Body Talk with Vic Sotto

Is Vic Sotto faithful (despite his reputation of being a ladies’ man)?

“Yes.”

Is he a one-woman man?

“Surprisingly...yes. I’m sure a lot of people are surprised to read that kasi ang impression nila sa akin ay isa akong womanizer.”

Isn’t he?

“Never been.”

Is he easily attracted to women?

“Sila na-a-attract sa akin pero ako hindi. I mean, I appreciate women, I appreciate beauty, pero hanggang doon lang.”

He and Pia Guanio have been going steady for a few years. Aren’t they getting married yet? (There’s a hula that they might get married next year.)

“Malay natin baka magka-totoo ang hula. Otherwise, I’d rather not talk about it. What’s stopping us from getting married? Nothing really. What’s important is you are okay with each other at nagkakaintindihan kami. You know, ang pag-aasawa ay di biro. I got married once. No regrets because that marriage (To Dina Bonnevie; their marriage was annulled — RFL) produced two good children (Danica and Oyo Boy). If I marry again, gusto ko perfect na.”

Those are the questions Vic has to “grapple” with everytime he faces the press, such as the other day when Funfare sat down with him for a “body talk” before the presscon at Moomba Restaurant (near the corner of Roces Avenue and Mother Ignacia St. in Quezon City) for his latest starrer, Ang Darling Kong Aswang, which his own M-Zet TV Production, Orly Ilacad’s OctoArts Films and Tony Tuviera’s APT Entertainment are co-producing for the 2009 Metro Filmfest. Directed by Tony Y. Reyes with Cristine Reyes as Vic’s leading lady, Ang Darling Kong Aswang is not a movie about vampires, thus it wasn’t inspired by the vampire flicks (Twilight, New Moon, etc.) which are the current rage in Hollywood.

“There’s no vampire in the Philippines,” said Vic, “pero may mga taong naniniwalang mayroong aswang dito sa atin.”

Vic stands 5’11"; weighs 175 lbs.; and wears medium-sized shirt, small-sized briefs (“I want them tight”) and size-9 shoes.

You are noted for being, well, sexually active. Where do you get your stamina?

“Hmmmmm...Clean living. I eat good food, hindi ako mahilig sa junk food; I eat only when I’m hungry. If I can help it, hindi ako nagpupuyat, except when I have to shoot. Otherwise, I’d rather go home and sleep early.”

By clean living, it means you don’t have vices.

“No smoking, no drinking. No hard drinks, only softdrinks.”

What kind of food do you avoid?

“I stay away from pork. I’m okay with beef and chicken. Hangga’t maaari, iniiwasan ko ang pork. But then, they sometimes serve lechon for our lunch while doing Eat, Bulaga! so patikim-tikim din ako. But doctors said that anything is okay as long as taken in moderation.”

Including, uh, sex?

“It depends.” (Laughs)

Are you able to take three square meals a day?

“I have to. Parang kulang ang buhay ko if I miss a meal. But I usually take meals medyo late. I wake up late, at around 10 in the morning, so I take breakfast at mid-morning. Lunch is usually around 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. after Eat, Bulaga! Dinner is after 8 p.m.”

Who wakes up first, you or Pia?

“Si Pia. She’s an early riser.”

Which side of the bed do you sleep on and which side naman si Pia?

No, we don’t live together.”

So how do you know that she’s an early riser?

“I call her.”

No sleepovers?

“No. I’m conservative.” (Said with a straight face)

Back to your diet...Do you take snacks between meals?

“None. As I told you, I’m not fond of junk food. I don’t even like chocolates.”

What’s usually for breakfast?

“Fruits, cereal and a little bread. Nothing fancy. I don’t go for mga sinangag, mga tapa, which are medyo mabigat sa t’yan in the morning.”

For lunch?

“Whatever is prepared by the Eat, Bulaga! caterer. It’s usually well-balanced naman — there’s some meat, some vegetables, fruit for desserts and soup, I eat anything in, as I’ve said, moderation.”

