If Schwarzenegger could, Why can’t FPJ?

Sacramento, California – Filipinos in America keep asking each other if it’s true that Fernando Poe Jr. is running for President. And as they chuckle at the thought of "another actor" riding into Malacanang, they fall into debate about whose fault it is. Like, did action star Arnold Schwar-zenegger’s victory three weeks ago in California’s gubernatorial recall election inspire the opposition LDP in Manila to likewise root for FPJ? After all, Schwarzenegger was a Republican who beat a strong Democrat rival and will replace a recalled Democrat in a traditionally-Democrat state. The winning factor was his popularity over his contenders? intellectuality. Days from now, he will be sworn into office in this state capital.

Conversely, the question is if it was the rise of matinee star Joseph Estrada to the Philippine Presidency in 1998 that motivated Schwarzenegger to go for California’s highest seat. After all, this state hosts 2.5 million of the 7.5 million Filipinos in America – mostly movie buffs. The Austrian body-builder who made it big in Hollywood perhaps knew he’d get the Filipino vote.

The movie-politics talk invariably turns to the past. Old-timers would recall how, in 1961, film star Rogelio dela Rosa ran for President against no less than his brother-in-law Diosdado Macapagal. He may have withdrawn from that race, but many entertainment celebrities have since traipsed their way into politics: Fred Montilla, Mark Joseph, Tito Sotto, Alicia Vergel, Imelda Papin, Dennis Roldan, Lito Lapid, Rey Malonzo, Joey Marquez. Why, there’s now talk that Kris Aquino would run for governor of Tarlac.

We started the trend, Fil-Ams beam in the end, adding celebrity-pols to the long list of supposed Pinoy inventions like the fluorescent lamp, traffic light and moon buggy.

Well, not really. As surely as Americans invented modern elections, they also were first to put up entertainment biggies for political position. As far back as 1936, the Gary Cooper Fan Club of San Antonio, Texas, touted their man for President of the United States. Asked why the heck, they insisted he clearlyhad demonstrated his political ability in the movie Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.

Good ’ole Gary declined his fan’s nomination. But star-struck Americans were undaunted. Less than 50 years later, they brought Ronald Reagan from Hollywood to the California governorship and then to the White House. Americans loved Reagan so much they gave him a second term. At least 15 books written about his Presidency were compilations of his gaffes at White house functions.

About the same time, action star Clint Eastwood served as mayor of Carmel, California. He later returned to Hollywood to become a director. Who says politics is a deadend?

Reagan set a fine example. Many other American celebrities moved to politics. Sonny Bono, the other half of the duet with Cher, was mayor of Palm Springs, California, then ran for Congress. Movie singer George Murphy served one Senate term. Red Grady, the playful purser in the television sitcom Love Boat, was a four-term Republican congressman from Iowa. FredThompson first burst into the movies, then became senator, and finally found his calling in TV drama serials. Ben Jones, costar of another sitcom Dukes of Hazard, was two-term democrat governor of Georgia. Not to forget Jesse ventura, the pro wrestler who appeared in two mo-vies with Schwarzenegger, who was governor of Minnesota from 1998 to 2002.

Not only Hollywood, but Bollywood as well, has produced politicians. India is as film-crazy as the Philippines. Ten years ago, eight popular actors won seats in the national and state parliaments. When most of them failed to improve the lot of the poor, Indians voted a female bandit into office.

Perhaps the most colorful celebrity to enter politics was Italian porn star Ciccolina, elected to parliament in 1987. During campaign rallies, she read out by rote her platform. Among her promises was the abolition of the bra and the Modesty Act, under which she had often been arrested. At the end of each rally, she would lift a flower over her head and, smiling brightly, pull down her tank top. Her victory speech in June that year was a challenge to the hated Modesty Act. She regaled an appreciative audience of truckers and dockhands with numerous obscene gestures, a mesmerizing show that climaxed when she sprayed the front rows with an "unexpected golden shower."

But back to Schwarzenegger. Snooty New Yorkers never tire of poking fun at Californians for electing the immigrant into the state capitol. Californians for their part are still wondering how he won. Not one of them has come forward to admit casting a ballot for him, not even his wife Maria Shriver, a descendant of the very Democrat Kennedy clan.

I don’t suppose that painful denial will happen to FPJ if and when he decides to go for the Presidency. I sure will not admit it, though, if a Ciccolina-type runs in 2004 and I happen to cast a happy vote for her.

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