Ever
so happy and energetic, I spent hours with actress and her sexiest JENNYLYN MERCADO just LOL-ing, drinking
root beer floats, freaking out people in restaurants, and battling it out in
our favorite KTV bar.
There’s
never a dull moment when you’re with Jennylyn Mercado. If it’s not her who’s
making you laugh, it would be her “bessies” a.k.a. her makeup and hair stylists
that have already become her friends, or the combination of both. I have to
admit that I have never watched a TV series that she’s part of, as well as any
of her movies, not until English Only,
Please, which she co-starred with Derek Ramsay, who introduced me to her.
So I’m a late bloomer when it comes to all things Jennylyn. The girl is funny. She
cracks me up! That term “ang dami kong tawa” really happened to me while
watching English Only, Please! In
real life, she cracks me up even more. Jen is not scared to make fun of
herself. She likes to dance crazily while she or somebody else is singing; she
likes to catch people off-guard by being endearingly loud, she loves to smile
and laugh a lot. Jen prefers everything to just be OKAY and uncomplicated. By
the looks of it, she also loves to keep herself busy. Aside from the fact that she
has movies to finish (she’s actually shooting one right now), she has a gym and
a spa that she runs, she also trains for triathlons, but most of all, she’s a doting
mother to Jazz. But with every good thing that she’s blessed with lately,
you’ll never see a bit of arrogance on how she acts, only that very animated,
lovely, and silly woman that she is.
“Ano ba itong alaga mo, Ate Rose?
Ang gulo gulo,” that’s what I told Jen’s trusted and loyal assistant when we
met up for this interview at Johnny Rockets in Tomas Morato. She wants to drink
a root beer float, something that I haven’t tried for a very long time. She
asked me “keri mo magKTV?” and my reply to her “ay!
PUSH!” It’s that easy, uncomplicated. Here’s a very candid Jennylyn, read on!
HOW DID WE MEET?
Jenn’s version
Ay
sa Kpub! Kumanta ka. Pinilit kang kumanta ni Derek (Ramsay), well, gustong
gusto mo naman. Ha ha! Tsaka nagpahatid ka sa kanya sa stage, naalala ko pa
yun. Para shang stage father na parang “anak, galingan mo!” Pero kailangan ko
ng umalis agad pagkatapos kong kumain, so eat and run lang ako.
My version
We
met at Kpub, that Korean restaurant at The Fort. Derek asked me to meet him there.
I didn’t know that Jen was with them. At first, I thought she was a bit
standoffish because she was just quiet, she wasn’t really talking that much, but little
did I know that she’s like a car that runs on diesel, nagpapainit lang. Ha ha!
Anyway, there was a band playing and they were asking for participants to join
them on stage. I don’t know what happened that I was the one that was suggested
to go up on stage when I was with two of the most celebrated actors in the
country. They ganged up on me. Derek was like “please, D. Sing for me. I’m sad.”
Yeah, right! And Jen was like “sige na! Kanta ka na! Sabi ni Derek ang ganda
ng boses mo.” Yeah, riggghhht! Ha ha! I wasn’t even done with my beer and I was
up on stage. While she was cheering me on, he was taking a video while I was singing,
like a proud stage father until he realized what he was doing and went back
to his seat. And that was it, that was how I met Jennylyn Mercado, who is now
one of my favorite KTV mates.
At Kpub with Chennylyn, that's my pet name for her
KTV night with Alex Medina and stylist Patricia Estrada
WHAT FOR YOU CLASSIFIES AS
A GOOD FRIEND?
Jen: Yung anytime tawagin mo, nandun sha.
D: Kahit anung oras?
J: Kahit anung oras, like, anytime? Ha ha! Hindi,
yung kahit na siguro anung mangyari sa buhay mo, may sasalo sa’yo. Tsaka kahit
up ka or down ka, hindi nya pinipili, basta lagi lang sha nandyan kahit anung
mangyari, kahit anung sitwasyon. Kahit na mahirap, kahit na buhay nya pa ang
kapalit, ganung yung tunay na kaibigan.
