Kids are (crazy but) alright

NEW YORK CITY — Do you remember those kids in school who were able to nest themselves comfortably atop the social hierarchy? You know, the ones who acted like “all the world’s a stage,” who would dress smart, work hard, and party harder? And if Lady Luck didn’t already tip the scales too much in their favor, throw some charm, talent, and je nai se quoi in the mix too.

BFFs and New Yorkers Betina Ocampo and Harvey Alumisin are testaments to the stereotype. And bless their souls. If this interview had been any indication of just how close and tongue-in-cheek they are in person, which at one point became too close and cheeky for comfort (you’re about to see why), then get ready to overdose on insanity that we here at Young Star have tried our best to publish just a little past the point of decency. It’s New York, after all. In a city quilted with hyphenated dreams, where you can be whoever you want to be, there are some things you should be able to get away with.

YOUNG STAR: You guys, in a nutshell?

HARVEY: Hi, I’m Harvey. I live in New York. I’m obsessed with it. I moved here for college. And now I’m working at MTV.

BETINA: I’m a senior in Parson’s design management (program). Hopefully, I’ll be able to work with my family in the future.

What we ought to know about Harvey?

BETINA: He’s sometimes really obnoxious. But he’s the only person here in New York who cares about me the most and will tell me the truth even if it hurts.

HARVEY: People don’t understand how close we are. You’ll see us saying crazy hurtful things to each other but it’s really nothing.

BETINA: Sometimes he’ll try to strangle me. It’s like physical and verbal abuse. And when we’re in a room, and we don’t know anyone, we’ll just be massaging each other’s boobs.

Tell us something about Betina.

HARVEY: Betina is a hypocrite. She’s a crazy bitch. But she really is my bestest friend. We know each other’s ins and outs.

BETINA: I remember there was this huge PETA rally in front of Bergdorf’s and my mom (designer and global entrepreneur Tina Maristela-Ocampo) was building her fur collection. We took all her fur — fur hat, fur coat, fur everything — and walked across the PETA rally. It was the most terrifying experience of our lives.

How’d the craziness begin?

BETINA: We went to ICARE together in ISM (International School of Manila).

HARVEY: She was the most quiet person ever.

BETINA: My first vision of Harvey was him shaking the maracas with a bunch of Down’s syndrome kids and him getting into trouble because he lost his Down’s syndrome kid. The kid ended up in the pool.

Many years later you’re still friends?

HARVEY: When you don’t live with your parents, you sort of really live through and with your friends.

BETINA: I was in boarding school and I’d always escape to be with Harvey during the weekends. I’d have him pretend to be my dad and call my school. And I’d go missing, they wouldn’t find me in my bed ‘cause I’d be dancing with Harvey in his apartment in New York.

Did you always see yourselves abroad?

HARVEY: When I was a kid, I’d watch movies. And I always had a fascination that New York would be such a great city.

BETINA: This is more of my home I think. I also kind of grew up here too. I’d be here every Christmas and summers.

More jabs at each other?

HARVEY: Betina can sometimes be so dumb.

BETINA: Sometimes, I have the tendency to just really be out of it.

HARVEY: She sometimes has her own world.

BETINA: Sometimes, I’ll be in the corner making funny noises.

New York vs. Manila?

BETINA: There are endless opportunities for us here. When we’re in Manila, we’d be really embarrassing. Like we can’t do whatever we want, wear whatever we want. Here we can.

HARVEY: You can go inside a club here and people are just drinking, and you can start dancing and no one will give a f**k.

Harvey, you’re working now. What’s life post-college in America like?

HARVEY: These past few months have been crazy. There’s so much responsibility now. Before, as an intern, you didn’t really get paid. Now that you’re getting paid, every second counts. Everything is urgent. The stakes are higher.

You’re on the cusp of graduating, Betina. What’s next for you?

BETINA: I’m designing my own T-shirt line. And I’m also designing a bunch of vintage eyewear using different exotic skins as the rim. A lot of it will be mass-produced in Hong Kong. But first I have to produce them in L.A. Hopefully I’ll be able to get them in Opening Ceremony or Barney’s.

If you weren’t in New York, where would you be?

BOTH: Paris.

What district or borough of New York best describes you?

BETINA: East Village and SoHo. As I get older, probably more of the West Village.

HARVEY: The Village. It’s really quiet but it’s also central.

Finally: lap of luxury in Manila or roughing it in New York?

HARVEY: Roughing it in New York.

BETINA: I’d rather be poor here than rich in Manila any day.