What made Jinggoy cry

Thank heavens a cockroach didn’t gatecrash Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s 50th birthday party last Saturday night at the Manila Hotel’s The Tent. Otherwise, he would have run away screaming.

“Takot ‘yan sa ipis,” revealed Jinggoy’s mom, former Sen. Loi Ejercito in a video interview which was part of the concert-like family show “scripted” and “directed” by Jinggoy’s sister Jackie Estrada-Lopez. “Especially a flying cockroach,” confirmed one of Jinggoy’s close friends in the same interview.

As the guests (a mix of politicians, showbiz folk and businessmen) shared a hearty dinner (of Rose of New Zealand Smoked Salmon, Green Asparagus/Mesclun Salad, Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup and Oven-Roasted U.S. Tenderloin & Prawn), Edu Manzano and Pops Fernandez hosted a show that could pass for a post-Valentine offering for the birthday boy (actual birthday is Sunday, Feb. 17). And what a show it was!

The Hotlegs (so-called maybe because they flaunted their legs in beautifully-choreographed rhythm) set the energy that rose until midnight when the show was capped by a production number by Jinggoy’s brood led by his wife Precy Vitug (said to be the real singer in the family) and their children Janella (who’s running for councilor in San Juan City), Jolo, Julian and Jill (her dad’s pet).

That’s when the Cry Baby in Jinggoy came out. Forcing a smile and vainly trying to hold back tears, wiping his eyes with a hanky, he watched obviously thrilled, like the whole house, as his family opened the number with dance to the beat of Dancing Queen before each of the four children sang individually and then together sang a campaign song titled Pangarap composed by Precy. Jinggoy cried some more.

Martin Nievera was on “Concert King” mode when he sang three songs, all requested by Jinggoy: The Times of Your Life, You Are The One and Kahit Isang Saglit (also my personal favorite), making Martin wonder why Jinggoy liked that song so much “when it’s the saddest song I’ve ever sung.” For encore, Martin sang his walang kamatayang theme Be My Lady.

Jinggoy’s cousin did a rousing choral rendition of a reworded Those Were The Days, Jinggoy (instead of My Friend), recalling the good old days when everything was lollipops and roses and Jinggoy, deathly scared of cockroaches, was perhaps wasn’t affected yet by the temptation of showbiz (“Bakit ka mag-aartista, eh, hindi ka naman guapo,” his dad, former Pres./Manila Mayorable Joseph “Erap” Estrada, would tease him) and politics (hello, 2016!).

After showing film clips of Kris Aquino, Sharon Cuneta, Lani Mercado, Lorna Tolentino (whose late husband, Rudy Fernandez, was like a brother to Jinggoy) and Christopher de Leon (running for congressman in Batangas) at once “roasting” and praising the celebrator (no, not celebrant), Jinggoy’s barkada (Lani, Lorna, Christopher, Tirso Cruz III, Phillip Salvador, Edgar Mortiz and Sen. Bong Revilla) each rendered a song and capped their number with a chorus of Thank You For Being A Friend.

The “surprise” of the Estrada Family Show was Erap doing Gangnam Style as he led the clan in a finely-scripted video showing how closely-knit they are.

If turning 50 is as painlessly celebratory as Jinggoy did, everybody must welcome their half-century mark with an open heart.

As Martin said in jest, “50 is the new 49!”

Well, Jinggoy doesn’t look 50.

Nobody revealed what the secret is behind his youthful look.

Can you guess what?

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.) PHOTOS by VER PAULINO