaga.

“She’s one of the most versatile people I’ve met,” Martin says of the Kapamilya star. “She can sing, she can host, dance, everything!”

Gary agrees. “She’s one of the best female hosts there is. She can do comedy and drama.”

And while they’re talking about a female co-star, Martin says Angelica Panganiban is another good choice.

“She’s funny and really sexy. And we (he and Gary) are really clumsy and funny,” adds Martin.

He doesn’t mind working with Pops Fernandez in another movie. And oh yes, bringing her, their sons Robin and Ram and himself together would be great, says Martin.

Gary won’t be left behind. He dreams of making a movie with Sarah Geronimo and turning it into something as moving as his films with Vilma Santos, Lorna Tolentino, Maricel Soriano and other big stars.

The two need not dream anymore about having a TV show together. ABS-CBN is making the most their chemistry — on and off-cam — by tapping Martin and Gary as hosts of the new game show, Twist and Shout, which started airing last night at 8:45.

Initially, the contest will feature celebrities singing top hits while facing distractions like running a treadmill, becoming a human roulette, being dipped in ice-cold water.

Later on, aspiring singers from the house next door or the remotest barrio can join.

Two teams with three players each will go through three rounds with various distractions. Each one will take on one round and aim to continue singing for two minutes despite the disruption.

Will Gary and Martin join the fun and take up the challenges themselves?

“I’d rather be booed for two minutes straight,” replies Martin.

Kidding aside, he said he would. He would even gladly be part of the audience.

The jackpot prize — P200,000 — after all, is nothing to sneer at. The audience that roots for the winning team also gets to share in the loot.

Unlike Gary, who hosts A.S.A.P., Twist and Shout is like rain shower after a long drought for Martin.

“I haven’t had a TV offer for a long, long time,” he admits. “Talk shows (his specialty) are not in anymore.”

Game shows and teleseryes are. Yes, things are not just the same anymore. And chances are, they will never be the same at all.

Martin remembers those glorious days when “we’d sit on our thrones as if we own the world.”

Today, he muses, work is a blessing for everybody. So he’s pulling all the stops in making Twist and Shout as successful it not better than its counterparts in the United Kingdom (where it came from), Indonesia, India and France.

“We’re Filipinizing it,” he crows. Martin promises the challenges will be much more bearable than eating worms. After all, kids may be watching at home.

Gary, more at ease in the native tongue, will do the lion’s share of the job when a guest speaks in Tagalog (the show’s medium is Taglish). Martin will control his irrepressible mouth and just watch.

Otherwise, Gary and Martin will be laughing together like in the good old days.

During those good old days, Gary, without knowing it, taught Martin a lesson about priorities.

“We were both chasing our dreams to make it big abroad,” Martin recalls. “My brother told me to look at Gary, who gave up a lucrative offer to go abroad with his family so he can look after his kids here in the country.”

Gary, on the other hand, quickly returns the compliment.

“One time, Martin bought a birthday cake for my road manager,” Gary relates. “And he wears his heart on his sleeve. When you work with someone like that, you open up yourself too. You know the person is ready to hear anything and everything. But you have to prepare yourself to hear what he has to say.”

Now that they’re working together for the first time on TV, Gary and Martin feel the good old times are back. And they’re just letting it roll for them — and the viewers — to enjoy.