Laughing with Jaja

Her real name is Maria Angela Bolivar, but hardly anyone ever calls her that anymore. Almost everybody calls her by her nickname, Jaja, or they call her "Kikiam"–not because she has a liking for that delicious streetfood item, but because it happens to be the name of the character she popularized on the top-rating gag show Wazzup Wazzup.

The character of Kikiam is, of course, inspired by the feisty Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Jaja, a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC), once had the opportunity to meet the senator during an interview on Wazzup Wazzup two years ago. It was for a segment that Jaja was hosting. It was the first time that the real Miriam and her alter-ego came face-to-face.

Jaja was understandably nervous, but was immediately put at ease when the senator walked into the set and laughed upon seeing her.

"She’s intelligent, and she’s funny," says Jaja of Miriam, who is a favorite among impersonators, since she’s such a colorful character.

Jaja owes a lot to the character of Kikiam, which she began playing during her student days at UP, when she was still a resident member of UP SAMASKOM (Samahan ng Mag-Aaral sa Komunikasyon), the organization that started the live comedy revue known as Live A.I.D.S, or Ang Istoryang Dinebelop ng SAMASKOM.

Reneboy Facunla, known as Ate Glow, was a batchmate of Jaja in SAMASKOM, and also got his start as an impersonator in Live A.I.D.S. Comedienne Tuesday Vargas is also a SAMASKOM alumna.

 But it took Jaja a while to decide to plunge fully into comedy as a career, since she wanted to finish her studies first. Jaja graduated in 2003 with a degree in Broadcast Communications, cum laude. She’d been performing for several years in Live A.I.D.S. and accepting TV guestings here and there, but she didn’t see it as a career until the following year, when she auditioned for Wazzup Wazzup.

 "I discovered my humor and identity (as a comedienne) in Wazzup," says Jaja. "Yung character naman ni Kikiam, parang alter-ego ko na siya because I’ve been doing it for so long, since my student days pa. She’s become such a part of me that sometimes, I even catch myself speaking like her. Nakikipag-away ako sa mga tao, pero in straight English!"

 In fact, Jaja’s success with the Kikiam character even landed her a TV commercial with a popular pizza chain. It was after that TV ad that she auditioned for Wazzup Wazzup. She passed the audition, but then other commitments got in the way and she had to back out. Sometime after that, Jaja became available again, and called up a writer-friend connected with the show to ask if the slot was still open. Fortunately, it was, and Jaja got into the show.

 Two years later, Jaja has now become one of the mainstays of Wazzup Wazzup, and she even hosts her own segment on the show, entitled Wander K (where ‘K’ stands for – what else but – Kikiam). It’s a segment where she goes around Metro Manila in search of stories on the police beat. Jaja is also a co-host on Y Speak and is the newest addition to the stable of Backroom talents.

Jaja says that for the past two years, she has been managing herself, and for an artist, that’s not easy. Because Jaja writes her own material, she needs to be able to concentrate on the creative aspect of her work and not have to worry about contracts. Jaja sings, dances, acts (she had a small role in the movie Bcuz of U) and hosts, although it is hosting that she enjoys the most.

So you TV watchers can look forward to seeing more of Jaja hosting your favorite programs soon. Welcome, Jaja!

A busy season for The CompanY

The CompanY returns to the music bar circuit through a series of special shows at Mugen Bar (Metrowalk Pasig) on all Mondays of April. The Company will stage at the Avenue Theater in Naga City on April 21, the show Greatest Hits: Live, which is a condensed version of the group’s 20th anniversary concert held at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. On April 22, The CompanY will also be part of the 22nd birthday celebration concert of Isabella at the Music Museum. Isabella is the daughter of Pop Diva Kuh Ledesma.

And soon, The CompanY will release an audio-video kit entitled Discovering the Singing Champion in You (Basic Vocal Warm Up and Work Out Exercises for the Contemporary Pop Singer) under Viva Video and Viva Records.

By the last quarter of 2006, The CompanY will release its 16th studio album also from Viva which is a mix of contemporary original songs and covers. The CompanY is composed of Annie Quintos, Moy Ortiz, Cecile Bautista, Sweet Plantado and Jay Marquez.