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MANILA, Philippines—Ai Ai delas Alas has one big frustration.

Until now, she has yet to see any of her past three novelty albums turn gold. It’s a big deal for her, since music had a lot to do with how she was discovered in show biz—belting out songs by Madonna and Zsa Zsa Padilla in a sing-along bar in the 1980s.

Ai Ai, who has since made it big as a TV comedienne with a string of successful movies to boot, was talking to the entertainment press to promote her major concert on Nov. 16 at the Araneta Coliseum.

A tabloid columnist surmises that piracy is to blame for Ai Ai’s disappointment: “Baka naman yung album mo ‘pag nilabas ng umaga, pagdating ng hapon, pirated na.”

Ai Ai quips: “Classic nga yung sabi sa ’kin ng isang Muslim, ‘alam niyo ma’m ang lakas-lakas sa amin nung album niyo.’”

A few pensive seconds later, Ai Ai remembers what his manager Boy Abunda told her: “Huwag mo na isipin ’yon, hayaan mo na, baka hindi ka talaga pang-ganon.”

Talk shifts to the concert scene. Ai Ai, 43, says she didn’t really get to watch live musical performances while growing up in a poor family. “Ang una kong concert na napanood si Randy Santiago. Kasi maka-Randy ako. Siyempre tulala ako, parang, wow, ganon pala yon.”

But Ai Ai is so amazed at how she found herself holding a microphone singing in front of many people and, later, acting and having fun in front of a camera: “Hindi ko na-imagine ang sarili ko na magko-concert balang araw. Hindi ko nga naisip ba’t ako nag-artista. Siguro destiny ko talaga. Ang parati lang iniisip ko, makatulong sa pamilya ko. Makapagtrabaho, makapunta sa ibang bansa kasi gusto ko maging stewardess.”

Madonna fan

As for the type of concerts that appeal to her, Ai Ai singles out one name: “Idol ko si Madonna.”

Asked what she likes about Madonna, Ai Ai cites the American pop superstar’s daring character: “Para sa kin, siya ang greatest innovator of one’s career. Yung lahat ginawa niya, reinventing herself, from ‘Like a Virgin’ days, onwards. May napanood akong concert niya on DVD recently, 46 na siya pero nakataob, yung ulo niya nasa ibaba at yung paa nasa itaas, kaya yung mga tao pandemonium talaga.”

Ai Ai loves to shock audiences whenever she performs, and this forthcoming concert at the Big Dome is no exception.

A surprising request, however, is in order: “Wag magdala ng bata. For mature audience lang ito, para di tayo mag-compromise, masaya kayo, masaya din ako.”

“Pero majority ng fans mo bata,” the columnist protests.

“Totoo,” Ai Ai admits. “Mga one or two-year-old kids kilala ako. Sa TV at movies ko na lang sila paliligayahin. Pero pag live show, for adults ako.”

Asked why children love her, Ai Ai replies: “Ewan ko, siguro dahil natatawa sila sa kin at alam nila na nanay ako na may mga anak, parang nanay na rin nila ko.”

The need to reciprocate the acceptance that children have shown her causes Ai Ai to harp on the issue of recording more albums. “Gusto ko yung kakantahin at sasayawin ng mga bata,”she says. “Parang ‘Ocho-Ocho’ ni Bayani Agbayani dati. Kasi hindi ako maka-hit talaga e. Siguro in due time.”

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I dont know about her singing capabilities, but she's hilarious. She was insane in 'Pinay Pie'
Wacked out, yo!

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Yea man, watched that like a couple of years back--the only reason why i remember is because my sister had a crush on one of the actors that played in that movie. Ai Ai is hilarious, her mouth is so big! hahaha

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