Bimby & Ryzza light up the children’s hour

“Nag-nosebleed ako!”

Scratching her head in mock helplessness, Ryzza Mae Dizon broke into a girlish laughter after she finished interviewing Bimby (the kid is popularly known by his nickname) on her eponymous Eat, Bulaga! pre-programming show last Monday. (“Nosebleed” is the term for a vernacular-tongued person who agonizes through a conversation with somebody who speaks very good English or any foreign language.)

It was fun, one of the show’s most entertaining episodes. As usual, Aling Maliit (as Ryzza is called by the Bulaga dabarkads) was at her garrulous best, harnessing her gift of gab to the hilt while Kris Aquino and ex-husband James Yap’s son was endearingly shy, unresponsive to Ryzza’s prodding to make her pansin naman, please!

So Ryzza did most of the talking and Bimby most of the listening.

Here are samples of Ryzza’s witty remarks (both on her own show and Bimby’s mom’s show KrisTV), some of them self-deprecating:

.“Conservative po ako. Bawal po akong hawakan. Kiss lang puede.” (Bimby’s reaction: Shy smile.)

.“Dati po 3n1. Ngayon Starbucks na. Ganito po ‘yon: Nangungutang po sa tindahan ang mama ko — isang kape, isang gatas. Tapos tinitimpla ko po.” (Bimby’s reaction: Shy smile, a puzzled look in his face.)

.“Tuturuan kita, Bimby. Ito bread, walang palaman. I-sawsaw mo sa kape.” (Bimby’s reaction: “I don’t like!”)

.“Bimby, girl po ako, ha. Hindi nga lang masyadong maganda.” (Bimby’s reaction: A shrugging smile.)

.“Bimby, kumakanta ka ba? Bimby, pansinin mo naman ako.” (Bimby’s reaction: Unmoved.)

.“Ikaw naman, tuwang-tuwa ka naman. Kunyari, natatakot tayo.” (Bimby’s reaction: Same.)

Those taped encounters between Ryzza and Bimby happened after they did a pictorial for My Little Bossings, together with their adult co-stars Kris Aquino, Vic Sotto and Aiza Seguerra, produced for this December’s Metro Filmfest by Vic’s M-ZET Productions, Orly Ilacad’s Octo-Arts Films and Tony Tuviera’s APT Productions, the resident Metro Filmfest triumvirate with Kris as the new investor.

Whose bright idea was it to cast Ryzza, the country’s newest Child Superstar, and Bimby (who’s an in-demand endorser…from Bench to a cough syrup)?

“It was my idea,” Orly told Funfare. “We were brainstorming what type of movie we’re doing for the Metro Filmfest. Vic said that huwag na muna fantasy, which was the type we have been doing for the Metrofest year after year. Sabi niya, ‘Let’s do a family movie naman.’ That was it.”

It was Orly’s daughter Caroline who came up with the title which refers to the characters the cast members are playing: Ryzza is the daughter of Aiza, Bimby is the son of Kris who is the “bossing” of Vic (the guy who coined that word). Raised in a humble background, Ryzza’s character speaks only Filipino while Bimby’s character, born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, speaks only English. So you can just imagine what riot they generate when they cross paths.

And how were Orly, Vic and Mr. T (Tuviera) able to get Kris’ nod to include Bimby in the cast?

Related Orly, “We really wanted to get Bimby noon pa but he wasn’t available yet. During our brainstorming, I suggested, ‘Balikan natin si Kris baka puede na.’ Pumayag naman kaagad si Kris, not only to also be in the movie but to co-produce it.”

Being a doting mother, Kris was quoted as saying that she would be hands-on during Bimby’s shoot.

“I’m the newest stage mother,” Kris announced.

During the pictorial, Ryzza and Bimby clicked at once.

“They were both excited,” recalled Orly.

As a getting-to-know-you gift, Bimby gave Ryzza a basketful of goodies (crayons, etc.).

“Maybe Bimby knows that Ryzza loves to draw,” added Orly.

Then, the kids exchanged phone numbers.

(Reminder: Let’s hope that the two kids will not be marketed as a “love team.” In a TV newscast, the reporter asked Ryzza if Bimby was her crush. That was foul, wasn’t it? Hoy, mga musmos pa ‘yan, kaya huwag ninyo ilalagay ang malisya sa isip nila!)

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)