Willie after ‘humbling’ experience

I chanced upon Willie Revillame the other day at Mario’s Restaurant (Tomas Morato) where I did a one-on-one with Sharon Cuneta for Conversations (watch for it!). While waiting for Sharon, I had a little chat with Willie who very gladly updated me on what he had been up to since Feb. 2 last year when he was unceremoniously dumped from ABS-CBN’s MTB.

Just then, GMA 7 executive Wilma Galvante walked in and I thought that she and Willie had an appointment (perhaps to discuss some "deal"?). But Willie explained that it was all coincidence. He was there with TV director Dani Caparas while Wilma was having lunch with some friends.

Willie looked none the worse after what many people suspected was a "traumatic" experience with MTB. He must have mellowed, all right, but Willie said he’s optimistic and hopeful that, well, the worst is over and a new horizon is beckoning for him, thank God. He was gone for one year and five months, two months and two weeks of which he had spent "just taking it easy" with friends in the States upon the advice of his manager, Wyngard Tracy.

"I believe that what happened had a purpose," admitted Willie, "so that when you get back what was taken away from you, you will treasure it all the more, you’ll know what to do and how to handle it. It was a humbling experience. It was God’s will."

Looking back now, Willie denied that success went to his head and eventually weighed him down the drain.

"I think I just loved the show (MTB) too much so I got affected by every little thing, konting bagay naaapektuhan ako," he said, musing, "I realized that it takes time for you to earn respect; you have to work for it."

No, Willie added, he harbored neither bitterness nor resentment toward his MTB co-hosts and supposed buddy-buddies John Estrada and Randy Santiago who, according to some reports, "reneged" on their triumvirate agreement (reportedly to quit MTB at the same time). But John and Randy developed cold feet, or so the reports said, leaving Willie, so to speak, holding an empty bag.

"There was never any usapan among the three of us. All I can say is that each of us makes his own decision, walang puwedeng magdikta kanino man. John has a family and so has Randy, and they’re free to decide for themselves."

During his forced temporary "retirement," Willie said he learned two valuable lessons – pagpapakumbaba (humility) and pakikitungo sa tao (dealing with people). He did make brief "guest" appearances in some shows on GMA 7 but most of the time he was idle – that is, when he wasn’t playing golf. "Often," recalled Willie, "I was in bed, staring at the ceiling simply contemplating (nagmumuni-muni)."

He’s staying in a new house at the Capitol Country Club, Quezon City, which he paid with money he borrowed from an aunt and the bank. For a while, he toyed with the idea of selling the house when he left for the States last March but changed his mind.

He shuttled between San Francisco and Las Vegas where he stayed with Dr. Jun Berberabe, also a good friend of several showbiz guys including Martin Nievera who sought "sanctuary" in the doctor’s home after he broke up with Pops Fernandez.

"Dr. Jun not only sheltered and fed me, he also let me use one of his cars," said Willie who spent some of his time visiting senior Filipino citizens at a hospital for the aged. "There, I realized more than ever that my mission in life is to entertain. I joked with them; they hugged me and cried on my shoulders. Thanks to The Filipino Channel (TFC), Filipinos there know me (and other ABS-CBN stars). Everywhere I went, they cheered, ‘Pera o Bayong?’ (a former segment of MTB)."

Didn’t the idea of working in the States cross his mind?

"It did… for a while. I thought I could work there as a drummer, why not?"

His humbling experience has also shown Willie who his real friends are. You know how it is in showbiz: When you’re up, everybody claims to be your friend; once you’re down, your so-called "friends" dwindle in number. Willie could count on only one finger the colleagues who truly cared for him, again sans bitterness nor resentment, and they include his long-time friend Aga Muhlach, his idol Dolphy, Bong Revilla and Sharon Cuneta. In all modesty, Willie declined to specify and only said, "Basta, sila ang mga tumulong sa akin."

Aga, who stayed over at Willie’s bachelor’s pad after he broke up with Janice de Belen, invited Willie to his and wife Charlene Gonzales’ Ayala Alabang mansion and cooked pasta for him. Bong requested Willie to pay him a visit, and so did Sharon and Dolphy who, during a birthday tribute to Willie on MTB in 2000, praised Willie by declaring, "Ito na ang susunod sa yapak ko," a remark Willie treasures until now, giving him hope and strength to move on.

"It was also Dolphy who gave me moral support by telling me, ‘It also happened to me. Just wait and see, you will get out of the quagmire (kamunoy) in due time’."

That time may not take long in coming. Already, Willie has been getting "feelers," among them from GMA 7 which is mulling the idea, according to the grapevine, of hiring him as co-host of Eat, Bulaga! which is reportedly beating the competition in the ratings game. For sure, Willie’s inclusion in Bulaga, if and when, will boost its sustained popularity.

Neither confirming nor denying anything, Willie said that he’s adopting a wait-and-see attitude, leaving the wheeling and dealing to his manager (Wyngard) who is deciding Willie’s fate (to bite or not to bite, that’s the question).

"Still and all," said Willie, "I’m eternally grateful to ABS-CBN for making me what I am now."

Is there any chance for him to be back on MTB?

Willie only smiled.

Proof positive that, contrary to reports, he hasn’t been "banned" by ABS-CBN is his current visibility in that channel’s shows, first in Whattamen and then two Sundays ago on A.S.A.P. which featured a reunion of sorts among talents of the mid-’80s variety show LoveliNESS (led by host Alma Moreno) where Willie acted as drummer in a rap number with Francis Magalona (and Carlos Agassi) and last Monday in the premier episode of Morning Girls (hosted by Kris Aquino, Pops Fernandez and Zsa Zsa Padilla) where Willie got good reviews for his usual lively repartee with the three outspoken ladies, almost eclipsing the two other guests, Robin Padilla and Martin Nievera.

Like his idol, Dolphy, who knows, Willie might stage a successful comeback soon, just wait and see…with a vengeance?

What’s up?

• Masses will be said tomorrow, July 26, to mark the first death anniversary of Felicitas "Itang" Jimenez of Biñan, Laguna, mother of L.A.-based Baby K. Jimenez, at the Eternal Gardens (Laguna), San Isidro Labrador and three other churches all in Biñan; St. Peter’s in Balibago, Sta. Rosa, Laguna; St. James in Ayala Alabang; St. Jerome in Alabang proper; Mt. Carmel in Quezon City; Sta. Maria la Strada in La Vista, QC; and other churches in Makati, San Juan and Canada. Masses will also be offered by the Jimenez clan at Our Lady of Lourdes of Lebanon in Beverly Hills; St. Euphrasia, Granada Hills; and St. Mary’s Immaculate Church in Richmond, Hill, Ontario.