Will Ai-Ai really run in 2016?

At the presscon the other day at the Eclipse restaurant of Solaire Resorts & Casino where she’s having a re-teamup concert (Macho Guapita, set for July 26 at the grand ballroom) with Rico J. Puno, Ai-Ai delas Alas was asked if she was really serious with her plan to run (for town mayor or congresswoman?) in Batangas in 2016.

“I am seriously thinking about it,” admitted Ai-Ai, “I’m thinking about it 10 times.”

If she did, Ai-Ai would sacrifice many things, foremost might be her showbiz career.

“Showbiz is my bread and butter, alam n’yo naman ‘yan,” added Ai-Ai, “so kailangang pag-isipan ng mabuti.”

Actors who have ventured into politics said that politics is dirtier than showbiz. In showbiz, denizens usually fight by hurling dirty words at each other while in politics, the ultimate equalizer is bullets. Very scary!

“Am I afraid that my past might be dug up during the campaign?” asked Ai-Ai and promptly answered her own question, “alam ng publiko ang buong buhay ko, I never hide anything, kaya wala na silang mahahalukay against me.”

A broadsheet editor called Ai-Ai’s attention to what Pres. Noynoy Aquino reminded the people during his Independence Day speech in Naga City last June 12 —  you know, not to vote for candidates whose ability is limited to singing and dancing or memorizing scripts, which was an obvious dig at actors running for public office.

“Let’s not forget that during the campaign, malaki ang tulong ng mga artista sa mga pulitiko; marami kaming artistang sumoporta sa kanya (Pres. Noynoy),” Ai-Ai said, adding that some actors who get elected eventually prove their worth by serving the people well.

“Look at Ate Vi (Vilma Santos), my idol,” Ai-Ai noted. “When she ran for Mayor of Lipa City, they were saying na wala siyang alam sa public service dahil artista lang siya. She was re-elected not just once but twice and after serving three terms as Lipa Mayor, she got elected governor,” failing to add that Vilma is a good dancer and a passable singer (with one album as a teen singer as her claim to singing fame) and a good memorizer of kilometric dialogue. “Kaya nga bow ako kay Ate Vi, eh.”

Rico J. has served several terms as councilor of Makati City. Asked what friendly advice he would give Ai-Ai if and when she did run in 2016, Rico J. said, “Feel the pulse of the people. You don’t have to be a Harvard graduate to serve the public well. Basta kung ano ang gagawin mo, dapat galing sa puso.”

There were questions about Ai-Ai’s ongoing “cold war” with Kris Aquino but during the open forum, all that Ai-Ai said was, “Ayoko nang palakihin ang issue kaya no talk na lang ako, and not because galit ako o suplada,” although during a huddle with her close writer-friends Ai-Ai did let loose quite a mouthful, things she wouldn’t dare post on social media but only for “private consumption.”

“I have no more Twitter,” she said. “Inalis ko na kasi it gave people you don’t even know a chance to bash you. It happened when I sat as judge of Pilipinas Got Talent. Siempre sa contest, may winners at may losers. Ang daming nag-bash sa akin kaya tinanggal ko ang Twitter ko.”

Incidentally, Macho Guapita first toured four casinos in the US in 2013. Noted (notorious?) for spicing up their individual concerts with green jokes (remember how Ai-Ai emerged from a sliding screen with a drawing of the female private part during her concert at the Araneta Coliseum?), the two artists conceded being “green” performers.

“Pero mas malaswa sa akin si Rico,” joked Ai-Ai who is tagged as the female counterpart of Rico J. “Si Rico ang taga-bato at ako lang ang taga-salo.”

At their July 26 Solaire concert, Ai-Ai assured the media that she and Rico J would feel free cracking green jokes because they are performing at a casino (as they did in the US) and there won’t be any minors in the audience.

Besides the concert, Ai-Ai is busy shooting Ronda, her first indie starrer which she’s also co-producing, with Cesar Montano as leading man. The film is intended for international film festivals.

“With Ronda,” Ai-Ai was joking again, “I hope to realize my dream to be an international artist,” adding still in jest, “gusto ko talaga international artist; ayoko ng national artist kasi magulo ‘yan, pinag-aawayan ‘yan.”

(Philippine STAR is among the sponsors of Macho Guapita which is produced by Starmedia Entertainment in cooperation with Solaire Resort & Casino. For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or SM Ticketnet at 470-2222.)

Words of wisdom

From Pempe Rodrigo: Family is not about blood. It’s about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it most.

From Shirley Kuan who sends friends inspiring messages every morning:

• The teacher can only lead the learner to the door of learning. For it is the learner who must choose to turn the key and enter. — Kahlil Gibran

• The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.

• I cannot conceive of a greater loss than the loss of one’s self-respect. — Mahatma Gandhi

• If I won’t be myself, who will? — Alfred Hitchcock

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