Phillip Lazaro - More than Meets the Eye

(Article written by Yoru Osu  in 2001, from "Valentino")

“Don’t judge the book by its cover.”

Napili ko ang kasabihang makikita sa itaas ng artikulong ito bunga ng nangyari sa akin nung kapanayamin ko ang subject ng kolumn na ito ngayon, na Si Phillip L.azaro. Nagdalawang isip ako dahil medyo alangang akong lapitan siya dahil mukhang siyang mataray at mapan-mata. Kasi isa ako sa mga taong naniniwala na ang stardom brings air to the head lalo na sa mga artista. Ngunit mali pala ang hinala ko dahil lahat ng aking pangamba ay nawala ng simulan namin ang aming interview sa kaniya.

Kilala natin si Philip Lazaro, who is Phillip Saavedra Lazaro, bilang Danica sa mga soap opera na Villa Quintana at Anna Karenina ng GMA 7. Pero sa “The Library” isa siyang magaling na performer isa siya sa mga dahilan kung kaya’t dinadayo ng mga parokyano ang unique at different bar na ito. Kapanabayan niya sina Allan K, Arnell Ignacio at Bobby Solis. He’ll be turning 31 this coming June 12, kaya naisipan din naming ihandog ang artikulong ito para sa kaniya.

It was a great Pleasure to have interviewd him kaya alam kong magugustuhan ninyo ang nilalaman ng aming panayam sa kaniya. Tunghayan natin ito sa ibaba:

V: Can you give u a brief description of yourself.

PH1LLIP LAZARO (PL): I think ako yung taong masasabi mong simple lang at mababaw ang kaligayahang. Isang taong may simple wants and needs. Although I always get the first impression from many people na mataray daw ako. But what they do not know, once na makilala na nila ako and I have opened up and trusted them I am really a nice person. Kasi ako yung tipong I’ll be nice with the people who are also nice to me. Sabi nga nila, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” I may not be the charmest person you know. Pero okey lang sa akin iyon. Kasi naman ako I don’t go out my way impressing people. I’m not the type of person na what you see is what you get. I am more of the type na more than meets the eye person. Parang Transformer cartoon noh?

V:  How did you get started in this kind of business?

PL: It was year 1993. nang I always frequent “The Library” as a customer. Minsan na-aliw ang tao sa akin ng sayawin ko ang Vogue with every step imitated dun sa MTV tapos nakasuot pa ako ng very short shorts at shirt na parang flag nag America. Nagustuhan yun ng mga tao. At dahil naging kaibigan ko na rin sa Mamu Andrew de Real he talked me into performing one set. He gave me one day to perform, at every Sunday ‘yun.

V: What is your edge to other stand-up comedian?

PL: Ang tanging kaibahan ko lang among my contemporaries ay nasabak kaagad ako sa pagwa-one man show. kasi nuon sina Allan K, Leonard at iba pa ay are into hosting pa. Samantalang ako ay may slight comedy na while hosting and singing along with my shows.

V: How was your first, as a stand-up act?

PL: Mahirap kasi that time ang gagaling na ng mga kapanabayan kong performers din. I was introduced by a show produced by Tita Pilar Mateo dito rin sa “The Library,” it was aptly titled as “Four da Best”, kasama ko rito sina Allan K, Arnell lgnacio at Bobby Solis. The last one chose his career in Guam.

At kahit nga marami akong kapanabayang magagaling, it worked to my advantage kasi it was the reason why I strived harder. Hindi ako puwedeng basta maging kampante nuon. I made it a point to exert an extra effort into giving justice and best to my every performance. Kasi I have to be the best of the best. And this profession was not served to me on a silver platter.

V: How did you enter showbizness?

PL: Before entering the showbizness I had a series of shows sa Singapore as stand-up comedian. Samantalang dito naka-arriba na ang carreer ni Allan K. It was Shirly Quan of Viva Films who gave me a break in showbusiness. She saw me and let me signed up a lot of projects. At ilan dun ay mga soap operas tulad ng Villa Quintana. Anna Karenina, Halik sa Apoy, May Bukas Pa at Subic Bay. The first two I played the role of Danica, the third as Pabsy best friend ni Jay Manalo. Sa May Bukas Pa best friend naman ako ni Dina Bonnevie.

