Saturday, August 8, 2015

Drinks with MJ Marfori


Chikahan with TV5 reporter and host MJ Marfori over black coffee

MJ Marfori never gets tired, or at least that’s the impression I would get every time I see her. She’s full of energy like she always gets a full night’s sleep. Sleep nowadays is a luxury, especially for the kind of job that she has and the demanding industry that she’s in. MJ is not only a correspondent in Aksyon TV, but also a radio host. Alongside, actress Bianca King and TV personality IC Mendoza, she is also hosting Showbiz Konek. So, you tell me, when does she sleep?

            I sat down with the petite and very bubbly reporter at a restaurant in front of TV5; she just finished covering a press launch, just one of the third for the day. She ordered her favorite drink, a cold, tall, black coffee, at least now I know where she gets her extra energy. She likes it without sugar or anything that makes this tar looking thing in a cup, not sweet. Every time I’d do this interview, I would usually order one for myself but I have a “one coffee a day” rule, so I just took a sip, and immediately cursed at MJ. The coffee was so strong; it was like drinking crushed bitter pills diluted in cold water. She just laughed at me and told me that I had the same reaction like anyone who would try and drink from her cup of cold coffee. So while she munches away on her late lunch, a bowl of salad and my leftovers from Tim Ho Wan, we talked about her love for spicy food, her own star, and her ideal friend.

HOW DID WE MEET?
MJ’s version
I met you kasi very friendly ka. Liker kasi ako sa Instagram e, nakita ko ang ganda ng shirts na ginagawa mo, linike ko. Nagcomment ka tapos binati mo ako. A few weeks after, nalaman ko na friend mo si Derek [Ramsay], friend ko rin sha, lagi ko shang kinocover. Naging common denominator natin sha. From there, lagi na tayong naguusap, nagkikita na tayo randomly sa mga events. Nagchichikahan na tayo na parang sobrang tagal na nating magkaibigan.

My version
Obviously, hindi nya na maalala! Ha ha! I first met MJ at a press con at the FOX Philippines’ office at The Fort. Community’s Danny Pudi was there for his media day. She arrived, a bit rattled because she was rushing from another assignment. I then introduced myself, and I told her that I was the one who has been making the shirts that she’s been liking on Instagram. I also briefed her who Danny Pudi was, what the show Community is also about, etc. And then I’ve been seeing her in other events after that like in Boracay for the Nestea event.

At a press con in Boracay


With Community's Danny Pudi...wala lang, I'll just leave it here. He he!

WHAT SKILL WOULD YOU STILL WANT TO LEARN?
MJ: Singing kasi hindi ako marunong kumanta. Usually, di ba yung mga Pilipino kapag pinapakanta, laging sinasabi “hindi ako marunong kumanta! Hindiii!” Ako, hindi talaga. Alam ko talaga na hindi maganda ang boses ko, so gusto ko matuto kumanta.

Denise: Pero kapag pinapakanta ka, kumakanta ka?

M: Oo! Pero pinapatigil akong kumanta. Yun yon! Para akong lalaking nakalunok ng megaphone. Ganun ang boses ko.

D: Anung favorite mong kinakanta?

M: Lahat ng alam kong kanta, from Alanis [Morissette] to U2, yan yung mga gusto ko.


HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH DISHONESTY?
M: Dati galit na galit ako, pero sa sobrang dami ko nang nakilala na sinungaling na mga tao sa buong buhay ko na tipong close sa akin, I don’t let it affect me anymore, ‘cause I know what they’re saying are lies. So I just go on and deal with my life like that piece of lie never happened. It won’t affect me; it won’t affect my emotion, my positive vibes. Ayoko kasi ng nega e. Ayoko ng drama.

D: Do you still allow them to be part of your life?

M: Yes. Because some are pathological liars, and they’re my friends, but it just so happens na sinungaling silang tao. Lahat naman tayo guilty sa white lies. Sa dami ng iniinterview ko, at sa dami ng case studies na inasikaso ko, narealize ko na kung alam mong bullshit, wag mo na lang paniwalaan. But if it will get to a point na directly nagsisinungaling sayo para masaktan ka, you can’t help but to get mad but just get over it, don’t think about it too much, move forward. Hindi sila karapat dapat sa time mo.

WHAT FOR YOU IS A PERFECT MEAL?
M: Basta anything na may sili. Yung pagkain ko karne na may sili, or seafood na may sili. I really love spicy food. Dito sa Tasty Tucker, suki na ako dito, alam nila na kailangan kapag umorder ako ng pagkain dito, may kasamang chili flakes. Kailangan maanghang yung kinakain ko.


WHAT’S THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
M: Life! Charing! Ha ha! Hindi kasi ako cheesy na tao, pero yung jowa ko baliktad, cheesy, teh! Binigyan ako ng star. Pinapangalan nya sa akin sa DOST. Grabe, binigyan ako ng tala! Literal na tala, teh! Ang sweet nya.

D: May picture ba yun?

M: May certificate.

D: Ang taray! Ikaw na, Papa Oscar.

HOW DO YOU RELAX?
M: May ganun ba? Ha ha! Relaxing is very important. Recently ko lang natutunan yan. Relaxing is having a good massage, and getting to sleep really well. Ang tulog ginto, lalo na ngayon, ang hirap kumita ng pera. Para sa ekonomiya!


WHO DO YOU WANT TO INTERVIEW YOU?
M: Oprah Winfrey para interviewhin ko sha pagkatapos.

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE YOU’D LIKE TO BE FRIENDS WITH?
M: I like happy people. Walang kadrama drama at walang kaarte arte. Gusto ko yung mga authentic na tao, chika lang, basta masaya lang.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE MOST?
M: I’m afraid of uncertainty but while you mature, you learn to understand that not everything is forever. Totoo yung “walang forever” not only with love, so you just surrender everything to the Lord, live at the moment, do your best and God will do the rest.


WHY IS ICED BLACK COFFEE YOUR FAVORITE DRINK?
M: It keeps me awake. I started drinking black coffee when I was doing my thesis in college, dalawang venti, masama yun though. Sarap. Iced black Caffe Americano.

D: Effective talaga sha na pampagising for you?

M: Okay lang, gising naman ako lagi e, energetic naman ako, wala lang, gusto ko lang sha.


Follow MJ on Instagram and Twitter  

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