POWER BOYS

They are definitely hot. So hot even my mother knows them. For a woman who has no clue what a boy band is, that’s a big accomplishment–both for her and for them.

The day I was scheduled to interview the Power Boys (formerly called Rexona Boys because of their unforgettable commercial), Mom kept singing the jingle complete with a make believe roll-on/mic. Funny how a single hit commercial could do what millions of dollars in promotions could not for the Backstreet Boys. Chances are, if you ask her who sang the catchy tune "Everybody", she’d identify the five dancing boys wearing nothing but white towels. Backstreet Boys who?

"It was a make or break thing. We knew it was a crazy idea but it could work. It was either going to make us look really cool or really gay," reveals Frank Garcia when asked what it was like shooting that life-altering commercial.

Thirty young men auditioned for the project. Only five–two complete unknowns (Jordan Herrera, a 19-year-old Bulakeño and Greg Martin, a 21-year-old New Yorker) and three "veteran" commercial models (Frank Garcia, an 18-year-old version of Gabby Concepcion; Geff Rodriguez, a 19-year-old Australian and Jay Salas, a 21-year-old club DJ)were chosen. But the euphoria of landing the coveted roles immediately dissipated when they were told what they were supposed to do. Shaking their heads in disbelief, they watched, learned and memorized the Backstreet Boys video.

Of the five, only Jay had an inkling the commercial was about to change their lives. "Eventually, I knew I would enter showbiz. Daria Ramirez is my dad’s cousin so becoming an actor was not taboo for me. I’ve gotten offers to do TV and movies before. But I was putting it off until I could graduate from college. So instead, I decided to do commercials. Somehow, I felt that after this particular commercial, there was no turning back," he says. "I kept thinking of how Ryan Agoncillo became popular after appearing in a commercial. I dunno. Something told me this was it."

Presto change-o! One minute they were mere faces–albeit good-looking faces–in the crowd, the next minute they were being mobbed by fans. Kids as young as two would point at them in public. Guys at the gym would teasingly shout the catch phrase: "Wala ba kayong mga kamay"?

Geff (who, incidentally, introduces himself as the kulot and kulit one in the group) is the most observant when it comes to such encounters. He admits being embarrassed by the attention he gets on the MRT. Sometimes, commuters would intentionally lean against him–making him wonder if they simply want to know if his deodorant works.

Then, there’s this new thing that happens when he goes to his favorite burger joint. Paper napkins are handed to him by autograph-seekers. It takes him a while to realize he is that popular.

The attention, Geff insists, takes some getting used to. He candidly shares his scariest experience yet–walking into a mosh pit of excited females who waited hours just to get a glimpse of the boys after a TV guesting. Geff knew he had to push his way through the crowd. Alone (his manager ran for her life) and desperate, he had no choice but to lift a little old lady out of the way so he could make his great escape.

"Of course I felt really bad about it," says the polite Aussie whose limited vernacular vocabulary now includes "opo" and "po".

For Jordan, the most shocking aspect of their new-found fame is being immersed in a pot of molten scandal. Even his groupmates know he is the most popular among them with fans screaming his name most of the time. His media exposure was enhanced by the promotion of Gamitan, a sexy movie starring young bombshell Maui Taylor. No less than The STAR’s Ricky Lo acknowledged Jordan’s news-worthiness with such titillating issues in the vein of single fatherhood and having a secret gay benefactor. (Jordan has since admitted the former.) Nevertheless, the Romnick Sarmenta look-alike swears that that is his first and last appearance in a skin flick.

The truth is that he was overwhelmed by the offers coming his way. When a movie contract was presented to him, he did not think twice about signing. That was then. Now, as a member of the Power Boys, Jordan stands firm on the group’s decision to bare nothing below the waist.

The unstoppable barrage of offers forced the five to make their first group decision: Showbiz or bust. Though they could have easily launched solo careers, the five felt that it was either they would do this together or not at all. What people didn’t know–and perhaps find it hard to believe–was that some of them were hesitant to take the plunge.

"Greg wasn’t so keen on singing and dancing. You see, he grew up in the States where actors don’t need to do that to promote their movies. If ever big stars like Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts guest on TV shows, they just do interviews. I had to explain to him that entertainment here is different," says Geff, who has been mentoring Greg on the highs and lows of living in Manila.

