No rivalry between Martin and Ogie

It’s a good thing that Martin Nievera’s comeback show, Martin Late @ Night (near midnight after the newscast Bandila), was scheduled by ABS-CBN one hour earlier on Friday nights so it doesn’t run right smack into Ogie Alcasid’s GMA gag show Bubble Gang (10:15). So a “rivalry” was aborted.

“I love being back,” Martin told Funfare about his long-delayed comeback. “I wanted my entrance to be, you know, parang I never left at all. I didn’t want to usher back the show with a big fanfare, I preferred it to be casual lang. It’s the same show, except that we now spell it ‘night’ unlike in the old show when we spelled it ‘nite’.”

Funfare and other movie writers were having noodle lunch with Martin and Ogie at Ryu Ramen, the Japanese restaurant (on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City) that Ogie co-owns with his friends, and they were talking not really about their TV shows but about the repeat staging (same venue, MOA Arena) on Saturday, March 16, of Foursome, their hit Valentine concert with Martin’s “ex,” Pops Fernandez, and Ogie’s wife, Regine Velasquez. They are also co-producers of the show (with Ana Puno). Among the new guests is Gary Valenciano.

When Ogie heard Martin say “As if I never left,” he said, “I like that line,” so Martin changed it to “As if I never said goodbye,” which should be the subtitle of their show (originally titled Fourplay, until Martin deemed it too “suggestive” and had it changed). You see, the “foursome” never really said goodbye during the first staging of Foursome but only, “See you soon.”

For a change, instead of the usual now-ho-hum topic of Martin and Pops “reconciling” and what makes Ogie and Regine tick as a couple, Funfare asked Martin and Ogie the same set of questions and, yes, they came up with revealing (honestly now!) answers.

What is it in Ogie that he’d rather have (and vice-versa)?

Martin: If anything, it’s his laidback humor. Mine is slapstick, mine is loud, mine is borderline crazy and insane. Sa kanya, I can only compare it to the humor of the movies of yesteryear, ‘yung parang he’s taking his time. Mine is nagmamadali, forever in a rush.

Ogie: His voice. Honestly, I don’t think my voice is great. I think Martin’s baritone voice is unique. When you hear it, you know it’s Martin. It’s a big voice. I’ve never heard anything like it. I wish we had more like Martin.

And what is it in Ogie that he’d rather not have (and vice-versa)?

Martin: His height! I feel so tall beside him. But I really wouldn’t mind being Ogie Alcasid altogether. He and Regine are happy together, they have a happy marriage, he has a happy career, everything seems okay with him.

Ogie: His schedule. He shuttles between the Philippines and America, at hindi ko kaya ‘yon, nakakapagod ‘yon. Mabuti ako Australia lang.

What Ogie’s song that he likes (and vice-versa)?

Martin: Definitely, I love his Ikaw ang Aking Pangarap even if I didn’t sing it. The melody and the lyrics are timeless. You can sing it in church, or in any occasion anytime in any generation.

Ogie: How Can I. (Sings part of it, “How can things go wrong when you’re here with me…”) You know, I grew up singing it. I remember when I was in college, I had a maroon Mirage and all I had on the player were Martin Nievera tapes, never a Gary Valenciano tape. 

What Ogie song that he doesn’t like (and vice-versa)?

Martin: Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang, because of the painful memories that it leaves someone like me who’s constantly, you know…I’m a hopeless romantic and, if you’re one, sometimes you find yourself finding love or finding the one at the wrong time. So, Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang.

Ogie: (Sings) “Sana ika’y muling makita ko…” Why? Because it’s a painful song, ang sakit, eh! I think that’s Martin’s song. Bagay sa kanya.

If you were to serenade a lady with an Ogie song, what would it be (and vice-versa)?

Martin: Pangako, because that’s one word that’s hard for men like me to keep. Promises are easy to make but hard to keep.

Ogie: Not an OPM song. It’s one titled Marry Me. Have you heard that song? It’s by a group called The Train. I used to sing it to Regine when we were not married yet.

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