SHALANI REINVENTED AS WILLIE'S CO-HOST, WILLING TO 1-2-3 GO!
MANILA, APRIL 10, 2011 (STAR) CONVERSATIONS With Ricky Lo [PHOTO - Reinvented as Willie Revillame's co-host on TV5's game show Willing Willie]
According to "confidential files," Pres. Noynoy "P-Noy" Aquino and topnotcher Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad looked "very serious" when they had dinner at a quiet corner of Alfredo's restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City on Sept. 28, 2010, the same place where they met two years and two months earlier on July 28, 2008. Reports said that P-Noy, then a senator, was smitten by the second-termer councilor at first sight.
That, claimed those-in-the-know, was the night they officially broke up, something "very un-P-Noy" because in the past, with his more than 18 girlfriends ("Only a little over one dozen," clarified an Aquino relative), there was no formal breaking up at all; he would simply make the girl feel that he was no longer available. Does that make Shalani special, the longest relationship he has had ever?
For sure, Shalani added color and spice to P-Noy's campaign trail and, her fans insisted, won for him "a good number of votes."
The country's first-ever Bachelor President is 50 (born on Feb. 8, 1960) and Charming Councilor is 30. Was the 20-year age-gap a factor in their break-up? Did the romance start to turn sour in July last year before P-Noy's mom, former Pres. Cory Aquino, died (on Aug. 1)? Does P-Noy really have "a short memory span" when it comes to girls?
Asked about all this, Shalani could respond only with a "no comment" on a past that, obviously, she didn't have a hard time getting over with.
"Huwag na lang," she begged off when pressed on, "basta, huwag na lang."
There was neither pain in her voice nor sadness in her eyes when she said that, and that simply means that she's famously moving on.
It's apparent in TV5's Willing Willie (aired 6 p.m onward Monday through Friday, and 5:30 p.m. onward on Saturdays) which, since Nov. 8, the "reinvented" Shalani has been co-hosting with the "highly-charged" (read that the way you please, taking into account the few charges ABS-CBN has slapped him with) Willie Revillame who described her as "The heart of the show, the New First Lady of Primetime."
And the new queen of his heart? (Find out Willie's answer in a while.)
Shalani is the lone host of the show's 1-2-3 Go! segment and it must be pure coincidence that it speaks of her current state of the heart — Go!
In the following candid, albeit "guarded," Conversation, Shalani for the first time opened her heart and satisfactorily (well, almost!) answered all the questions that she has been avoiding since her split-up with P-Noy broke into the headlines two months ago. For things left unspoken, read between the lines and in Shalani's silence that may reveal exactly what she refused to say. Very reserved. Very careful. Very cautious. Very Shalani!
You've been on Willing Willie for more than a month. How is it so far?
"I'm enjoying it more and more every day. Masaya! Especially our recent episode where the contestant (Belinda Retita of Cebu) won the whole Spin A Wil package (a brand-new car, house and lot courtesy of Sen. Manny Villar's Camella Homes and P1-M cash). Sobrang saya n'ung game."
But so far, they're saying that you are too demure (mahinhin).
"Hahahaha! Well, I'm trying to improve naman. Give me more time and…"
Are you comfortable with your new look? Medyo sexy ka ngayon.
"Uhm, oo naman. The show has requirements and the clothes they're asking me to wear are okey lang with me. I have a stylist. She brings several dresses for me to choose from. Different dresses. But I choose the ones that I feel I'll be comfortable in."
I notice that you now know how to play along with Willie — you know, 'yung mga joke-joke.
"Learning, learning!"
Of course, Willie is a big help. Inaalalayan ka n'ya.
"Yes, of course!"
How do you divide your time between Willing Willie and your duties as councilor?
"On Mondays, my first priority is my work as councilor. That's when we have our weekly session at the Valenzuela City Hall. Sometimes, I'm only one half of the show or I take a day off; nagpapaalam naman ako. I'm thankful that TV5 management understands my situation. I'm also able to attend to my daily obligation as councilor. Time management lang ang kailangan."
Do you manage to get enough sleep?
"I do, even if I have a hard time sleeping early. I get four to five hours of sleep every night. That's enough for me."
I heard that your talent fee is P2-M a month. Too small, hehehehe!
"Who told you? I'm not saying how much I'm getting. A, basta." (Note: Shalani hasn't formally signed a contract with TV5. It's Willie's own Wil Productions that's paying Shalani's salary. Willie won't reveal how much.)
After breaking up with P-Noy, on-hold ba ang love life mo?
"Siempre, besides my work as councilor, focus muna ako on how to be a better host. So, d'un muna tayo."
So you are not entertaining any suitor yet? Mahaba daw ang pila, eh!
"Wala naman, eh! Walang ganoon. Ako naman, I always believe na pag dadating 'yan, dadating naman 'yan, eh."
From the tone of your voice, I can tell that you are moving on smoothly. What if, just if, Willie starts courting her? 'I would want to focus muna sa Willing Willie,' says Shalani.
"I'm enjoying my work in Willing Willie, eh!"
Good therapy, right?
(Laughs) "It's something new, something that keeps me inspired. I look forward to reporting to the studio every day."
P-Noy has nothing but good words for you and your family na mabait daw sa kanya. In newspaper accounts, he even wished you good luck on your debut as Willing Willie host.
"Ahhh, I think from the start naman, Noy and I have always high respect for each other."
So, would you say that you have fully recovered?
"Well, I wouldn't say that I have fully recovered. But at this point, I am learning a lot of new things and, you know, kaya ko pala ito, puwede ko pala gawin ito. It makes me feel good to realize that I can do new things and learn from them."
