Meet the real Bomba Star! (Or, what makes Mae Paner, a.k.a. Juana Change, very angry?)

Red alert: A “bomb” will be detonated nationwide on Wednesday, June 5, and it’s predicted to kill a lot of people…with laughter! The code name: Juana Change who is behind the Movement that bears her name. Weight: Heavier than the one that pulverized Hiroshima.

She wants change, that’s why she’s so named. She doesn’t spare the crooks in government, in fact in all levels of society, and those hardest hit will not be laughing for sure — that is, if they dare watch Juana Change, The Movie which markets her as a “Bomba Star” rightly so because when she opens her big mouth, expect casualties by the hundreds.

“This movie will make you laugh and at the same time make you think,” assured Juana Change.

A Waray from Leyte (real name: Mae Paner), Juana Change is very angry (read: righteous indignation) and you’ll know why in a while. Her first starrer (produced by Laganap Production), a satiric sex-comedy, is written by multi-awarded playwright/screenwriter Rody Vera and directed by Jade Castro, the same tandem behind the surprise hit Zombadings: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington, co-starring John James Uy, Angelina Kanapi, Jelson Bay, Joel Torre, Niño Muhlach, Ronnie Lazaro, Madeleine Nicholas, Soliman Cruz, Malu de Guzman, Angeli Bayani and the rising Ang Nawawala star Annicka Dolonious.

Okay, let’s hear it from Juana Change.

Why are you so angry (even in the Boysen commercial, she keeps blabbering even as her husband covers her with white paint)?

“Kasi palaban. The impression is that parati akong may binabangga. Kapag may binabangga ka, kailangan may asta kang matapang.”

As in bumabangga sa pader. So how hard and heavy is the pader?

“From 275 pounds I’m now 187.”

Tell us again how you became Juana Change.

“Actually, there are two kinds of Filipinos — the Wanna Change, ‘yung gusto ng pagbabago, and the Wa Na Change, those who don’t want change. That’s the duality of us Filipinos. In my short satirical videos, this duality is very well depicted.”

Aren’t your targets screaming “Ouch!” and howling in protest?

“I guess they do. Some politicians tell me that they don’t want to get on my bad side otherwise I will make them tira. I don’t spare anybody, not even P-Noy whom I supported during the campaign. I was seated beside him when I told him, ‘Kapag naka-upo ka na at hindi ka magma-Tuwid na Daan, pipilipitin ko ang (censored!) mo!’ I really told him that.”

Why didn’t you run in the last elections, maybe with a party list, so you could be in a better position to make the change that you’ve been craving for?

“Many people have been telling me that — students, reporters, many others. Sabi nila, ‘Ikaw kaya ang pumuwesto para malaman mo kung ano ang malugar sa gobyerno, kaysa lagi ka na lang daldal nang daldal.’ I told them, ‘You know, many people can do what our politicians are doing, but there are only very few of us bilang critic.’ Pabayaan n’yo na ako na lang ‘yung artistang tumitira.”

What are the changes that you think need to be done immediately?

“Ang lagi kong inuunang pagbabago ‘yung sarili ko. As a critic, I have to be open to criticism aimed at me. I love criticism because criticism will make you strong and help you build character. I always say that people have to get rid of their excesses, so I must also be able to get rid of mine. Kaya ang tinitira ko ngayon ay ang aking kasibaan…grabe kasi ang katakawan ko, eh! You know, buong buhay ko nagpapapayat ako but up to now obese pa rin ako. I’m trying hard to keep my blood sugar at a normal level, sometimes nagtri-300 ako! I’m also hypertensive.”

Any pieces of advice to those elected in last May 13’s elections, especially the neophytes?

“You know what I notice, malaki na ang pinagbago ng kamalayan ng Filipino. Unlike before, now we can‘t accept epal anymore. You didn’t see as many posters and billboards all over like you used to, di ba?”

You are the real Bomba Star.

“Oo. In this movie, marami akong pasabog. I even have a bathtub scene, no kidding! What I’m saying in this movie is, ‘Ano ba ang bagong sexy? Ikaw ba sexy ka rin?’ For me, the new sexy is when you have the capacity to care for and love your country. If you are matipuno and you know how to obey traffic rules and you follow the laws, at marunong magmahal sa bayan, wow, di ba ang sexy n’un?”

Your theater background definitely helps make you an effective critic.

“I started in theater. I am a certified Anak ng PETA, with the likes of Lino Brocka and Cecilia Bulaong. Paborito akong ekstra ni Lino sa mga pelikula n’ya.”

By the way, how does your family feel about your advocacy?

“Ay, ako’y isang dalaga na naghahanap ng Papa na may big (censored!). Baka may kilala ka, i-introduce mo ako.”

(Warning: Watch for Juana Change bare more of herself in the next issue of Playboy.)

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