LT: Beautiful inside and out

At last we were complete last Saturday in Startalk. By us, I mean Joey de Leon, Lolit Solis, Lorna Tolentino and myself. Since the start of January 2006, somebody would always be away and we were never complete. First Saturday of the year, Lorna Tolentino had to miss a Startalk episode because one of her kids had to be hospitalized.

The other Saturday, the social climber in Lolit Solis felt like jet-setting and off she flew to Las Vegas to watch Manny Pacquiao make mincemeat out of Erik Morales.

In the case of Joey de Leon, the man is the most visible media person on TV now and we in Startalk just have to accept the fact that we have to share him with his other shows. (Actually, it’s Mel & Joey that always snatches him away from us.) Sometimes he goes on vacation abroad and has to miss work, but nobody can take that against him because the man works so hard and – after almost 40 years on television – has rightfully earned it.

Me? I’m hardly ever absent. But when I take a break, I disappear for long stretches of time – so long sometimes that when I come back, I’m no longer familiar with the flow of the program.

But last Saturday, we were complete – the four hosts, and boy, did we have a ball.

The fun always starts in the seamless portion – when the floor is turned over to us by Eat, Bulaga! and I think it is a great honor to be attached to the longest-running and undeniably most successful noontime program in the history of Philippine television. (Ratings show that it is still the No. 1 lunchtime show – by far.)

But among the four of us we have a blast on and off camera. With Lorna (we call each other best friend), I get to talk about sports-related activities because she is a fitness buff and I am so touched that she is always so concerned about having my injured knees rehabilitated.

In the show, I look at her like a kid sister because even if she is already a seasoned host of special events (like awards presentations), she is the newest in the program and Startalk is an entirely different ballgame with an unpredictable set of rules. Of course, Lorna is doing very, very well on her own, but I can’t help but be overprotective of her. Although I know that she is tough inside (toughened no doubt by years in showbiz – starting when she was still a child), I treat her like a fragile piece of Dresden china because I believe that’s how women should be handled . . . with utmost care.

Actually, I’ve personally known Lorna for a long time, but I was not this comfortable with her before because I thought she was suplada (but she’s not – she’s mestiza that’s why she looks quite intimidating). I’ve always been so much closer to her husband Rudy Fernandez since we were gym buddies before (at Excellance, owned by Nanay Tasing Villaluz, mother of Lorna’s best friend, Telly Garcia) and even now at Gold’s (where we swear by the efficiency of its services). Daboy and I also loved talking about home architecture – especially since we had the same architect (Sammy Dario) one time.

It’s really just now that I’m beginning to know the real Lorna Tolentino – and I like what I’m discovering so far. She’s a very compassionate person (she knows how to listen – unlike most celebrities I know who are so absorbed with themselves), kind and considerate and without movie star airs. There had been times when I thought she’d take as a personal affront the rough treatment she occasionally gets on the Startalk floor where everybody (including the hosts and even our esteemed director Floy Quintos) can get pushed, shoved and screamed at during the show’s live telecast. Lorna, after all, is a grand-slam queen and certified showbiz royalty. But ever the pro that she is, Lorna realizes that this is how live television operates.

Lorna Tolentino has been with us exactly a year – officially – as co-host of Startalk and it’s been a pleasure working with her. More than that, it’s been amazing to find out that inside this icon of style and beauty is an even more beautiful human being.

(On Thursday, working with Joey de Leon and Lolit Solis.)