TO BE honest, personally, we can’t wait to grab a copy of Mark Bautista’s book titled “Beyond Te Mark” and read it from cover to cover.
If only for his revelations (na kung tutuusi’y pagkumpirma lang naman ng mga blind items told and retold), mas may credence na ang mga ‘yon coming from the horse’s mouth. His tell-all tales are no fake news anymore, neither are they figments of imagination.
In his book, detalyado na ang mga pagkakataon. Hopefully, Mark wrote it in a way that’s both skillful and engaging, hindi lang nagbabasa ka ng artikulo from a gay porn magazine where the language used is intended to arouse rather than enhance the reader’s sense of literary appreciation.
Kung ang huli ang objective ng may-akda—more than causing irreparable shame and damage upon the other characters involved—Mark gets an A+ grade from us knowing na hindi lang pala siya isang mahusay na mang-aawit, he is a literary genius din pala.
Writing style set aside, sa totoo lang ay hindi madaling gawin ang paglaladlad ni Mark ng kanyang kapa—longer than his inilugay na hair. It takes more than intestinal fortitude para aminin that yes, he has yet to officially enlist himself in the LGBT community but a practicing one.
Sugal kasi ‘yon where Mark stands to lose more what he can gain, career-wise. The aftermath of his confessions is actually the tail end to this.
Pero mukhang ang habol naman ni Mark—for which the book was written—is to enjoy a liberating experience. Tama na ang mahabang panahon ng pagkakulong sa loob ng kloseta, nakaka-suffocate nga naman.
At kung anuman ang magiging consequences nito, for the sake of paiba lang, bahala na si Lastikman, the superhero he once portrayed.
May mga naging questions ang marami na gusto naming sagutin for Mark.
What’s next after his tell-all, bare-all book daw, will Mark do a BB Gandanghari? Mukhang malabo.
Honestly, we don’t see Mark slip into a woman’s dress and perhaps have his name changed later.
Iba si BB, iba si Mark (pero may common denominator sila).
Sa ginawang pag-amin ni Mark, magsunuran din daw kaya ang iba pang closeted gay actors? Again, we don’t see it coming. Eh, ‘di sana noon pa nagladlad si ano, si ano, si ano pa, hay, the list is endless.
Tiyak na ang objective ni Mark sa kanyang libro ay hindi para manghikayat ng mga kapwa niya celebrity na umamin ding mga bakla sila. Problema nila ‘yon, not Mark’s. Coming out should not be imperative, kundi isang initiative.
Ang tanong namin mismo sa aming sarili: tatangkilikin pa ba namin si Mark? Oong-oo. Mahusay siyang singer, mukhang maganda ang pagkatao, may paninindigan. These positive qualities know no gender.
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Marami kaming nakakaengkuwentro na mga taong in between jobs, pero namumukod-tangi ang dating TV host (now dabbling in acting) na si Butch Francisco.
Wala man kasi siya sa sirkulasyon pero alam n’yo bang katatapos lang niyang magpa-housewarming (last week)? Isang simpleng seremonya lang ‘yon sa kanyang three-storey newly built house in New Manila kung saan aanim lang ang naroon including the priest.
Hardly do most people know na may mga naipundar na ari-arian si Tito Butch, na kung sakali raw na hindi siya muling ngitian ng magandang kapalaran sa showbiz, “would last for the next 20 years.”
Life these days for him isn’t at all unproductive. An active member of Urian, patuloy ang pagrerebyu niya ng mga pelikula para sa taunang pagbibigay-parangal.