If I have the literary authority to alter the truism, ‘‘Behind every MAN’S success is a woman,’’ I will be more specific: Behind every success of Boy (Abunda) is a woman he so lovingly calls Nanay Lising.
Gusto kong isipin na hindi lang si Kuya Boy ang nananalasa sa kanyang tagumpay bilang manager, publicist at TV host (and even a part-time actor if the need arises), maging sina German Moreno, Douglas Quijano and their ilk whose commonality is their great love for their mothers. Call their success a heavenly reward.
Paniniwala ko, every loving son to his mother is destined to be great. And Kuya Boy’s greatness is not only a by-product of hard work, intelligence and dedication, much of it is ‘‘nanay ko-buhay ko syndrome’’ that he was born with in his native Boronggan, Eastern Samar.
A lover of life, angkop lang ang pamagat ng album ni Kuya Boy na Love Life (spelled two words). Hindi ko pa man ito naririnig, I have been told that this is an audio version of Kuya Boy’s interviews with celebrity singers segueing to their songs. As for the personal touch, Kuya Boy gets to grill his own Nanay Lising. The rest of the album contents should get you to your nearest record bars bago kayo maubusan.
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And the Proudest Mistress Award goes to… Gretchen Barretto.
Kay Gretchen na rin nanggaling, in her prologue written on her Unexpected CD, ‘‘I’m a mistress.’’ At sa recent interview nga sa kanya sa The Ricky Lo Exclusives, her being one (and a proud one at that) is cool.
The courage, the guts. Sa loob kasi ng labing-apat na taon niyang pakikisama kay Tonyboy Cojuangco, if it were not for her CD, it would also have been unexpected of Gretchen to declare her status. Not S (for Single), not M (for Married) but M for Mistress.
Kahanga-hanga ba ang honesty ni Gretchen? Teka, honesty and propriety are like north and south. Maaaring bow tayo sa katapatan ni Gretchen for owning up to her frivolities, mapapalampas natin ’yon sa kanyang first time commission, but never on the second, third and so on.
Being presumptuous to think that this is a 100% forgiving world is yet another story. For all Gretchen’s kaluka-lukahan, baka paulit-ulit siyang pinatatawad ni Tony Boy, but Tony Boy does not represent the world.
As a clear damage control to this, Gretchen’s way of remorse and repentance is via her CD, copies of which she so generously distributed nu’n birthday party ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Sa ngayon, her CD has turned gold.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin, the buyers have bought her voice of remorse.
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E-mail: titoronnie@yahoo.com