Paolo Contis (right) with Aki, partner LJ Reyes and their daughter Summer
“Ang hirap! Anak ng …”
With jobs starting to trickle in, Paolo Contis has taken it upon himself to go on a #BalikAlindog program—“lockdown edition.”
The lack of activities and the stress of life under quarantine had the actor letting himself go a little bit, he jested.
“I go on a diet only when I have work. But I had been taking it easy during lockdown. Not only was I eating a lot, I also wasn’t moving much. Namanas ang paa ko! I was getting winded quite easily,” he told the Inquirer at a video conference for his weekly YouTube talk show, “Just In.”
One of the early signs of COVID-19 is a diminished sense of smell and taste—all the more reason for Paolo to constantly check on his taste buds to see if they’re still working. “I kept on eating just to make sure,” he quipped, drawing laughter.
Aside from “Just In,” the comedy show “Bubble Gang” and the variety program “All-Out Sundays”—all taped from home—Paolo has also started location taping for another project. He better start moving, he thought.
“I recently got into juicing. I do it six days a week with a one-day break. And I’m happy with it. Now, I find that even though it’s my cheat day, I no longer have the urge to eat so much. I have also been jogging around our village,” the comedian related. “Hirap na ako magtali ng sapatos!”
Paolo isn’t exactly conscious about his weight. But some people can be critical, he pointed out. “Viewers will have something to say. You know how it is [here in showbiz]. So, as a celebrity, I just want to make sure I’m presentable, regardless of my weight,” he said.
“But it’s more about my health than my physical appearance,” the 36-year-old GMA 7 talent stressed. “I want to be strong and healthy, because that’s what’s going to help us fight the virus.”
Luckily, his girlfriend, fellow Kapuso actor LJ Reyes, is quite the fitness enthusiast. And she makes sure to push him, whenever he’s slacking off.
“She leads a more active lifestyle. Iba rin mag-exercise ‘yun. One time, she asked me to bring her a gallon of water. And she used it to work out. Nahiya ako!” Paolo said. “I’m a couch potato, so she really has to push me. And I’m thankful for that.”
Produced by GMA Artist Center, “Just In” has Paolo and cohost, Vaness del Moran, chatting and reminiscing with celebrities people don’t get to see often anymore, like Leandro Muñoz, their first guest for the program’s second season, which started on Sept. 2.
Hosting isn’t Paolo’s specialty. And he’s isn’t the most technology savvy person either. (He was still using an old Nokia phone the first two years he dated LJ.) But given the circumstances, there’s no choice but to adapt to the rapid shift to the digital space.
“You have to embrace that. If you don’t, you will have no projects and the viewers won’t see you. And in this industry, visibility is crucial. Doing online work is something I’m still getting the hang of. But when I see the audience enjoying themselves, I end up enjoying myself, too. So this was a nice idea and opportunity,” he said of GMA Artist Center’s new roster of online shows.
Aside from “Just In,” there’s “In the Limelight,” where fans can know more about their favorite Kapuso artists; “Hangout,” an online fan meeting; “Quiz Beh,” a game show hosted by Betong Sumaya; and the online dating show “E-Date,” which is hosted by Pekto Nacua.
Though he doesn’t have much experience in hosting, Paolo said his background in comedy has been a big help. “As a host, you don’t necessarily have to be funny, but you have to be a good listener. And that’s what comedians are also good at. Because the funny stuff we say is usually prompted by what other people say,” he said.
The working conditions and the overall situation are still difficult, said Paolo, who recently had to isolate himself completely for five days after having an outside shoot. He then got a swab test, which came out negative.
“Nakakabaliw. And it’s difficult because you’re of no use to the household the entire time,” said Paolo, who lives with LJ, their 1-year-old daughter, Summer, and Aki, LJ’s 10-year-old son with Paulo Avelino. “The’s no one to help LJ and I was just adding to her work. The kids wanted to be with me in the room, but they can’t.”
But more than the quarantine itself, it’s the feeling of uncertainty that really gets to him. And when that happens, Paolo turns to his family to clear his mind. “My kids, my loved ones keep me sane. Being able to connect with friends through video calls … that’s a big thing,” he said.