Butch Francisco kakaririn na ang akting: Mamamatay akong aktor!

NAPATOTOHANAN mismo ng inyong lingkod ang kasabihang, “Misery loves company.”

September 12, 2015 nang makansela sa ere ang nearly 20 year-old na Startalk where—for more than half of it—ay magkasama kami ng isa sa mga host nito, si Butch Francisco (while we were with the show since Day One).

Among the hosts, si Tito Butch lang ang hindi na-retain, almost parallel sa kaso namin sa hanay naman ng mga writers. Since then, Butch and I had become regular phone pals, practically burning the lines until the wee hours of the morning, and yes, consoling each other as though the world crumbled in one fell swoop.

Pero tapos na ang panahon ng pag-e-emote as the imaginary split screen these days has me and Butch feeling relieved and blessed, after all. Salamat kay Tita Cristy Fermin who believed in my “usefulness”; thanks to Ms. Joann Banaga for offering Butch an acting part.

In other words, “belong” pa rin kami ni Butch to a world whose one door slammed on us, but the other door next to it welcomed us in.

Nitong July 12 ay ini-launch ng Cignal TV ang mga bago nitong programa, isa rito ang crime-suspense miniseries na “Tukhang” (spelled this way). Butch plays a senate reporter who will do everything in his quest for the truth, “But that doesn’t necessarily make my character a good one because it has some nastiness to it, too.”

Pero alam n’yo bang hindi na bago kay Butch ang pag-arte?

Back in ABS-CBN while co-hosting Showbiz Lingo with Tita Cristy ay kinukuha siyang guest sa halos lahat ng mga programa nito. Nariyan ang Palibhasa Lalake, Abangan Ang Susunod Na Kabanata (na hindi nga lang pinayagang umere ng Malacañang because of its strong political content) ang Oki Dok, among many others.

Maging ang sumunod niyang tahanan, ang GMA, ay nag-alok din kay Butch ng guest appearances in almost all its soap operas usually as himself.

Butch also appeared in a 1995 Regal movie titled “Angels”, na ginastusan nang P5 million pero hindi natapos due to child labor issues followed by a cameo role in the indie film “Pepot Artista” which won best picture in one film festival.

So alin ang mas pipiliin ni Butch: hosting or acting? “I still do hosting now, usually special events. Last week, I did a project for ABS-CBN. But between a talk show and a drama, I find it easier to act because you just have to follow a script and memorize it.”

Nabanggit niya sa launch that he intends to die an actor…mamatey? “Let’s rephrase that to: I intend to die in showbiz.”

q q q

Sabi nga, If you have it, flaunt it. And this is exactly what Celebrity Bluff—now on its Season 13 does!

Tuloy-tuloy lang ang saya dahil mas pinabongga ang pagbabalik ng nag-iisang pambansa at all-original Pinoy comedy game show, it dominates Saturday evening block.

All the more na wagi ang episode tonight dahil big blowout awaits the birthday celebration of game master Eugene Domingo. Magsasalpukan ang Team Ivan Dorschner-Cai Cortez versus Team Rodjun Cruz-Moi Bien versus Team Jak Roberto-Divine Aucina!

Which pair kaya will survive Edu Manzano’s, Brod Pete’s and Boobay’s bluffing powers, and will ultimately become the first to get richer by half a million pesos?

Abangan mamayang gabi!