The ‘jologs’ side of Diet

Diether Ocampo has made no bones of the fact that he was not to the manor born. His blue-collar beginnings (Steel Bar, McDonald’s Las Piñas) was wide open to everyone who cared to know more about the guy who earned a grand slam nomination as Rosanna Roces’ lover in La Vida Rosa.

That’s why Star Cinema’s decision to cast him as simple security guard Mando, in the upcoming Jologs can’t be more apt. Scratch Diether’s hunk veneer and you’ll find someone very jologs: masang-masa, as working class-friendly as the ubiquitous jeepney.

Deprived of a father at six, when his parents separated, Diether took over as man of the house at an age when other boys were playing kiddie games and just hanging around, not knowing what to do with their time.

No wonder Diether feels at home with his role in Jologs, even if he was deglamorized for it. Diether had to assume a Visayan accent (with lots of help from his driver) and darken his skin.

The similarity however, is not total. Mando has a fit of depression when his girlfriend abandons him to become a Japayuki.

Diether is too much of a survivor to have fits of depression. When his first restaurant venture, Cilantro, closed shop, he did not curse the world and vow never to dip his fingers on any kind of business. He licked his wounds, worked hard to earn enough money as capital for another business, and opened a spanking new health club. Diether’s newest "baby" is called Health Club One, a fitness center at the corner of Retiro and Banawe, Quezon City, a few minutes drive from his house in Tomas Morato.

The business is right up Diether’s alley this time. Like his mentor and idol Richard Gomez, health-conscious Diether is into all kinds of sports. His latest fancy is sailing, which he took a fancy on after Suunto, the watch brand he is endorsing, sponsored a recent trip to Boracay.

The owner of the resort where he stayed convinced Diether to train on sailing, and, what do you know? He landed third in a sailing competition! Not bad for a greenhorn in the water sport.

Diether works out in his gym (a partnership with a couple of Chinese businessmen) four times a week. He tries out the machines for an hour, attracting customers who at first simply want to get a glimpse of the Hunk’s to-die-for body.

"The morning work-outs give me energy to keep me going the whole day," reveals the ever-busy Diether. "Aside from keeping me fit, it also eases tension and relaxes me."

After a refreshing shower and a quick change of clothes, Diether says goodbye to his staff at the gym and heads off to work. It could be shooting for a movie, taping for a TV show, or rehearsing for Bench, where he is one of the models.

"After that tour in Japan last month, we’re scheduled to do more shows abroad. In September, it will be in Dubai. End of this year, we will be in the East Coast – Atlanta and Chicago," states Diether, who goes on stage wearing the latest in jeans fashion for Bench.

Besides the visibility, those short trips abroad allow Diether to indulge the movie buff in him. He makes it a point to visit a DVD store and buy a video he will derive endless hours of viewing pleasure in. This, he adds to his growing DVD collection at home, a sacred sanctuary Diether has designed in minimalist fashion (is this where he will someday bring the girl of his dreams – Sen. Ramon Revilla’s daughter Andrea?).

"I have four Marlon Brando films, all the Godfather movies and Robert de Niro’s A Streetcar Named Desire," crows Diether.

Quiz him on Academy Award-winning films from as far back as 1800 to 2000 and he’ll pass it with flying colors. Even his friends are amazed at the guy’s wide knowledge of Hollywood films.

The 26-year-old self-made man also dabbles in – hold your breath – music. It started innocently enough. One night, a friend who owned a club at the Megastrip in SM Megamall, was fretting over the fact that the band scheduled to perform was nowhere in sight. He couldn’t find an immediate replacement for the no-show band.

Suddenly, the guy remembered Diether. He had just formed a band called Blow (named after a Johnny Depp film Diether saw that day) for fun, with some nonshowbiz friends. Diether is both vocalist and percussionist of Blow, a name everyone liked instantly because of its strong recall.

Afraid to let his friend down, Diether thought nothing of going onstage for the first time as vocalist-percussionist with fellow Blow members.

"Was the audience surprised when I came out on stage! Boy, was it fun! I had a different kind of high expressing myself through music," recalls Diether, smiling from ear to ear.

Lucky, lucky guy. He can pour his heart out in song, play someone he can only dream of becoming through the movies and TV, and earn oodles of money as a young businessman.

Not bad for this jologs of a guy who was never afraid to work hard and get up each time life dealt him what many would think is a crippling, devastating blow.