V: Between hosting and acting, what will you choose among the two?

PL: I’d rather choose hosting kasi aside from the fact that I really love to talk to people. I am a real sucker for intellectual intercourse. As a host you can talk about a lot of things, marami kang mahahanap. Para kasing its easier to reinvent myself as a host rather than an actor. Limited ang role as an actor lalong-lalo na kung ikaw ay gay. If you are a host you can do and can be anything under the sun.

V: What is the best role that you’ve ever had?

PL: It was in the local movie flick na Tatlo Magkasa/o of Reyna Films. Meaty ang role ko dun, lover ko si Roi Rodrigo, kapitbahay namin ang mag­asawang sina Ara Mina na may at Tonton Gutierrez. Kalove-affair naman ni Ara si Rita Avila. Maybe because it was directed by one of our great direc­tors in the land na si Carlitos Siguion Reyna.

V: What can you say about gays proliferating the entertainment industry nowadays?

PL: The situation is good for us gays lalong-lalo na we are slowly getting accepted in the society at local enter­tainment industry. Actually we are slowly becoming a dime a dozen. We shouldn’t think those just because we are already accepted everybody can just penetrate it. If you know you have a talent, they should not give others in the same field a bad name. Huwag naman sana! We worked hard for these names. So dapat hindi lang talent ang kinakailangan kundi hard work. Only those who have these qualities would rearly stick it out. Okey lang din sa akin ang marami, sabi nga nila the more the merrier, at para malaman Rung sino ang magagaling.

V: Now that you are already a popular public figure, how do you handle those people who are fond of saying good and bad things in front of you and behind your back?

PL: It’s something that you can do nothing about. The cliché that you can’t please everybody is true. Being a public figure I should be cautious of what I do outside. ~ Kasi ang mga malilit na bagay na ginagawa ko nuon ay nama-magnify ngayong kilala na ako. Pero ang masasabi ko lang its all in the adjust­ment. So right now I make it to the point to be responsible to the things I do and say to the audience.

V: At this point in time, I can say na made ka na, are there anything in your mind na kailangan mo pang abutin para masabi lang na naabot muna ang peak of your success?

PL: I want to settle down and own a family someday. It’s not necessary na biological, siguro puwede na sa akin yung maga-adopt ako.

V: What is success for you?

PL: Success for me is when you’ve reached the point that you already have achieved everything you have wanted in life and no one is hurt in the process.

V: Have you encountered any problem in your life that you have successfully overcome?

PL: Actually there are so many prob­lems plagued my life. Kaya lang the hardest was the death of my father. It was the first death in the family kaya medyo mahirap, it took me some time bago ako nakapag-adjust.

V: What can you say about your love life naman?

PL: I’m not in that stage of life of really getting serious with somebody yet. Feeling ko kasi hindi pa ako ganuon ka­fulfilled as a person. Gusto ko pag dumating na yung love sa buhay ko I can offer myself not half-baked. Kapag dumating siya I should be complete as a person.

At saka I have been trying to look for a guy that would accept me for what I am, for the real me and not the performer. I believe I haven’t found my match yet. I have found so many guys that I want to sleep with yet I have not found someone I wanted to wake up with in the morning.

V: What kind of guy turns you on?

PL: I’m not into looks, ang importante sa akin ay malakas ang dating niya or sex appeal but not to the point na nagiging overconfident na siya huh! I want someone who can be more domineering than me but can accept the world I am into.

V: What is your ultimate dream in life?

PL: First as an actor I want to play a role like that of a character in the film Torch Song Trilogy. Tapos as a host, I want to do my own television show na isang talk program. Hindi yung ala Kris Aquino about showbiz but more of ala Martin Nievera. That is my ultimate dream in life and my career.

V: What advice can you give to gays that are planning to enter the same field you are in?