D: So do you think you are a good friend?
J: Of course! What kind of a question is
that?! Ha ha!
WHAT DISAPPOINTS YOU?
J: Lies at yung pagiging plastic talaga.
D: Pano mo nalalaman kapag hindi totoo
sa’yo yung tao?
J: Ewan ko. Basta nararamdaman ko. Yung
alam ko kahit na sabihin mong hindi? Alam ko na ginawa mo. Malakas lang ang
kutob. Tapos sasabihin ko yun sa muka mo, sasabihin ko talaga na “linoloko mo
ako, sinungaling ka!” Ganun.
DO YOU TALK TO YOURSELF?
J: Yes! All the time! Yung tipong “Oh my
God! Tama ba yung ginawa mo?” Yung “mali
e! Di ka dapat naggagaganyan! Kalma, kalma” Yung mga ganun lang! Hindi naman
yung mga question and answer na sinasagot ko na yung sarili ko. Ha ha! “This is
your first question” tapos sasagutin ko rin.
WHO IN YOUR LIFE GIVES THE
BEST ADVICE?
J: My mom gives the best advice kasi alam
nya lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay ko, so alam nya kung paano nya ako
pakakalmahin, alam nya kung paano nya ako ihahandle na hindi ako masasaktan, na
hindi ako maiiyak. Alam nya yung timpla ko.
D: But do you normally follow her?
J: Of course not! Ha ha! Loko lang. Oo
naman. Shempre!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME
OF DAY?
J: Morning. Morning person kasi talaga ako
tsaka yun yung magsisimula ng buong araw mo e. Kung maganda kang gumising,
maganda ka rin magtatapos ng araw. Kung maganda yung mood mo sa umaga, buong
araw na yan maganda na. Kaya siguraduhin mo na sa paggising sa umaga dapat
laging “it’s a good day! It’s gonna be a nice day!”
WHAT FOOD IS A FAVORITE OF
EVERYONE THAT YOU DON’T LIKE?
J: Ang hirap naman ng tanong mo kasi parang
wala.
D: Lahat kinakain mo?
J: Oo.
D: Kahit chocolate?
J: Ay oo. Kailangan araw araw lagi akong
may kinakain na matamis.
WHAT MAKES YOUR DAY
COMPLETE?
J: Good morning kiss from my son.
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU DO
CONSTANTLY EVERY DAY?
J: Constantly? Pagligo hindi e. Ha ha! Pag
hindi madumi, hindi naliligo. Ha ha! Pero ano ba? Hhhmmm… Panunuod ng TV.
D: What’s your favorite channel?
J: Nat Geo. Tsaka hindi ako nagpapatay ng
TV.
D: Ha?!
J: Kahit natutulog ako bukas yung TV. Gusto
ko paggigising ko bukas sha, na anytime na magising ako sa buong gabi, nakaandar
sha. Kapag patay sha, hindi ako makakatulog.
IF YOU’LL BE GIVEN A CHANCE
TO GO ON A VACATION TOMORROW, WHERE WILL YOU GO?
J: Maldives. Isa yun talaga sa mga lugar na
sabi ko bago ako maging 30, mapuntahan ko na sha. Kung magpapabook ako ng
flight ngayon, dun ako pupunta. Dream place ko talaga sha. Ang khonda khonda
kasi talaga nya! Ha ha!
D: Ang baliw! Ha ha! Pano ko isespell yun?!
Ang khonda khonda.
J: Ha ha!
WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF
BEING JAZZ’S MOM?
J: Siguro yung nakikita mo na lumalaki
shang mabait, mapagmahal, and smart. Siguro yun yung the best! Tsaka yung alam
mo rin na naturuan mo sha ng tamang values.
WHY IS ROOT BEER FLOAT YOUR
FAVORITE DRINK?
J: Masarap yung combination ng cream tsaka
soda. Hindi ako masyadong mahilig sa soda, pero mahilig ako sa dairy, kaya mas
tolerable sa akin uminom ng soda or ng root beer kasi may ice cream.
