Not everybody has the luck to meet up with the King of Comedy.

Percy Lapid – of the famed DWIZ program “Lapid Fire” – never expected Pidol to be one of his admirers and so with the Comedy King’s family and circle of friends.

Prior to the meeting, Dolphy had actually asked what Percy would be wearing so he could easily recognize him, especially since they had never met before. And when they did, there were no barriers to bridge because the two immediately sat down to strike a conversation as if they had been long-time friends for the past 80 years.

Pidol arrived with his actor son Edgar Quizon and long-time buddy Marie Barbekuwe.

Barely an hour into the verbal exchange, his daughter, former singer-actress Sally Quizon (Salud, in reality) likewise arrived and the first thing she said to Percy was that she was a fan and avid listener of “Lapid Fire,” including two of her friends.

But aside from being a meeting between fan-and-idol and idol-and-fan, Dolphy revealed interesting snippets of his life that Percy found to be similar to his teenage days.

For a fact, Dolphy was one of the first Filipino entertainers to perform in Japan. “Kasabayan ko no’n sila Bimbo Danao at si Bayani Casimiro,” the Comedy King reminisced. That was way back in the ’50s. A little over two decades later, Percy, too, became a performer in Japan and many of his Japanese fans (most of them lovely samurai lasses in their teens and some Pinay entertainers) idolized him and even thought he was one of Pidol’s sons. “Bata pa tayo no’n, medyo guwapo pa at long-hair kaya pinagkakamalang anak ni Tito Dolphy,” Percy enthused.

Surprisingly, Percy and Dolphy have some things in common. The King of Comedy had to struggle as a budding actor and this has given him the resolve to help those who are in need. This is so much like our hard-hitting radio commentator, who also writes columns for two of the fastest-growing tabloids in the country and is a director of the National Press Club (NPC).

“Sa pakikipag-usap sa kanya (Dolphy), makikita mo kung ano siya sa pelikula – na makatao at masayahin – gano’n din siya sa tunay na buhay,” Percy expressed his own perception of Pidol. Another similarity is how both valued other people. “Mahalaga sa kanya ang pakikisama sa kapwa dahil ito raw ang batayan para maging tunay na masaya ang buhay ng isang tao,” Percy pointed out.
The new-found friends also have similar people whom they consider as those worth emulating, like former Senator and now Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, whom Pidol calls “Freddie.” “Isa sa maganda niyang katangian is how he values people, especially friends. Among them is Mayor Lim. Ikinuwento niya ang matagal na nilang pagkakaibigan, who happens to be my friend, too, and we’re all from Tondo,” Percy added.

He was also impressed with how quick-witted Dolphy was and to prove it, almost every statement the Comedy King delivered solicited laughter from the closely-knit group gathered that afternoon for casual talk.

Jerry Yap, also a director of the NPC and a newspaper publisher, couldn’t help jiggling his tummy whenever Dolphy cracks a joke. It was like watching one of the King’s comedy films but this time in real life. But the big difference is you only get to appreciate Dolphy’s comical antic in film for a mere two hours, but when they saw him and talked with him that afternoon, it was from 5 to 9 in the evening – a feat that seems unbelievable to consider since it would have taken somebody special to capture the Comedy King’s attention for four straight hours with no relative business agenda to tackle.

In truth, it was all casual talk yet an experience worth etching on stone so it could be remembered and retold to generations to come.

Mocha, Joross team up in ‘Sumpa’

It seems that the Mocha Uson of the all-female group Mocha Girls is really headed for stardom. Although the group has been around for sometime, it was only last year when Mocha made waves so to speak, after she was reported in the tabloids to have been seen in a torrid kissing scene in a beach resort. It was a negative report but somehow it did something beneficial to Mocha. She made a name, and now, she has also become a movie actress.

She is paired with Joross Gamboa in the sexy horror flick “Sumpa.”

“I’m very happy to be given this chance, I’ve always wanted to do a movie, kaya I gave it my all,” Mocha said. Mocha has also been in the news lately because of her self-proclaimed lesbian preferences. She has been featured in videos going around the internet having intimate moments with different girls, most notably Jaycee Parker. “When that tabloid decided to invade our privacy, I was shocked, but then I quickly realized, instead of them exploiting me, I might as well come out and just be myself. I have no problems with nudity or having same sex preferences, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get attracted to guys too,” the hot morena added.

From the press preview of “Sumpa,” the movie has some very hot scenes involving not only girls, but between Mocha and Joross too. “Of course may sexy scenes din ako with Joross, and I really enjoyed them, too. In fact, super crush ko talaga siya, kaya I was thrilled when I found out he was doing this movie, it made the shooting more fun!”

The censors have been very strict lately and Eric Ramos, of FHM and Maxim fame, and the movie’s executive producer, explained: “This is basically a horror-suspense movie, but we added some sexy elements, natural naman kasi with Mocha in the lead. But of course, we have our limits when it comes to the theatrical version. But we are confident we have enough to get the male, and even female viewers, excited!”

“Sumpa” is about how Joross’ character goes back to the rest house of his uncle, played by Mark Gil, to take a break, only to meet a hot girl (Mocha) who completely changes his world. Unknown to Joross, everything was set up by Mark, in order for Joross to break a long-standing curse that has caused Mark to live a miserable life. “A lot of scary and suspense-filled moments run in between some hot sexy scenes, this will be a really fun and enjoyable, titillating movie that I’m sure all the male fans of Mocha will see,” said Melvin Brito, who co-directed the movie. Well, Mocha does have a huge following among men, and one proof of this is the April issue of Maxim with her on the cover is selling like hot-cakes!

“Sumpa,” which also co-stars Tracy Torres, Emil Sandoval and the rest of the Mocha Girls, opens on April 22 in 25 theaters.

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, April 15, go to “Sis” Gloria “Baby” Angara, Therese Coronel Santos, Jose Mari Hilario, Rosario “Czarina” R. Ablaza, Susan Henson, Marcel Meily, Joseph Baricana, Linda Celestial, Linda Cabrera, Melody Cabrera, Dianne Gamboa, Atty. Gloria Paculdo, Jemmarie F. Ronquillo, Aaliyah Maoie G. Yadori and Diana Zubiri…