Rufa Mae Quinto—PHOTO BY MARINEL CRUZ
I’d rather lose the P1 million than lose my family,” said comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto as to why she didn’t feel too sad about losing the prize money of the recently concluded reality show “LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines.”
Rufa Mae was one of 10 comedians who took part in the competition where the contestants faced off in a showdown, with the goal of making others laugh without cracking up themselves. Chad Kinis eventually brought home the P1-million cash prize.
“I didn’t feel bad about losing because I already knew where it was heading. The game was starting to get really dirty, so I opted out. Of course, who wouldn’t want to win P1 million? I could have tried to fight for it, but I decided to let it go.
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“I certainly didn’t want to lock lips with Chad Kinis or with anyone there. I have a husband and a child. I didn’t want them to see me do that on TV. Besides, I can’t handle spitting on another person’s face, because I don’t want anyone to do that to me. My brand of humor is different,” she told reporters over lunch recently.
Secret to not laughing
When asked what lesson she learned from the show, Rufa Mae said: “Keeping one’s self from laughing is so difficult that you would eventually cry. Also, the secret to not laughing is to keep yourself feeling hungry. You will eventually get angry at everyone around you and won’t feel like laughing at all. I made the mistake of eating too much during our lunch break. That’s why, in the middle of the competition, I suddenly felt like going to the toilet. That’s another reason I didn’t want to compete anymore. I didn’t want to make a mess out there,” she quipped.
Rufa Mae said she and her family have decided to relocate to Manila from the United States now that she is starting to get offers to work on TV and the movies again. She is currently working on a comedy film by Randolph Longjas titled “Mujigae,” which will be released in October. This was after her series of shows, called “Todo na Tour,” in Canada with Donita Rose and Daniel Matsunaga.
Rufa Mae was recently a guest on the GMA 7 news and public affairs program, “Dapat Alam Mo!,” where she battled it out with host Susan Enriquez in a segment called “Bawal Tumawa Challenge.”
Back from the US
The actress shared a recent observation by her daughter, Athena, now 6. “When she saw me on TV, she said, ‘Mama, you’re a newscaster!’ In another instance, she said, ‘Look Mama, you’re a queen here [in the Philippines]. Everybody likes you!’ I had to laugh at that one. I said, ‘Ikaw naman ang princess.’
“I think she is starting to like becoming an artista. In fact, Sparkle has just asked me about her. When she was younger, she would cry whenever I would leave for work. Now, she’s starting to ask about work behind the camera.”
Rufa Mae continued: “It was during the press con for ‘LOL’ that my husband and I decided to relocate here. For me, it’s the perfect time because Athena is turning 7. It’s about time that she learns how to speak Tagalog. We’ve lived in the US for quite a while, especially during the pandemic when local show business was forced to shut down. It’s also the perfect time for me to return because we’re opening up again.”
As for her husband, Trevor Magallanes, Rufa Mae said: “He is very supportive. He has believed in me ever since. He said, ‘You’ll do great! I just know it.’”
Rufa Mae said her talent management is negotiating with GMA 7 for her own talk show. “Again, it’s the perfect time because the environment on the set has changed a lot since the pandemic. It’s now more considerate in terms of the work schedule, especially to artists like me who already have a family.”
Choosier
She added that she would now be choosier when it comes to her projects. “I have to consider what my family will feel when they see me onscreen. I don’t want to do anything vulgar. I don’t want my daughter to experience getting bashed. I’m not closing any doors on doing sexy roles. Besides, Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman still do kissing scenes even though they have kids,” she pointed out.
In “Mujigae,” produced by Unitel Straight Shooters (UXS), Rufa Mae will be working with costars Alexa Ilacad, Ryrie Turingan (as Mujigae) and Korean actor Ji Soo. It will be shown on Oct. 9. “This is already my third project with Direk Randolph. I’m happy because I’m included in a lot of his films. We still have another one for Valentine’s Day. I have a lot of projects. I think Pinoys missed my humor. I’m happy that the younger generation still appreciates me.”
Rufa Mae and Trevor are planning on having another child, hopefully, a boy, this time. “We tried the first time this year, but nothing came out of it. We will try again in December,” she said laughing.
Rufa Mae is convinced that 2024 is a good year for her, so far. “I’ve been in show biz for 30 years—hindi lang halata. I guess it’s all about believing God has great plans for you. If something is meant for you, it will be yours. 2024 is my year. I’m already claiming it!” INQ