The half-Serbian (on his father’s side) and half Pinoy (on his mother’s side) nods his head in agreement. "I’ve only been here for four months and Geff (half Filipino on his mother’s side while his father is Australian) for 15 months. I realized that Asia is a different market," Greg confesses. "I used to think it was strange that Jacky Chan would be made to sing. But I guess that’s how it is in this side of the world. I want to do action movies. Obviously, it would’ve been difficult if I decided to launch a career in the States. Though I’ve become popular here thanks to the commercial, I still have to polish my Filipino. But I think I’ll learn faster because I’m constantly around these guys. I’m forced to learn."

Geff and Greg came to the Philippines to "check out their prospects." Good looks landed them commercial jobs in Australia (for Geff) and the US (for Greg), but they knew tough competition made success uncertain. Instead, they took the advice of family members (Geff’s mom who was excited to send her son off to her native country and Greg’s elder brother, a medical student at FEU, who was dead sure that possibilities here were endless) and headed for these shores. Almost instantly, they were fielding offers. Geff even came close to starring in Love Text opposite Drama Princess Judy Ann Santos. The only thing that stood between him and final casting was his inability to speak the language. Greg originally planned to study while doing commercials. But within weeks of his arrival, he landed the Rexona deal and was swept into a whirlwind of instant stardom.

This very same whirlwind has required all five to put education on hold. The Power Boys recently signed an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. A movie and record album are in the works. Aside from press conferences and pictorials, they appear on the noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan. There are guesting stints (together and individually) on other programs. With tiring days lasting 18 hours, there is no time for school.

Jordan was half-way through his Hotel and Restaurant Management course at St. Jude College in Dimasalang, Sampaloc when he was forced to focus his attention exclusively on his showbiz career. Frank, the youngest of the five, set aside his IT course at Mapua. Jay admits that he had no choice but to file for a leave of absence from St. Benedict in Alabang Hills, where he was taking up Entrepreneurship.

Thrown into each other’s company, the five have become quite close. Naturally, there are times too much togetherness (the long days and the short, sleepless nights) have caused friction. But common interests have kept them sane. Food is a shared hobby. Even Geff and Greg now enjoy local delicacies like taho (Geff has a suki who passes by his place every day) and balut (Greg actually finds the embryonic chick appealing). Of course, the two foreigners believe dinuguan is too nasty for their tastebuds. Jordan names everything you’d find in a corner carinderia. Franks loves pizza (a common favorite) and taho. As soon as Jay mentions the unfamiliar bulalo, Greg takes immediate notice. After a short exchange, they decide this is something the Brooklyn Boy has to try.

Also on the top of their list of preoccupations are various sports. Frank and Jordan are into basketball; the latter was a member of his college varsity team. Frank is the most conscious about his physical appearance having once been overweight. He takes his weight training seriously and is quite proud of his washboard abs. Jay, who inspired Frank to become a fitness buff, boxes. Geff is a swimmer (has been for eight years) and also enjoys spear fishing (a cool sport which, he says, could be cooler if he had a nice-looking girl for company–ala James Bond). Greg is the most versatile athlete, having dabbled in martial arts, track and field and boxing. "I’m the type who gets tired of a sport once I’ve mastered it. In a way that helps me become well rounded ’cause I keep trying new things. What’s my new thing now? Boy banding," he blurts out laughing. "Seriously, I have no time left for anything else."

The Power Boys have a mouthful to say about those whose hobbies include bashing boy bands. Geff and Greg argue that even in New York and Sydney, boy band albums continue to sell like hot cakes. Frank insists that potshots made by snooty music fans hardly affect him. "I never thought of us as a boy band in the beginning because it was supposed to be a one-shot deal. We did the commercial and we got paid for it. Tapos! I never expected it to go this far. That’s why we simply love our director, Ricky Villabona, because he made us look so good. I guess becoming a boy band was an unexpected result of doing our jobs well," he concludes as he flashes a Gabby-Concepcionesque smile.

Despite the frenzy over the Power Boys, there will come a time when the awkward term "boys" will no longer be apt (it needs a stretch of the imagination even now when the supposed "boys" are taller and more muscular than the average Asian man). But Geff, Greg, Frank, Jay and Jordan know full well that they have to play their cards right; otherwise it could be easy come and just as easily go.

"Right now, we’re somewhere between the Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars. Remember how popular the Ninja Turtles were and how they suddenly disappeared? Well, we feel we have to work ourselves towards Star Wars which has gone beyond simply being popular to having a cult following," says Geff, adding with a laugh, "Maybe that’s expecting too much!"

Maybe–but look where five white towels and one commercial got them.