Now that you are in showbiz, your world has grown bigger.
"Yes. Now I'm not limited to just one area."
Are you ready for more (showbiz) intrigues and tsismis?
"Hopefully, sana wala naman."
What did you learn from that relationship (with P-Noy)?
"Ano ba? I guess that things will happen the way that you don't want them to happen. You just have to learn to accept it."
P-Noy and you went steady for one year, right?
"Two years."
What will you miss about him now that you have, well…
(Hesitates) "Huwag na lang. Of course, I will miss many things about him pero huwag na lang. I will tell you off the record na lang."
The latest word is that si P-Noy daw ay "nabasted" ni Liz Uy. How do you feel about that?
"Next question, please!" (Note: At the recent presscon for Dalaw, which she's co-producing with Star Cinema for the 2010 Metro Filmfest, Kris Aquino said, "Hindi binasted ni Liz si Noy, let's make that clear. And I think that Liz would even say na hindi n'ya binasted si Noy. Beyond that, let's give the President naman his privacy. He's 50 years old. I also pray that there will be a Benigno Aquino IV. So, kung sino mang babae ang iibigin ni Noy, at sana iibigin siya at aalagaan s'ya, hayaan natin na mabuo 'yon kasi my brother deserves that happiness.")
Have you met Liz?
"Oh yes, I have." (Note: Liz was already P-Noy's stylist when he was going steady with Shalani.)
Did you talk?
"Uhm, she was very nice, very friendly."
So despite the presumably long line of suitors, wala ka pang nata-type-pan?
"No comment."
What about Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian (Pauleen Luna's ex-boyfriend)? How did the rumor linking the two of you start?
"I am not sure. Pero wala 'yon. Sherwin and I have a good relationship, he is our mayor and I am one of his councilors. We have a very good working relationship."
Do you go out on dates, just the two of you?
"Of course, we have our socials but we usually go out in groups. As friends, we sometimes see each other pero nothing romantic."
About the rumor that you have not just one child but two children. Those close to you said that your brother Carl's kids must have been mistaken for yours.
"I'm not sure kung sino ang tinutukoy ng tsismis. But yes, I have two wonderful pamangkin. One is turning three and the other is turning one-year-old."
You finally met your biological father (Adi Aguirre) several weeks ago, your first meeting after 30 years. Do you have regular communication with him since then?
"Yes. In fact, I just spoke to him this afternoon. He was asking what happened during the hearing that morning after we came from Makati." (Note: The hearing was for the new case [copyright-violation] filed against Willing Willie by ABS-CBN which claimed that the show was copied from Wowowee, Willie's defunct ABS-CBN show.)
Is it true that Willie is courting you? (Asked about it, Willie told Conversations, "Magustuhan kaya n'ya ako? Mahirap 'yan. Dapat sobra ang bait mo kapag s'ya ang magiging asawa mo. Dapat super faithful ka at loyal ka. Naku po, para ka na'ng pari n'un. Hehehehe!")
(Laughs) "You know, I discovered na mabait naman pala si Willie."
Bakit may "pala"?
"Siempre, we came from different camps during the election. (Willie campaigned for Manny Villar and Shalani for, well, You-know-who. — RFL) Pag sinabi mo kasing Willie Revillame, mayroon na kaagad siyang image sa public. But when I got to know him, mabait naman pala s'ya."
What have you discovered about Willie?
"Aside from mabait, he's very dedicated and very committed to his craft. I was surprised na ganoon s'ya ka-hands-on sa show; I was surprised sa kanyang intensity sa pagtra-trabaho, 'yung sincerity n'ya doon sa trabaho."
Willie is free and you are free. What if, just if, he starts courting you?
"I would want to focus muna sa Willing Willie."
If ever, what qualities would you look for in a suitor?
"Wow, it's hard naman to set a standard!" (Thinks for a while) "If ever, sana 'yung hindi babaero."
So you're loveless this Christmas.
"Well, not really loveless. I have my constituents, my family, my friends and now, my Willing Willie staff. Actually, I'm looking forward to Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays. Lahat ng tao masaya, lahat ng tao hoping for a better year ahead, everybody is considerate. No, it won't be a blue Christmas for me."
What's your Christmas wish?
"Sana I will improve as a TV host. Sana 'yung mga pangangailangan namin sa Valenzuela ay mabigyan ng atensyon. Sana maging masaya lahat ng tao."
P-Noy wished you "good luck" when you started in Willing Willie. He has nothing but praises for you. He said that you're hardworking at mabait ka raw.
"You know, Noy and I have always wished each other happiness naman, eh."
Willie has been inviting celebrities (among them former Sen. and STAR columnist Ernie Maceda and Sen. Manny Villar) to watch Willing Willie live. Is there any chance for P-Noy to be invited?
"Naku, yes of course, the President is always welcome anytime…if he has time. But with his schedule and many commitments, I'm sure he has other priorities. It will be an honor if he comes."
If P-Noy competed in the show's 1-2-3 Go! segment, would he win kaya?
"Yes, I'm sure he would. Alam mo naman 'yan, magaling sa trivia questions."
Any Christmas wish for the P-Noy government?
"Na sana they won't lose sight of what we all fought for. We all fought for equality, we all fought for a better life, and I'm sure they are working hard toward achieving that goal."
During the campaign, Willie was orange (the Villar color) and you were yellow (the P-Noy color). On Willing Willie, parang you seldom wear yellow. Is it deliberate?
"In fact, two days ago, I wore yellow."
Meaning you will forever be yellow at heart?
"Sometimes, I wear white."
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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