How Erap & Pidol changed WillieNep’s life

It is that time of year once again when people in Metro Manila will be calling the Music Museum in Greenhills to ask them when the regular election spoof by Willie Nepomuceno (a.k.a. WillieNep) would occur. And of course, they could only be referring to EPAL The Musicale, the Master of Impersonator’s latest production. However, few are aware it hasn’t always been like this.

As a student in the UP College of Fine Arts, the country’s unimpeachable impressionist WillieNep thought he had his future lined up for him. He was learning singing techniques from the redoubtable Prof. Aurelio Estanislao baritone, in preparation for what he had planned to be a singing and acting career.

But, as in all the best-laid plans of man, it was not to be, although it certainly was not for lack of trying. As early as 1974, Wilfrido Santos Nepomuceno had already started trekking the path towards fulfilling his dreams. Our research shows him playing a ghoul in the American-Filipino co-prod venture Black Mamba directed by George Rowe with John Asley as the American lead. Clearly, this was a follow-up to director Eddie Romero’s gigantic hit Black Mama, White Mama in 1973.

“That was a traumatic initiation for me on how not to make a movie. When Eddie Romero previewed the rushes, I overheard him say ‘OMG, nothing could be saved from this film!’” And to think it was conceived as a tribute to Romero’s earlier hit! Still, that period of Romero, Cirio Santiago of Premiere Productions,with Roger Corman churning out these cheap thrills deserve their place in film history.

In Mayor Cesar Climaco in 1994 with Eddie Garcia as lead, Willie did a short scene as Marcos and Ali Sotto as Imelda. Boots Anson-Roa was Climaco’s wife; Ricky Lee wrote the screenplay; it couldn’t have been that bad. In the Carlo J. Caparas film Chavit, 2003 (Cesar Montano as Chavit, an enviable cast of Eddie Garcia, Dina Bonnevie, Tommy Abuel, Tirso Cruz III, Marita Zobel, Pinky de Leon and 20 more active till today), Willie played both Erap and Marcos. “I would have enjoyed it if I were given a more substantial role than simply a cameo appearance,” he quips today.

The fact remains that as a UP activist speaking in nationalist movements, Willie soon realized, “We were all angry when we speak so I did satirical impressions of the powers that be instead... doing other people’s voices at Plaza Miranda.”

This was the turning point. Coming up with the most popular celebrities of the time, he copied them! “I made a dent and got recognized, but got stuck to doing impressions. From then on, I’ve lost my real voice and identity. I was everybody else except me.”

Willie continued with his impersonations to much success, accompanied with daily nervous tension including his option of canceling shows at the last minute. His most successful shows have been the political shows. He picks as his best so far the parody of Marcos before, during and after Martial Law. “I did him with so much conviction and passion that Marcos had to disclaim it was him and not me speaking from the Palace during his last two days in power. Second, it would be the spoof of the EDSA Revolution with every one from Marcos to Enrile, Ramos, Butch Aquino, Cardinal Sin and President Reagan in the show. SNAP REVOLUTION (The Untold Story of People Power) became a TV special that won the Best Television Special from Gawad CCP in 1988.

His most popular impressions with the audience, however, remain those of Pidol and Erap. As a tribute to his idol, Willie put on SONA, Stars of the Nation Atbp, in honor of Dolphy, the country’s one and only King of Comedy. As everyone knows, Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s charisma with his audience remains unbeaten. We can only explain it in his capacity for forgiveness, how he would welcome even a known assailant with a toast.

But what about your dream, we persist? Willie answers, “I have not entirely given up on my dream to be known as a singer and an actor, though my chances have gone slimmer.”

He will be doing signature songs of Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Barry Manilow and Frank Sinatra with their matching looks. Kaya lang, he will lip-synch their voices. But why, we want to argue, since he can very well sing the songs. But it was time to go. We didn’t want to add to WillieNep’s real or imagined tension.

As Willie reminds us, “An Epal a day makes DyNasties Stay.” For tickets, call National Bookstore, Cinema lobby of Greenbelt 1 and Trinoma, Resorts World Manila Box Office, Ticket World office. For details, call 891-9999, 0916-3403919 or 0921-5642108.

(E-mail me at [email protected].)