For Betong, comedy & music go together

MANILA, Philippines — “Mine is not offensive, hindi nakakasakit ng damdamin, just makes you laugh... But (what I do) is a serious business.” That was Betong Sumaya sharing his thoughts about his craft when this writer met up with the comedian for an interview. Betong will bring this brand of comedy to his first showcase titled Betong’s Amazing Concert: Try Ko Lang Ha? on Nov. 21 at the Music Museum.

From acting, the GMA Artist Center talent will try his hand at singing. “Actually, I would sing when I was a child,” he recalled. “As early as four years old, (I was into it). I remember my mom making me join in a singing contest in Manila. The first song I sang was I SawBetong Sumaya Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and I won. Tapos sa mga sumunod na contest, hindi na po ako nanalo. (laughs).”

Seriously, Betong can carry a tune. Thanks to his mom, who saw his potential as a singer and introduced him to the “music of The Beatles and (Janet Basco’s) You Made Me Live Again.” In fact, he grew up seeing and having karaoke and multiplex around.

Singing was a big part of his school days life, from high school to college. As an actor of Dulaang Suhay-Fil, one of the theater groups at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Betong was also able to use his knack for singing. He finished a degree in AB Filipino with minor in Mass Communication.

“Sana ma-surprise sila (I hope I’ll pull a surprise on them),” said Betong of what the public can expect from the concert. “I want to share that part of mine that perhaps most people do not know about.”

When everyone enters the venue, Betong implied that he wants concertgoers to say, “Bilang isang komedyante, mayroon din pala siyang iba pang alam (Aside from doing comedy, he can do other stuff). Sana, yun talaga yung goal ko na ma-amaze sila (My goal is to amaze them).”

Joining him in this special presentation are Alden Richards, Dingdong Dantes, Michael V (Betong’s Kuya Bitoy), colleagues from Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown, (in which he emerged the last man standing) and Bubble Gang, and Kapuso singers.

Asked about the kind of music he listens to, Betong answered: “Ngayon, medyo nadagdagan na, may mga Bruno Mars (songs), hindi mawawala yung mga Martin (Nievera) and Gary V, mga kanta ko yan, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins, yun yung mga gusto natin, (and) Shawn Mendes.”

As for the show’s title Try Ko Lang Ha?, which sounds like a fun, defensive disclaimer of sorts to some, Betong said, “Hindi naman, para di mawala yung pagiging komedyante ko (I don’t find it defensive. It actually speaks of my being comedian.) Kasi i-ta-try ko lang talaga, totoo naman talaga na i-ta-try ko lang naman. (I’m just giving singing a try.) So kung magustuhan nila, thank you. Kung di naman nila magustuhan, eh di i-ta-try ko ulit.”

According to him, Betong’s Amazing Concert is an honest-to-goodness show, “para siyang talagang journey in a way, my journey as an artist and ito yung mga artista na hindi lang artista na nakasama ko, naging kaibigan ko rin at naging malaking parte at kontribusyon sa career ko ngayon (Those guest-artists are not just my colleagues, they are my friends, too, who all played a part in my career).”

Come performance night, audiences will experience the marriage of comedy and music. Betong thought they make a good pair.

“Yes, (they are), I think,” he said, “kasi ang comedy ay hindi lang basta through actions at batuhan ng punchlines, pwede ka ring magbigay ng saya sa kanta. There are novelty songs that make you dance.” Speaking of music, Betong will release his novelty song under GMA Music soon.

If he has been blessed all throughout his showbiz run, it is because of Betong’s passion for his craft. It’s enough reason for him to surpass challenges that come his way. “If you enjoy what you’re doing and you sincerely like to entertain people, siguro yun yung nag-da-drive for me to continue on. Like what Kuya Bitoy once told me, ‘Kailangan marunong ka dapat mag-level up.’”

His concert is an effort for Betong to step up further in his attempt to offer audiences something new.

(The show is presented by GMA Artist Center and Michael Angelo Productions. Juan Paulo Infante directs, while Jojo Diamse is in charge of musical direction. Tickets are priced at P2,900 [VVIP], P2,300 [VIP], P1,500 [Orchestra] and P900 [Balcony] and available at Ticketworld [tel. no. 891-9999].)