Michael Angelo: No such animal as self-made man

If you watch Michael Angelo Lobrin’s show on GMA News TV, #MichaelAngelo: The Sitcom, and find him funny and witty, wait until you see him “live” (and “alive”) and I bet you will be convinced that he’s even far funnier and wittier...and downright gleefully irreverent (without being offensive).

The movie writers were privileged to enjoy that close encounter recently when Michael Angelo launched into a 12-minute monologue to kick off the “Q&A” even before anybody could fire the first question. Funfare found the monologue so engrossing that I will share it with you verbatim. The monologue was spiced with self-deprecating humor that proved beyond any doubt that big things do come in small packages. Happy to note that at 5’3.5”, I stand a few centimeters taller than the diminutive (make that “petite”) fellow with multi-hyphenated titles to his name: TV host-entrepreneur-professor-lecturer-author-etcetera. But I concede: He has a gift of gab that has brought him places, not the least of which is stardom. Hear ye!!! (with a grain of salt):

My dream was to be a priest and to be an actor. Mahirap ang guwapong pari, maraming temptation, so after two years in the seminary, I quit and decided to be an actor. When you are a priest, ang daming nag-aalay sayo ng mga delata kahit hindi ka naman nasunugan. May barkada akong pari. Sa dami ng mga donated na delata ang nanay niya mayroon ng Puregold. (Laughter).

Out of the seminary, I became a Philosophy/Theology professor in some schools including La Salle, St. Paul’s College (Quezon City) and Entrepreneur School of Asia. I was also a host of Go Negosyo on PTV 4. One time, I went to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and they were screaming, “Artista!” I wondered why. They told me that PTV 4 is a government station kaya walang lipatan. PGH is a government hospital.

In 2010, I published a book, Laugh With God Today, that became a best-seller for two months, selling more than 10,000 copies. It continues to sell and up to now No. 2 pa rin with more than 150,000 copies sold. I follow the inspirational scripture that says, “If there’s no opportunity, you create the opportunity.” I wasn’t invited to guest in shows so I put up my own show and I’d be the one to invite stars. Kapag kilala na nila ako, iimbitahin nila ako sa shows nila. For that, I have to thank Dingdong Dantes and Ai-Ai delas Alas who were kind to me, I proved myself right. That was how #MichaelAngelo: The Sitcom was born. 

The sitcom started as talk show and for six months, we were struggling. Season One was sponsored by San Miguel that got me an endorser after a company executive heard my interview on DZBB. San Miguel is a giant company so what could go wrong? As a gesture of gratitude, I plastered the whole set with San Miguel logos. Two days before the airing, I was told by the network na bawal ang ganoon. So how could I produce a show in two days? What I did was covered the whole set with the San Miguel logos and what came out were blurred portions.

After six weeks, tumiklop ang show, it folded up. I cried and cried. I told God, “Lord, grabe ka naman. Pinasikat mo ako pero anim na linggo lang.” As an ex-seminarist, here’s my advice, “You blackmail God. Tell Him, ‘Pag pinahiya n’yo ako, pati kayo mapapahiya din po’.” Nakikinig ang Lord, eh!

Two weeks passed and nothing happened, until one day I got invited to deliver an inspirational talk for an event sponsored by Agro Ventures, Inc., owner of Chooks-To-Go which became a sponsor of my show. Now I have several other sponsors including Bounty Fresh, Uling Roasters, Hanabishi, Bon Appetea, Owwe, PCSO, Reyal, Papa Dans, RC Cola, Skin Magical and JGX. Instead of commercials, naglagay ako ng mga tindahan with the sponsors’ names on them. 

Michael Angelo would beg your pardon if you described him as a self-made man.

“There’s no such animal as a self-made man,” he said. “Bakit, wala ba siyang Nanay, wala ba siyang Tatay, wala ba siyang mga kapatid at mga kamag-anak?”

#MichaelAngelo: The Sitcom will launch its Season 13 on Jan. 27 as it continues to enjoy good ratings and preparing exciting episodes such as a Holy Week Drama Special similar to last year’s which got high ratings. It will be called #MichaelAngelo Holy Week Reflections.

Also lined up are additional characters, among them Rep.  Henry Ong (of the Second District of Leyte) who will help magnify the public service angle of the show. Ong will portray a character involved in the advocacy of public service.  (Note: For any inquiry, call 0917-8375565.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)