A delicious reunion on television

Chemistry – that was what Ali Sotto and Sharon Cuneta had when the former interviewed the megastar recently in the relatively new ABC-5 talk show Ali that airs late Tuesday nights.

That they had this wonderful chemistry between them actually shouldn’t surprise us anymore. The two women, after all, have a lot of things in common between them. Below are just some of the parallelisms in their lives:

Both of them sing, act and host. In case you’ve forgotten, Ali was a terrific actress – a critically-acclaimed one, who lost to the Gina Alajar (for Biktima) by one point in the Best Supporting Actress category (Ali was up for My Other Woman) in the 1990 Gawad Urian. Sharon, of course, is a grandslam queen – one of the finest in Philippine cinema. At the moment, the two women host their respective talk shows that carry their first names.

They are both articulate, highly-opinionated and intelligent. And talkative. Sorry, girls – just being honest here.

They are both Kapampangan on their mothers’ side.

From their mothers’ side, they also got good skin.

They are both big-boned – and that was also something they got from their mothers’ side.

Sharon and Ali are both good mothers – nobody can dare question that.

Sadly, they both lost kids – twice in Sharon’s case when she had two miscarriages.

They both married young.

Their first marriages crumbled and for years became single mothers.

They are now both married to men who are accomplished and very secure with themselves – Sharon to Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Ali to American diplomat Omar Bsaies. (Ali’s first husband, Maru Sotto, actually is also very successful in his field in marketing, but had always kept a low-profile. He and Ali remain very good friends.)

Both Sharon and Ali are very good cooks. I guess that’s the Kapampangan in them.

They both make very good, faithful and loyal friends.

They love me both – and I hope I am not being presumptuous here.

I love them both.

Aside from having all those common denominators mentioned above, Ali had a good interview with Sharon because, well, they were best friends some 27 years ago. In the very late ’70s, when they were still in their teens (in Sharon’s case, she had just entered her teen years), they were the youngest contract stars of Vicor/Blackgold Records and it was but natural that they were drawn to each other. But at that age, they didn’t do much bonding, except spend time on the phone.

When Ali got married at a young age in October 1980, Sharon was her bridesmaid. The year after, Ali gave birth (to Chino, now based in LA). Marriage and motherhood somehow made their worlds apart because how did you expect Sharon – then only 14 – to relate to a young wife and mother nursing a baby?

Four years later, Sharon also got married – also at a young age – and Ali (then out of showbiz) was there at the wedding.

By 1987, both their marriages had ended and they had a reunion when they did the box-office hit Jack and Jill for Viva Films.

However, it was only for that Ali interview last Tuesday that they had a real bonding after all those years. Now, they are textmates.

Watching those two women on TV Tuesday night was a real treat as they laughed and cried through the interview. Sharon in herself is always a delight to watch and hear express her views on anything. It’s the same thing with Ali, who – along with Arnold Clavio – has a gazillion fans who listen to them every morning in DZBB.

Now, imagine putting these two very articulate women together in one show. Four days after watching Ali, I still savor in my head those wonderful moments I saw on screen.

For those who missed that episode it’s not too late for you. There’s a Part II with Sharon Cuneta on Tuesday. No need to bring out the popcorn. Just watching and listening to Ali and Sharon get wacky is already a delicious feast.