WILLIE NEPOMUCENO
SHOWBIZ denizens are almost always a cautious bunch particularly when discussing personal affairs.
Then again, there are times they are only too willing to open up, answering even the most inane of queries in the name of fun.
And that’s exactly what veteran impersonator-singer Willie Nepomuceno allowed us recently.
Here’s an excerpt:
Name one personality you wouldn’t want to impersonate?
“May ilan, because there are people who would only look too funny to impersonate.
“Like si Jose De Venecia or si Gloria Arroyo, hindi ko sila ginagawa kasi ang hahanapin sa’yo more on their physical attributes, which I don’t like because it would appear that I’m making fun of their physical appearance. Hindi dapat ‘yung physical ang sentro ng act kung hindi ‘yung issues.”
Have you impersonated somebody who actually expressed disdain about it?
“Sabi nila si Apo, si Marcos. Kasi noong panahon nang ginagawa ko siya, may mga bumulong sa akin na malapit sa ex-president, sinasabi ‘wag ko na lang daw gayahin (si Marcos). Eh ‘yun ang gusto ng mga tao, ginawa ko pa din. “Si Erap din. Actually love-hate ang relationship namin niyan.”
What about President Duterte, any chance seeing you impersonate him?
“Ayoko. Ginawa ko na rin naman siya dati. Okay na ‘yun. To do him now would only add to the...divisive eh. Magiging magulo. Ayoko na makisali pa du’n.”
There’s this show on TV called ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids.’ What do you think about it?
“Sa totoo lang, para sa akin it’s not good. Hindi maganda. Kasi ‘yung they have to put on prosthetics, I think delikado ‘yun for kids. Sensitive ang mga balat niyan eh. Bata pa sila. Eh ang hirap tanggalin nu’n. Ang okay lang ‘dun, ‘yung namumulat ang mga bata sa art of impersonation at their age. Pero sana less of the prosthetics.”
What have you learned after suffering from mild stroke?
“Grabe ‘yun. I almost gave up on life. Napakamatiisin ko pa huh? One thing I learned is that we should take care of our body, of our health. Ako, I smoked too much. Siyempre, matapang ako nu’n, feeling ko si Superman ako. Pero I realized lahat tayo pwede tamaan anytime.”
Heard you’ve been collecting Beatles memorabilia. What’s the priciest you got in your collection?
“Nakumpleto ko na ‘yung instrumento nila, pati ‘yung Gretsch (guitar) ni George (Harrison), mga replica. Ang pinakamahal is ‘yung Rickenbacker (guitar) na hawig noong ginagamit dati ni John Lennon. Inorder ko pa sa States.”
• Dubbed The Man With Many Faces and Voices, Willie Nepomuceno will headline the concert “Music And Laughter” alongside good friend Nonoy Zuñiga. It will be on July 27, 8 p.m. at the Theatre at Solaire.
According to Nepomuceno, it is a show not to be missed because it offers “pleasant entertainment and engaging humor” unlike anything.
“Me and Nonoy, we will do things at the event that will surprise audiences, mostly things they wouldn’t expect us doing,” he said.