Jayson Gainza

Ask a successful TV star what he wants for his birthday and it won’t be a surprise if his wish is for his career to further flourish. After all, being a successful TV host/comedian is what keeps him home with his family.

Former OFW Jayson Gainza—who turned 30 last April 27—has turned a new leaf. Inherently witty, his brand of funny has earned him a spot in the second season of “Banana Split,” playing the inimitable Bhoy—a parody of SNN host Boy Abunda—opposite Angelica Panganiban’s equally funny, spot-on parody of Kris Aquino.

Jayson may have only tried his luck on “Pinoy Big Brother” back in 2005, but his hopes echoed that of the more than 3,000 people that turned up at the PBB house for an interview.

“Napanood ko lang siya sa TV tapos nakita ko merong opportunity na pwede kang makita sa TV… Tapos mananalo ka ng P1M, parang ganon. Sabi ko, sige subukan ko…kasi gusto ko naman talaga noon pa ma-try 'yong mga reality shows,” he tells Bulletin Entertainment in an exclusive interview.

Jayson eventually made it into the cast, and ending as the pilot season’s first runner-up marked the beginning of his TV career. His 15 minutes of fame may have started ticking then, but in his case, 15 minutes had a very loose definition and apparently a wider time frame.

Curiously, though, Jayson initially had no clue what “Pinoy Big Brother” was. “Ang akala ko naman non, ‘Big Loser’ ‘yon…‘yong napapanood ko sa Studio 23, ‘yong mataba magpapayat. Sige, willing naman akong magpapayat. So ano kaya ‘tong ‘Big Brother’ na ‘to? E wala naman kaming Internet sa bahay… Papaano kaya 'to,” he recalls his confusion.

But he wasn’t meant to be on “The Biggest Loser” despite his admission that he had a little weight to lose then. He braved the long wait in the company of literally thousands of PBB hopefuls for two things: to see if he’d actually make it to the show and to catch a glimpse of some celebrities.

“Nung una kong punta, hintay-hintay muna. Ang pinunta ko roon, para makakita ng artista. Sa kasamaang palad naman, wala akong nakitang artista,” he laughs.

“Pumila ako ng mga alas-otso [ng umaga], tapos tinawag ako mga 3 p.m. Tapos sabi ko, nakikita ko roon mga teachers, mga kumukuha ng nursing, ‘yong iba mga white collar [na trabaho] talaga na nagbaka-sakali. Sabi ko, ‘Makapasa kaya ako rito?’ Sabi ko, bahala na lang. Kahit ano nang itanong, ‘yon na lang isasagot ko.”

According to Jayson, the interviewers liked his Batangueño accent, as well as his funny replies. “Tinanong lang sa akin kung ilang taon na ako, bakit nag-asawa ng maaga. Ako naman kasi, ‘pag tinatanong, natural ko lang sinasagot. Sabi ko kaya po ako nag-asawa [nang maaga], para makatikim agad ng luto ng Diyos. Kaya tawa ng tawa sila…”

Jayson survived the tasks and near-fights inside the Big Brother house, as well as 111 days of being estranged from his wife and kids. But at least he didn’t have to contend with nasty employers abroad anymore.

Truth is, had he never made it into the Big Brother house, he may have pursued working abroad again. These days, however, abroad for Jayson means being invited to appear as Bhoy in shows in the U.S. He’s hoping to do more shows abroad, possibly in October this year.

But being Bhoy is not the only thing Jayson is counting on to add more minutes to his ticking fame clock. With the support of his Star Magic handlers, Jayson is able to do other roles that don’t require ‘chrome dome’ prosthetics and bushy eyebrows. Already, he appears on the daily teleserye “Agua Bendita.”

“Ngayon naman hindi na Bhoy tawag sa akin. ‘Mang Ben! Mang Ben!’ Para balanced lang,” he shares. “Minsan na-experience ko kasi na ‘pag naka-Bhoy ako, maraming nagpapa-picture sa akin. ‘Pag tinanggal ko na ‘yong prosthetics, wala nang nagpapa-picture,” he adds with a mighty laugh.

With the support of his executive producers and even director, Jayson also hopes to expand his input in “Banana Split,” hinting at the possibility of developing other characters for the show.

When asked what he imagines his next character to be, he says, “Siguro si Tom Cruise, pwede na ‘yon.” But he also hopes to do a female character—one that people would not guess to be him. But as for other talent that is sometimes crucial to impersonation, he says he does sing, “Sa Shangri-la Hotel!” But before I could ask, he retracts, “Hindi biro lang… Kumakanta pero mga video-videoke lang sa bahay.”

With his newfound place in local showbiz, Jayson admits he is able to better provide for his family with better finances. He also enjoys being an inspiration to some, being recognized wherever he goes and even scoring favors, like when he’s in line sometimes. “‘Yon nga lang, minsan hindi ka makatawad ‘pag bibili ka. Minamahalan pa nga nila eh… ‘O marami ka namang pera e,'” he ends with another laugh.

Ah, fame monster, is that you?