Nora Aunor with her Impersonators
A recent telecast of “Talentadong Pinoy” turned out to be an unusual viewing treat, because the entire program was devoted to the performances of Nora Aunor’s impersonators.
From well-known mimics like Terry Onor to newbies whose mothers or grandmothers may have been Nora diehards, they strutted their stuff in a grand celebration of their idol’s different screen and recording personas.
The “montage” of Nora’s “in excelsis” or in dramatic extremis, as the case may be, was an indubitable and irrefutable verification of the fact that genuine show biz superstars may fade away from time to time but they really never “die” in their admirers’ fond and even fanatical estimation.
The competitive numbers ranged from a choice compilation of Nora’s famous “quotable quotes” in movies past, through a comedy dance medley that had “Nora” being tossed in the air by some cheesy “male” dancers, to a “tribute” to the superstar’s “maid” persona pushed up to “iconic” proportions.
This last number, featuring Terry as Nora, was declared the evening’s top winner and deservedly so. Incidentally, even if he hadn’t won, Terry has already benefited greatly from his devotion to “The Guy”—not only has he built a prosperous career around his loving spoofs of her, but he’s even become a provincial board member, due in part to the Nora-based popularity he enjoys!
What made the friendly “competition” really choice was the presence (as judge) of the Superstar herself, as TV5’s well-timed reminder to viewers that her comeback mini-series, “Sa Ngalan ng Ina,” was opening that week.
Nora was both thrilled and humbled to see so many of her fans-turned-impersonators “killing” themselves to impress the heck out of her. And, impressed she was, delighting in their avid antics that served as a veritable anthology of her past triumphs—in deliciously spoof-y form, of course.
Also impressive was the fact that quite a number of Nora’s fans in the studio audience that night were not on the wrong side of 30. They were quite young and, despite the fact that Nora hasn’t been around for more than seven years, they clearly loved her every bit as much as her “old-timer” loyalists have been.
That’s a clear refutation of the negative view of some TV-film producers that Nora isn’t just a has-been, she’s dead and extinct as a dodo bird as far as her future career prospects are concerned. With fans of all ages now rooting for her—and, as long as she doesn’t revert back to her bad habits of yore—a new and bright chapter in her long-running show biz career has just begun.
To make her comeback even more successful, the old and new fans who believe in her have to support her new initiatives with their “fierce” patronage of her ongoing TV5 series and the two feature film she’s been tapped to do.
And, in turn, Nora can best reward her for their love and loyalty by making sure that she gifts them with nothing less than her very best performances!