Ai-Ai deserves all her ‘titles’

Titles, Ai-Ai de las Alas has plenty to spare. She is not only the undisputed Comedy Concert Queen, she is also this year’s Box-Office Queen, with the unprecedented success of her big movie Tanging Ina, which earned a whopping P200 million at the tills.

Tanging Ina, in fact, spun off into a weekly ABS-CBN series. Aside from her solo sitcom, Ai-Ai appears regularly on the noontime musical-variety extravaganza, MTB (Ang Saya Saya) on ABS-CBN and the talent search, SingGaling on ABC 5. Her much-anticipated follow-up to Tanging Ina and Pinay Pie, the super-heroine caper Volta, will open in theaters on June 23 as one of the entries in this year’s Manila Film Festival.

In the live concert scene, Ai-Ai continues to leave ’em rolling in (and packing) the aisles. She capped 2003 with a big shebang and shared the stage with F4’s Jerry Yan and Vic Zhou in the Kapamilya Happy 50th concert. She is planning to stage a major concert by the end of the year. Her calendar is also booked solid with shows here and abroad.

Also last year, she mounted a triumphant US concert tour, which took the comedienne to four key cities: San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.

As expected, she once again filled the theaters to the rafters. "Ang mga Pinoy do’n sa States, alam nila lahat ng latest dito sa Pilipinas," Ai-Ai relates. "Alam nila kung sino ang mga bagong artista. Ang mga bagong sayaw. Alam nila ’yong MTB! Kasi nga may TFC (The Filipino Channel) do’n. Ang laking edge ’yan ng mga taga-Channel 2."

She gets a different kind of high performing for our countrymen abroad. "Talagang sabik sila," she says, beaming. "Siyempe di naman tayo parating nandon. Di naman tayo doon nakatira. So pag binibisita natin sila, natutuwa sila."

It’s like she’s bringing a piece of home to them. "Kinakantahan ko sila ng mga old Tagalog songs," she continues, "Pinoy rock classics. Saka gustong-gusto nila pag nakikia-chismisan ako sa kanila tungkol sa mga latest na balita sa Pilipinas. Lalo na pag nagdyo-joke ako tungkol sa political situation ng bansa."

Although she is basking in the sweet glow of success, she remembers her struggling days as a saleslady and sing-along comic with nary a trace of regret. Not even with a single iota of bitterness for the put-downs and raised brows she encountered along the way.

Ai-Ai richly deserves her current star status, not only because she works hard for the money, but also because she is a working single mom who juggles her profession and parenting with characteristic aplomb and audacity.

As proven by the success of her movies, concerts, and TV shows, Ai-Ai appeals to a cross-section of the populace – old and young, male and female, or as she would hilariously put it, "Boy, girl, bakla, tomboy! Bading kasi ang orientation ko! Sabi naman ng mga tabloid, tomboy din ako. Ang dami kong gender!"

Closer to home, she is just as blessed – being a real-life Tanging Ina and doting mom to Sancho Vito, 13, Shaun Nicolo, 10; and Sofia Andrea, 7.

Being a working mom is a badge of honor Ai-Ai carries proudly. She can be one fierce and feisty mama, indeed.

"Feeling Supermom," she hollers. "Medyo makulit ako as a mother. Paulit-ulit." She keeps reminding her kids to take a bath, finish their homework, eat properly, and drink their milk and vitamins, just like any other single parent out there.

"Makulit ako pag nasa bahay," she confirms. "Siguro pinapanalangin nila: ‘Sana laging nasa work si Mama! Palagi kaming pinapaligo. Pumuputi na kami kakaligo!’"

Ai-Ai feels that, if not for her showbiz commitments, she would be more of a hands-on mom who’d be watching over her brood like a hawk. It’s because they’re at a very crucial stage in their young lives, she explains. "Especially Sancho na nagbibinata na," she elaborates. "Nasa puberty stage na. Kaya tinututukan ko sila ngayon."

Because she is always neck deep in work, she often feels guilty about not being able to spend as much time with her kids as she wants. That’s why she goes the extra mile to spend quality time with them.

"Dinadala ko sila sa abroad pag may concerts ako," Ai-Ai attests. "Doon kami nagba-bonding. Like noong pumunta kami sa US recently. Go kami sa Disneyland, Universal Studios, and San Diego Zoo for the first time ever. Pinasyal ko sila."

But Ai-Ai and kids need not go far to experience some precious bonding moments. "We also go malling here," she pipes up. "Sa Shangri-La, sa Podium, sa Rockwell. Ang sosyal ng mga anak ko, di ba?" Ai-Ai then lets out a hearty laughter.

It’s a laughter that is rich and spontaneous, hard-won and yes, oh-so-sweet because it exudes the pure bliss of a woman, of a queen named Ai-Ai, who now has everything.

And by that we mean absolutely everything.