Ogie: Times are hard; we need to laugh

Once in a while, even a veteran showbiz hand must learn how to gamble. He has to reach a point where he must experiment with a role people are not used to seeing him in. He is bound to surprise fans along the way. But that’s okay. A few deviations now and then won’t hurt.

That’s exactly what’s happening to Ogie Alcasid these days.

"People will look for comedy where I’m concerned," he notes.

But he still accepted a rather serious role (for a comedian like him) – that of Bubble Gang co-star Ara Mina’s husband – in Good Harvest’s horror-comedy, Shake, Rattle & Roll 2K5.

There must be a reason for this. And Ogie’s is sheer practicality.

"These are hard times. Prices of prime commodities are rising. God is very good by giving me this movie. And I’m thankful for it. Who am I to refuse? And of course, I love my job," he explains.

The family man in Ogie is speaking.

He shows no sign of rocking the boat after surviving rumors that he has been playing around while wife Michelle van Eimeren and their daughters, Leila and Sarah are in Australia.

"Family is most important to me. I don’t consider myself showbiz, you see. At the end of the day, I always come home to my family," he relates.

Family is what Ogie’s role in the Metro Filmfest entry is all about. In the Aquarium segment, Ogie and family just moved in to a condo unit where they discover an old aquarium tucked away in a store room. A mysterious woman warns Ara not to put water and fish in the aquarium, but her son (child actor Paul Salas) ignores this. A series of gruesome deaths occurs.

Trained as he is in the art of dropping wacky one-liners, Ogie admits he had to adjust the minute the cameras started rolling. By force of habit, he couldn’t help but add punch lines in his dialogues, even if he knew they will be edited anyway.

"It’s for the boys, actually," he owns up.

He turns serious, though, when talking about a fledgling but talented pop-alternative band he is helping out these days.

"I instantly fell in love with their energy the minute I saw them at Bubble Gang Toppings (the restaurant he and his friends put up along Katipunan Ave.)," relates Ogie.

The members, he adds, are friends of one of the waiters. Ogie was so impressed he promised to help them record their debut album.

"My heart goes out to them because they love their craft so much they still perform even if the pay is not enough to cover their meals and transportation. They can’t even rehearse because they don’t have money to pay for studio fees," relates Ogie.

And yet, they soldier on. These are the kinds of talents Ogie knows deserve all the support they can get. Helping them out, he knows, is the least he can do for fellow musicians who may yet come up with the next hit song.

"I want to make people happy," Ogie reveals. One way is by helping struggling musicians. Another is by going the extra mile for friends. He thinks nothing of taking time out from his hectic schedule to grace or sing in a friend’s wedding.

Ogie bid his fellow Bubble Gang stars an early goodbye during their US tour to attend Andrea Bautista’s recent wedding to Jun-Jun Ynares. The others went shopping after their chores as stars of the gag show were over and done with. But not Ogie. He chose to return to the Philippines to fulfill a promise.

The biggest time-out for him, however, is still staying home with his family.

"I will be with them on Christmas Day," Ogie declares.

By this time, the house he built for his wife and kids in Australia would have been finished.

More than being proud of that house, Ogie is proudest of the fact that "I have not compromised my family." He has flown so many times from the Philippines to Australia and back, Ogie has not only earned several frequent flier miles. He has used them up as well.

"Seeing my family in Australia is always a welcome change for me. It takes me away from all the intrigues and the hassles of the business," he admits.

It may be tiring, especially for someone as busy as he is. But seeing his wife and daughters, aged eight and three, is its own reward.

"The long-distance relationship is taking its toll on the kids. They miss me. Sometimes they urge me to move my singing career in Australia," relates Ogie.

But when he tells them his work is in the Philippines, they eventually understand, says Ogie. And understanding breeds acceptance.

Still, Ogie knows he’s in a better position than other dads who never even get to see their family for years, even decades (read: OFWs).

"Thank God I can still see my family as often as I want to," he says.

That, to Ogie, is a much bigger blessing than all the platinum albums, hit movies, top-rating TV shows or even industry awards he has. After the lights have dimmed and the last musical note is sung, Ogie always looks forward to the sweet comfort hearth and home. After all, that’s what all his hard work is about.