Marissa Sanchez: The tears behind the happy face

The story has become so common it could already be a cliché. Comedians lead lonely, serious lives and behind that funny face is a tear-stained one cleverly hidden from public view.

Marissa Sanchez is a typical case. At 11, she was thrust into the role of juvenile breadwinner after her parents broke up. Marissa and her mom would ride the jeepney from their house to Bodega where the pre-pubescent singer earned P30 per night, enough to feed her family and pay for her siblings’ school needs.

Marissa recalls those struggling years vividly.

"I wrapped a big hanky around my neck as protection against the cold air," she says. That early, Marissa knew she had to protect her asset: that clear singing voice that would later bring her popularity and a comfortable life.

The thought that she was getting the short end of the stick at a time when she should be playing with children her age never occurred to Marissa. For her, it was just plain work – a duty to her loved ones.

Her mom’s words ring clearly in her ears until now: "What do you want to be: a maid, a hostess or a singer?"

The first two choices sent shivers down Marissa’s spine. Since she was studying ballet at that time, she decided on the last option. By now, we know Marissa never looked back since.

That’s not yet the end of the story though. Marissa married the boy next door when she was still living in San Juan, thinking he was her knight in shining armor. But after one year, she discovered that she and her husband, who is engaged in the sound system business, are not meant for each other. Marissa had the marriage annulled.

Her deprived childhood and broken marriage – the materials of an engaging soap story – have given Marissa the fire and soul which mark every performance of hers today. Behind that kooky face is a battered soul, beaten by life’s trials.

"What they say about showbiz having two faces is true," she muses. "You see me laughing with you guys now, but when I’m in my car, I just sit there, staring in empty space."

Her childhood struggles, she adds, also explains why she has grown uh, overweight and the butt of jokes among her showbiz colleagues who tease her about losing weight and gaining male attention.

"I do plan to lose weight for health reasons, but not to gain suitors or what. I will shed weight because I want to, not because people want me to," Marissa says.

She traces this irresistible urge to eat to her childhood. "I was deprived when it came to food. So now that I can afford to eat well, I can’t control myself. Rice is my middle name," Marissa admits.

Her excess poundage, however, has proven to be a blessing, too. She learned to capitalize on it to become the comedienne that she is now. Her funny lines became Marissa’s ticket to the sitcom Pwedeng-Pwede. She appears regularly in the Channel 2 Sunday noontime variety show ASAP and has guested in many other TV shows.

Still, singing is Marissa’s first love. This is what she has been doing for the past four years at Hyatt’s Calesa Bar. During a Valentine show at the hotel’s Poolside, Marissa gathered such a crowd some people had to be turned away for lack of seats.

On New Year’s eve, Dec. 31, Marissa will again perform in her second home, Hyatt, this time, at the Harana Room, where she will hold a dinner concert to welcome the New Millennium with a bang.

Marissa is also excited about her soon-to-be-released debut album for Viva Records. With concerts, TV shows, and an album waiting for her, Marissa Sanchez has neither time nor reason to stare blankly into space while sitting in the car she bought from her hard-earned money.

The singer-comedienne with a sad past can now look back and let out a hearty laugh. Getting to Easy Street was no piece of cake, but she has definitely arrived, through hard work, talent and yes, excess poundage.