Jon’s Martin Nievera mindset

He’s wacky. He’s outrageous. But most of all, he can bend backwards when out-of-the-box ideas crop up.

That’s why Jon Santos adores Martin Nievera as a host the way he looks up to Tessie Tomas as a live performer.

“Martin After Dark had a wacky element. You end either with a surprise or with a heart,” Jon explains.

Thus, his Ate Vi character interviews “Bourne Legacy’s“ John Arcilla. Jon, as Lady Gaga sits down with guest Danton Remoto and asks “Are you born this way?”

And surprises galore spring like a jack-in-the-box to amuse televiewers in Jon’s 12-times-week show on the Viva Channel.

On TV, as it is in life, surprises are not pleasant all the time. Martin, notes Jon, has had his fair share. But the best thing about Martin, Jon observes is that “my mentor” eats humble pie and apologizes when the show gets into trouble.

So far, Jon doesn’t have to apologize for his new show. But like Martin, he’s humble enough to admit that his team does fumble at times.

Miscalculations

“It hurts when we miscalculate,” Jon says. “For instance, nalaman namin na sanay pala si Daiana Meneses sa street food. Hindi pala siya nagugulat. We wanted to do a 'Fear Factor' type of show.”

Jon is less afraid of falling flat o n his face when he impersonates less and sings – yes sing – more in “I ♥ MLA (Kasi Nga, It’s More Fun in the Philippines),” set Sept. 5 and 19, Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24 and Nov. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at Music Museum.

Yes, he is performing with seasoned singers Bo Cerrudo and The CompanY. But Jon knows he can hold his own because The CompanY’s Sweet Plantado taught him the ropes.

“Tinawag akong tenor!” Jon gushes. ”I can pat myself on the back dahil natawid ko ang rehearsals with The CompanY.”

Jon can’t just sit back and relax, though.

Pressure

“Matindi ang pressure dahil pag may pumalpak na punchline or sintunado ka, you just don’t let yourself down. You let six other voices down. Mas mahirap yon.”

Jon doesn’t have the heart to do that, not just for the show, but for friendship’s sake. Jon has become so chummy with co-performers, he consults Rina, Bo’s architect-wife, about something as personal as pest control.

While he’s at it, Jon is toying with the idea of a Vi (Jon impersonates Vilma Santos) and Bo show, perhaps reminiscent of the Vi and Bot (Bobot Mortiz, what else?) tandem decades back.

Meanwhile, Jon will go further down memory lane in the Manila of his childhood – when the sweet taste of Butterball candy lingered and children played with plastic balloons, not gadgets in “our love letter to Manila” -- the 10-day concert series.

Now that Manila’s floods, grime and crimes creep on you like the plague, Jon, Bo and The CompanY might just remind you that yes, things weren’t as bad as they were. And yes, you can retrace your steps, if only through song, dance and lots of laughter.

Maridol Rañoa-Bismark | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom

Zia: 'Zsa Zsa's surgery a success'

Zia Quizon has some good news for her mom Zsa Zsa Padilla and family's supporters and loves ones.

"Surgery was a success! As far as the doctors could tell it has not spread anywhere else. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support," Zia tweeted on Tuesday, August 28, PHL time.

Zsa Zsa underwent Laparoscopic surgery at the Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles on Monday evening August 27 (U.S. time). The I Do Bidoo Bidoo star recently admitted that she has stage one cancer of the kidneys.

In one of her recent interviews, Zsa Zsa who has remained calm, composed and in good spirits despite her difficult ordeal said, "I’m happy people are praying for me. I really need it. When I get home, I no longer want to say I have cancer. After surgery, I want to be able to say ‘I’m a cancer survivor."

OMG! staff | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom

The biggest mistake in Andi’s life

Andi Eigenmann is back – not only in the movies (she stars in Regal’s “Pridyider”) but in coming to terms with life.

Her detractors may say the young mother has not moved on, but Andie insists she has. And that’s because she has learned from her biggest mistake.

“Ang pinakamalaking pagkakamali sa buhay ko is I doubted how strong I am and how much people believe in me. Akala ko, mag-isa lang ako at hindi ko kakayanin alagaan si Ellie (her daughter).”

The single mom speaks with a wisdom far beyond her 21 years. And you know that wisdom didn’t develop overnight.

She got pregnant just when her career was starting to bloom, and many felt sorry for her because she has the looks and the talent to shine. Andi herself felt lost, thinking – wrongly – that she couldn’t deal with motherhood on her own.

“My mistake was I thought I couldn’t have gone through this alone. I needed the other half of the cause (of the pregnancy). I just learned to accept na ang tao, kung gusto, laging may paraan. Kung ayaw, laging may dahilan.”

On Jake Ejercito

That’s why she doesn’t force rocky relationships anymore. An example is Jake Ejercito, whom she dated for quite some time.

Andi admits she doesn’t know where she and Jake stand right now. “Marunong kaming rumespeto sa mga nakakatanda. Mas wise sila. Mas alam nila ang makabubuti para sa amin,” is her cryptic explanation.

But she insists the guy, who comforted her during her pregnancy and after she gave birth, will always be special to her. It’s just that she’s afraid to force a difficult situation since it just might end up in failure.

This explains why Andi reveals that she’s single again. And more careful.

“I got my heart broken the first time. Ngayon, mas maayos ang pag-iisip ko at alam ko na pag ayaw, di dapat pinipilit pa.”

This, and other important things are what Andi wants Albie Casino, rumored father of her baby, wants to learn.

She doesn’t want her former flame to get swallowed by a refrigerator the way the characters in “Pridyider” were, because “dadali ang buhay niya; gusto ko pagdaanan niya ang buhay na gaya ng ginawa ko.”

Andi believes the film, originally a chilling episode in the first installment of “Shake, Rattle & Roll,” is a fitting comeback vehicle for her.

Drama vs horror

“It’s challenging and fun to do a horror film. Hindi maraming tao ang naniniwala sa spirits. Yung iba naman, naniniwala. Malawak ang matatamaang audience nito. And it’s not always about scaring people. It’s about doing something that will intrigue them and get them interested.”

Andi plays Tina, who returns from abroad and lives in an ancestral home where an old refrigerator destroys the lives of people around her.

Up next for Andi is “Nothing Compares to You,” where she figures in a love triangle with Anne Curtis and Derek Ramsay.

Maridol Rañoa-Bismark | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom