‘Papa Pogi’ Grand Press Conference plus exclusive interview with lead star Teddy Corpuz

‘Papa Pogi’ main cast with Director Alex Calleja – Photo by Joseph R. Atilano

‘Papa Pogi’ is the first pure comedy movie of Regal Entertainment, Inc. for the year 2019. And for me, this movie is going to be genuinely funny, shamelessly hilarious, and truly entertaining for moviegoers to see.

Just watching the official full-length trailer alone got me laughing because I got the jokes. I could relate to all of them. Which guy, after all, has not ended up unintentionally humiliating or making a fool of himself at some point or another to make an impression on a girl that has caught his eye? hahaha… I know how that feels and I have had my share of those comical moments. All of us guys have ! Surely, there are a lot of Papa Pogi’s around. hahaha… With this movie, ‘Papa Pogi’, we all shall not only see ourselves on the big screen, we will also laugh at our stupid antics.

The premise, onscreen characters, and how the humor works in the movie are so “now” and modern to today’s times. It is as relevant as it can be because we all have our own  personal interpretations of the term “Papa Pogi.”

The casting here is comprised of Teddy Corpuz as the lead star with a supporting cast in the likes of Myrtle Sarrosa, Donna Cariaga, Dawn Chang, Nonong Ballinan, Lassy and Joey Marquez. I got to say this: I consider Joey Marquez to be one of the original Papa Pogis even before the term was coined, and popularized as it is now. And, definitely, Teddy Corpuz comes as a perfect representation of today’s version of a Papa Pogi. Curiously, past and present meetings of two Papa Pogis collide in this movie in the persons of Joey Marquez and Teddy Corpuz.

Now, certainly, any good cast whose majority of its actors are comedians in their own right needs a director who can bring out the best in them, make them feel comfortable in the onscreen characters they are portraying, and most of all, one who is a right choice for this movie, ‘Papa Pogi.’

‘Papa Pogi’ main cast – Photo by Joseph R. Atilano

The cast has that in Director Alex Calleja because first of all, ‘Papa Pogi’ is a pure comedy movie. Secondly, Alex Calleja has the credentials, qualifications, knowledge, experience. Thirdly, Alex Calleja IS a genius at comedy so he is the best choice to direct this movie, ‘Papa Pogi.’

Now, when it comes to the lead star Teddy Corpuz, he is no stranger either to comedy as he appears in a noontime show. He is one of most funny people on television. I was fortunate to get his thoughts on his soon-to-be-released movie ‘Papa Pogi’ which will be out on March 20, 2019.

Below is my exclusive interview with Teddy Corpuz:

1) When you hear the term “Papa Pogi”, what are the first thoughts that come to your mind ? What is your own interpretation of the meaning of the term “Papa Pogi” ?

Teddy Corpuz: Para sa akin, nung una ko narinig ang term na Papa Pogi, para sa akin, para siyang nag papa pogi. Hindi siya guwapo pero para siyang nag papa pogi. So, puwede din hindi siya nabiyaan ng good looks pero nag papa pogi. Nag papa pogi ka, nag papa ganda ka ng ayos at itsura mo.

Donna Cariaga, Teddy Corpuz and Myrtle Sarrosa – Photo by Joseph R. Atilano

Sinisugarado mo na presentable ka at ganun naman talaga ang look nang isang “guwapo”. Pero hindi mo naman talaga kailangan maging isang tunay na guwapo. Kailangan mo lang maging presentable ka lang.

So, yun para sa akin ang papa pogi ay simpleng pogi lang siya. Kahit sa mga gigs ko, pagkasama ko ang band ko na Rocksteddy, sinasabi ko sa audience na kami po ang pinaka guwapo na banda. Tapos, tatawa sila kasi alam naman nila biro lang yun.

2) Is this your first lead role in a movie ?

Teddy Corpuz:  Oo, eh ! First movie ko talaga eto na ako ang lead role kaya medyo kinakabahan din ako. Normal kasi yun pag first time ka nag p-present nang bago, siguro yung kaba, yung expectations, yung fear… so parang ganun lang ! So, everything na. Nag halo halo ang kaba, yung excitement, yung expecations. Kasama na rin lahat ng mga naririnig mo tungkol sa movie industry. Kasama na yun. It is the whole shebang !

Donna Cariaga and Teddy Corpuz – Photo by Joseph R. Atilano

Medyo nandun ako… Medyo matagal pa ang showing, yung play date namin. So parang steady pa ako, wala pa ako dun sa panic mode pa talaga. Malapit na siguro ako mag panic pag ilan minutes na lang or ilan araw na lang.

3) How do you rate Alex Calleja as a Director ? How is he as a Director ?

Teddy Corpuz: Nag usap kami ni Direk, eh ! Sabi ko Direk Alex… sabi ko kasi ang training din niya ay stand-up and sitcom. Sa movies, it is a whole language. May film at may music language. Yan lang pinag usapan… kami ni Direk Alex… para in-line tayo. Kasi ako din mismo nag d-direk ng music videos namin. So, sabi ko lang, parang encouragement lang din, maging careful lang with the film language on how we will present this to the big screen.

Teddy Corpuz and Myrtle Sarrosa – Photo by Joseph R. Atilano

In terms of acting, directing, and writing wala ako masabi kasi sobrang mag ka-jive, as in mag ka-jive kami ni Direk Alex. Sobrang na g-gets namin ang isat-isa at ano ang gusto namin mangyari sa mga eksena at yung direksyon mismo na pupuntahan nung movie. Pag may concept siya, may concept din ako. Spontaneous kami. Tawanan agad kahit hindi pa natatapos ang kuwento kasi nagkakasundo talaga kami.

MALAKI ang factor sa akin na mapanatag ang loob ko sa isang director at mapalagay ako sa isang director at hindi ako natatakot sa isang director. Ganun na director si Alex Calleja. Alam niya, spontaneous ako. Na encourage niya ako na mag sabi lang at maging spontaneous ako . Ang dali ka trabaho si Direk Alex ! Sobrang easy ka trabaho si Direk Alex ! Kahit pag dating sa suggestions kumikinig siya. He listens to me and the whole cast din. Nagtutulungan talaga kami sa isa’t-isa. Magaling na director talaga si Alex Calleja !