Blind items from Ma

The late Inday Badiday

Today happens to be the birthday of my late “SuperwoMom,” Inday Badiday. I am not at liberty to divulge her age because Ma always said that she’s ageless. Even in her tombstone, the year of her birth is not included.

As my way of remembering the woman who blazed the trail for show biz talk show hosts and to whom I owe everything I am, allow me to share some funny stories that Ma told me.

I opted to write it in blind-item form lest my mom reprimand me in my dreams. Thoughts of her seem so real that I can almost hear her distinct, raspy laughter reverberating in my heart.

Happy birthday in heaven, Ma! Saranghamnida. You are the gift that I was born with. Till our next “Eye to Eye” moment.

Here goes:

A seasoned actress reprimanded a makeup artist who used toilet paper to wipe her face. She snapped, “Ano ang akala mo sa mukha ko … puwet?”

A multiawarded actress pretended to have no voice when colegialas interviewed her in English. She motioned to my mom to answer their questions.

A comedienne wanted to make her boyfriend jealous. So, she asked my mom to send her flowers from an anonymous admirer, with a card that read, “I love you more than he does.”

When a sexy star was asked to sign a check, she wrote: “Much love, (her autograph).”

When a legendary actress opened her birthday gift, she lamented to my mom, “Why did he give me this YSL bag? Those are not my initials!”

A sultry actress was asked, “Is it true that the new house your lover gave you has wall-to-wall carpet?” She shot back, “‘’Di naman. Floor-to-floor only.”

Ma always got a kick out of telling people about her fave household help, Tasing. Ma gave her movie passes, so when Tasing came home, Ma asked if she enjoyed the movie. Tasing replied, “Ate Luds, ’di ko napanood ‘yung pelikula kasi inikot ko na ang buong Cubao, wala akong nakita na ‘Any Theater.’”

When Ma asked a beauty queen what the secret was of her success, she answered, “My face is my footprint to success.”

Ma told me about one of the toughest live interviews she had. It was with a senior character actor. Ma was so distracted by the big booger protruding from his nose, but she felt awkward to tell him about it during the live show.

Ma always looked up to her elder sister, my Ta Lets, Letty Magsanoc (the late great LJM). She loved to tell the story about Ta Lets mailing her letters back from the United States with grammatical corrections.

Coffee ad like love life

Funny afterthought on the issue about Gerald Anderson “ghosting” Bea Alonzo and courting Julia Barretto: Gerald is very much like the coffee brand he endorses in a TV commercial. His love life is “three-in-one.” Love triangle a la Gerald!

PERSONAL: Muchisimas gracias to my godbrother, Federico Moreno, and his staff at Hued Salon in Eastwood, Sheryl Dayanghirang, Jomel Yntela and Arjon Laus for making me feel so welcome. Check out the salon’s “hair-ific” services (call 0977-398-8911).