And for dinner?

“Usually light lang. But then, sometimes I tend to overeat kaya medyo lumalaki ang t’yan ko ng konti.”

What vitamins do you take?

“Vitamin E and lots of ascorbic acid.”

How much water do you take per day?

“I’m a golfer so I take lots of liquid...water, juice(s) and other energy drinks...and coffee.” (He was having coffee as we talked.)

“I take softdrinks when I’m playing golf so that I have some sugar naman in my body.”

Favorite fruit?

“Longans, atis and mango.”

Favorite vegetables?

“I’m not a veggie eater but I like lettuce...’yung mga ginagamit sa salad.”

Food that you always crave?

“Japanese food, whether raw or cooked, as long as they are done the Japanese way. Dami na kasing Japanese restaurants which prepare food adapted to the Filipino (palate). I prefer authentic Japanese style of cooking na may kasamang art in the way they cut the fish and the shasimi, may kasamang pagmamahal ang preparation.”

With your busy schedule, do you get eight hours of sleep per night?

“I get sometimes even more than eight hours. I have to sleep at least eight hours on normal days. But on ‘abnormal’ days, when I have to tape a show or shoot a movie, two to three hours will suffice and I make up for it by taking power naps on the set.”

Favorite sleepwear?

“Boxers and old T-shirt.”

Never in the nude?

“Never! Mas gusto ko ‘yung mas maraming butas, mas maganda.”

You’re referring to the T-shirt, of course?

“Mas maraming kagat ng ipis, mas masarap.” (Laughs again)

How many pillows do you sleep with?

“Five but I use only two, ‘yung favorites ko. I have a big bed so I need the extra pillows to fill it up.”

No “live” pillow?

“Wala. Paminsan-minsan lang.”

Do you sleepwalk?

“I don’t.”

Do you snore?

“No, I don’t.”

Do you talk in your sleep?

“Yes, I do. But I don’t mention names. Nakakausap pa nga ako, eh. I remember my brother Maru with whom I shared a room noong mga binata pa kami. When I talked in my sleep, trip niya na kinakausap ako. Sagot naman ako nang sagot maski tulog ako. Sometimes daw I would sit up habang kinakausap ako. Tulog ako n’un, ha!”

The last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“I pray.”

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“I also pray.”

Are you hypochondriac?

“No, I’m not. But I’m health-conscious. I try to stay healthy to the best of my ability.”

How often do you see your doctor?

“I undergo executive check-up once a year.”

Do you work out?

“Not as often as I should. But I play golf. But at night, kapag gusto kong pawisan ng konti, I do brisk-walking around the village.”

What part of your body needs some improvement?

“My lower back. I think I got it when I was into bowling and billiards; puro nakayuko ka d’yan, eh. I visit my chiropractor once a month.”

What part is most vulnerable?

“My head. I have migraine. It’s not yet documented but drinking lots of water helps relieve migraine. One cause daw kasi is lack of water in your body. When you are dehydrated, you get a migraine attack. So even if I’m not thristy, dinadagdagan ko ang pag-inom ng water at nababawasan ang migraine attacks ko. If I have an attack, it usually lasts for a few days.”

What part of your body is your favorite?

“Naku, hindi pang-display ang katawan ko.”

What part of a woman’s body do you look at first?

“It’s always the brains. I mean, what’s important to me is that she must be smart and understanding. Those are more important to me than physical looks.”

How do you relax?

“I stay home. I love doing nothing, I love being lazy.”

How’s your love life?

“It’s okay. Very contented. No complaints.”

Sex life?

“Ganoon din.”

Name three women you think have nice bodies.

“Alam mo namang iisa lang ang sasabihin ko, eh — Pia Guanio.”

You have Pia Guanio. Do you still look at other women?

“I do, pero hanggang doon na lang.”

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