Vice Ganda's transformation from Petrang Kabayo to Praybet Benjamin

MANILA, Philippines - No doubt about it, Vice Ganda (photo) is today’s hottest gay icon. He metamorphosed from a stand-up comedian to playing supporting roles in movies and TV shows to a breakout star as judge/host/performer in the ABS-CBN noontime show Showtime.

Vice Ganda is the first to admit that, up to now, everything feels like a dream from which he doesn’t want to wake up.

“As they say,” he said, “kapag ukol talagang bubukol. You just have to wait for the right time.” What the poet said is true: Heaven also serves those who stand and wait. “I waited for so long,” added Vice Ganda, “but I’m glad that I didn’t give up.”

No further proof is needed to show how popular Vice Ganda is today. There are his endorsements (Globe, etc.), his sell-out concerts staged at the Araneta Coliseum, his new ABS-CBN Sunday-night show Gandang Gabi, Vice and the box-office success of Petrang Kabayo, his first-starring movie inspired by the comedy of the same title that starred Roderick Paulate.

In his new screen caper, Star Cinema and Viva Films’ joint venture Praybet Benjamin, Vice Ganda gallops astride another potential smash-hit as soldier — a gay soldier pretending to be a real man.

Like Petrang Kabayo, Praybet Benjamin is again directed by Wenn Deramas, today’s box-office comedy director, who admitted having been bowled over the first time he saw Vice Ganda in his stand-up-comedy act at Punchline.

“Since then,” said direk Wenn, “humanga na talaga ako sa kanya.”

After working with Vice Ganda in two movies, direk Wenn added, “At napaka-professional niya.”

In Praybet Benjamin, Vice Ganda has to win back the affection of the grandfather who has disowned him by proving himself to be a real man even if he’s a real gay by becoming a soldier leading a troop assigned to rescue his grandfather from the terrorists who have kidnapped him.

Set to open on Oct. 12 nationwide, the movie also stars Eddie Garcia as Vice Ganda’s grandfather, Derek Ramsay, Carlos Agassi, DJ Durano, Kean Cipriano, Tutti Karingal and Nikki Valdez.

“I assure you that you will come out of the theater laughing your way home after seeing the movie,” promised Vice Ganda. “Ang hindi sumakit ang tiyan sa katatawa, bibigyan ko ng deadly horse kick.”