The amazing tale of Andrew E

A new movie starring Andrew E from Viva Films opens in theaters today. Also starring Janno Gibbs and Dennis Padilla and directed by Al Tantay, it is titled Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo. It marks the return of the trio to the big screen after the hit comedy, Si Mokong, Si Astig at si Gamol, also from Viva over 20 years ago.

Twenty years! Has it been that long since we first encountered Andrew E? No it is even longer. Andrew E burst into fame in 1991 with his huge hit song Humanap Ka Ng Panget, which a short while later was turned into a motion picture and became a massive hit at the box-office. That makes 28 years ago. 

Many doubtless remember how everybody said that Andrew E will not last in show business, that he was merely a novelty. They will laugh at him for a while and then forget. Well, many probably did. But they also all came back to laugh again and again. So look at him now. Twenty-eight years later and still a star.

Andrew was born Andrew Ford Valentino Espiritu on July 30, 1967 in Parañaque. He was named after the apostle St. Andrew. He adopted the name Andrew E when he became a DJ in the upscale disco Euphoria. It was there where he was discovered by the famous music man Ramon Jacinto. 

Actually, it was one of RJ’s daughters who heard Andrew E rapping to some beats in between his DJ chores. He also had this catchy tune, Humanap Ka Ng Panget. She informed her father. RJ brought Andrew to Vic del Rosario of Viva Records. Rap was a new sound then and nobody had done Pinoy rap before. But with people like Jacinto and Del Rosario behind him, there was no way that Andrew could fail. It was also inevitable that Pinoy rap would soon be born. And thus, began Andrew E’s journey to stardom.

Andrew, a total newcomer played support to comedian Jimmy Santos in his acting debut in Humanap Ka Ng Panget. But with sales of his recordings going over the top, he was soon headlining one movie after another. Pitong Gamol, Andrew Ford Medina, Mahirap Maging Pogi, Pretty Boy Carrot, Alabang Girls, Row 4: Ang Baliktorians, Bikini Watch, Neber Together, Where The Girls Are, Burles King Daw and many others. 

Andrew E was not only making box-office hits, he was also starring opposite some of the most beautiful leading ladies and the biggest stars in the business. Manchichiritchit with Maricel Soriano, Ang Boyfriend Kong Gamol with Alice Dixson, Pinagbiyak Na Bunga with Chiquito, Megamol with Sharon Cuneta, Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko with Charlene Gonzales, Pre Hanggang Sa Huli with Robin Padilla, Bangers with Joey de Leon, Extranghero with Michelle Aldana and many others.

Andrew E brought the word gamol into the Filipino vocabulary. It was a slang referral to what is unpleasant, not nice, underhanded, illegal or downright bad in Andrew E’s native Dongalo. Sample, “Huwag kang gamol” as a deterrant to doing something wrong. With Andrew E though and his movies and records, “gamol” became a fun term and the label for the movie gang of young men labelled the Gamols.

Among the actors that Viva drafted to join the Gamols were Janno, singer son of dramatic star Ronaldo Valdez, and Dennis, son of comedian and actor Dencio Padilla. Being a Gamol would from then on, be part of these guys' resumés. All three of them have now become too old for their gamol shenanigans but with their fans having made the Gamol films a consistent top-rater on cable TV, a matured version will surely work at the box-office. Hence, we now have Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo.

The movie marks Andrew E’s first big-screen appearance since AB Normal College in over 10 years. But he has not been entirely idle during the intervening time. He acted on television in Dolce Amore as Liza Soberano’s father. He was a talent show judge in Showtime. He has also become one of the most in-demand performers around. While a success as a comedian, it is in his live gigs that Andrew E, the rapper gets the spotlight and as anybody who has seen him in those shows will attest, he is one fantastic performer.

And they once said, Andrew E couldn’t last in show business.