Comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas is in town to wrap up her commitments for the year on GMA Network and to announce her forthcoming musical comedy show with her former husband Miguel Vera in the US on Jan. 21, 2023.
"First time uli kami magsasama sa buong buhay namin sa isang show. Naging guests kami noon sa isang show pero nagkasabay lang kami. First time ito na back-to-back kami ever," says Ai AI during a media conference in Quezon City recently.
(It's the first time in our whole lives that we'll be together again in a show. We were guests before in a show but we never had a spot number together. This is the first time that we will have a back-to-back show ever.)
Called "Ang Dating Kami," the show will be held at 16600 Civic Center Drive, Bellflower, California 90706. There will be two shows: 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Special guests will be Joseph Gelito, Boy Rose, and Francis Velasco. It will be directed by Jack Ross.
Ai Ai said that there will be no duet for the song "Nais Ko," the signature OPM hit of Miguel. "Sabi ko solo spot niya yun kasi hit song niya yun eh."
Asked about her hit songs, Ai Ai laughed and said: "Wala akong hit song. Sabi ko pantay talaga si Lord. Never ako nagkaroon ng hit song. Pero gumawa ako ng mga album ha. At may mga offer sa akin ang recording studio like Concorde and Star Records."
(I don't have a hit song. I believed the Lord is really equal. I never had a hit song. But I made albums. And recording studios like Concorde and Star Records have offered to record my songs.)
The concept for the musical comedy began when Miguel watched the show of Ai AI and other Kapuso stars for GMA Pinoy TV in Los Angeles, California last September.
"Natuwa siya sa show at sabi niya na-miss daw niya ang gumawa ng shows. So sabi niya gawa kami ng show and sabi ko naman go!" she said. (He enjoyed watching our show and said he missed doing gigs. So he said we'll make a show and I said go!)
Ai Ai continued: "Okay naman ang buhay niya (Miguel) sa US. May asawa na siya. Hindi naman siya mayaman na mayaman pero comfortable ang buhay niya."
(His (Miguel) life is okay in the US. He is married. He is not rich, but his life is comfortable.)
Ai Ai said that Miguel remains funny and has a beautiful singing voice.
"Nakakatawa pa rin si Miguel. Hanggang ngayon napakaganda pa rin ng boses niya. May pinadala siyang video sa akin yung sa Wish Bus. Ang galing pa rin kumanta ng lolo mo! Kinanta niya yung 'Nais Ko,' " she also said.
(Miguel is still funny. Even now, his voice is still very beautiful. He sent me a video of the Wish Bus. Your grandfather still sings well! He sang 'Nais Ko.')
"Noong una buwisit na buwisit ako dyan dahil napaka-suplado. Suplado si Miguel. Hindi siya yung warm. Pero kapag naging kaibigan mo na sya, nakakatawa na rin. Nakakatuwa siya maging brod or kumpare.
(I didn't like him at first because he was a snob. Miguel is a snob. He's not the warm one. But when he becomes your friend, it's funny too. He's fun to be a bro or a friend.)
"Naging magkaibigan kami kasi pareho kami ng manager Angie Magbanua (may she rest in peace)," Ai Ai added. (We became friends because we had the same manager.)
Ai Ai and Miguel got married in 1992. But in 1998, they separated. They have two children Nicolo and Sofia.
On what she remembered most about being with Miguel for six years, Ai Ai smiled and said: "E di yung pag-aaway namin. Mga bata pa kasi kami noon. Away-bati, away-bati. Pero siyempre ang memorable is kung hindi dahil sa kanya, wala akong magagandang anak. Maganda ang genes ni Miguel. Yung kutis niya parang pang-Koreano. Kaya ang gaganda ng kutis ng anak ko.)
(It would be our fight. We were so young then. Our relationship was not stable. But of course the memorable thing is that if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have beautiful children. Miguel's genes are good. His complexion is like Korean. That's why my children's complexion is beautiful.)
When asked if Gerald would be jealous of Miguel, Ai AI said: "No. He’s not jealous of Miguel. At saka may mga sarili na rin kaming buhay.” (And then we have our own lives.) Last Dec. 12, Ai Ai and Gerald celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary.
Ai Ai, 58, also said that she will spend the holidays with her husband in the US.
"Mag-sisimba lang kami tapos kakain sa labas. Tutulong din ako sa mga charities doon," she said.
(We will just go to church and then eat outside. I will also help the charities there.)
Ai Ai, a green card holder, said that she had been staying in San Francisco for seven months straight when she decided to go back to the Philippines.
"Comfortable na ang buhay ko doon. Pero syempre I miss the perks here halimbawa yung merong nagluluto for me or nagda-drive for me. Na-mi-miss ko doon ang discipline ng kapaligiran like driving at pagtatawid ka sa kalye," she also said.
Ai Ai also said that she's grateful for GMA Network who asked her to sign for another contract.
"Binigyan pa rin nila ako ng 2 1/2 years na contract. At saka kapag pinapirma nila ako uli, gusto ko pa rin. Gusto ko pa rin maging artista. Kasi gusto ko mine-makeup-an ako, bino-blower yung buhok ko. Kasi sa Amerika kanya-kanya, sariling sikap di ba? Kaya pag-dumarating ako dito, wow artista na naman ako! Kasi may makeup at blower na naman ako dito. Ganern!"
(They still gave me a 2 1/2 years contract. In the future, if they sign me up again, I will do it. Because I want my makeup done, my hair blown. Because in the US you’re on your own, right? So when I come here, wow I’m an actor again! Because I have makeup and a blower here again. Ganern!)
In the past, Ai A said that she would have two projects per year. Now that she has a life in the US, the comedienne said that will now have one project annually. "Alam naman ng GMA na hindi ako puwede magtagal dito kaya one project lang muna ako every year." (GMA knows that I can't stay here for long, so I only do one project every year.)
Ai Ai also said that she learned how to speak in English with an accent. "Kailangan mong magsalita ng may accent kasi kung wala kang accent, hindi ka nila maiintindihan."
(You have to speak with an accent because if you don't have an accent, they won't understand you.)
Ai Ai praises Jovit
AI Ai said that she got sad when she learned that Pilipinas Got Talent winner Jovit Baldivino passed away recently.
"Hindi naman ako umiyak pero nalungkot ako. Nanghinayang din ako kasi bata pa siya nawala na agad," she said.
(I didn’t cry but I was sad. I also regretted it because he was still young and he passed on so soon.)
Ai Ai recalled that she was one of the judges for Pilipinas Got Talent when Jovit auditioned in 2010.
"Naiyak ako noon nung sinabi niya na nagtitinda siya ng siomai. Sinabi ko sa kanya you are so blessed na biniyayaan siya ng Diyos ng magandang boses.
(I cried when he said that he sells siomai. I told him you are so blessed that God gave him a beautiful singing voice.)
"Nasabi ko nga nun baka magalit ang tao kapag hindi siya nanalo. At nanalo naman siya at tinanghal na grand winner," she also said.
(I did say that people might get angry if he doesn't win. And he won and was declared the grand winner.)
Ai Ai greets Tito Boy
The comedy queen said that she's happy for King of Talk Boy Abunda who returned to the Kapuso Network. Her message:
"Ama! Welcome! Isa ka ng Kapuso. Bonggang-bongga!
"Ayan ha, noong sinabi mong secret, hindi ako dumaldal, in fairness sa akin.
"And I love you, ama! Welcome to Kapuso!"