More misses than hits in Dolphy’s tribute show

EPI QUIZON has imbibed his dad’s performing soul so astutely, that he definitely must play the lead in a Dolphy film bio.

The last time we caught a TV tribute to Dolphy, he wasn’t in the best of health. So we’re very happy and relieved to see the king comic look better when TV5 honored him recently with a special show on his 83rd birthday.

The show itself, however, was a mixed bag of hits and misses. For instance, we really enjoyed the old TV-film clips it showed of Dolphy in full, antic performance, but we were turned off when they segued into generally “TH” and lackluster copies performed by today’s stars. We would have enjoyed those nostalgic clips more without the insufficient and distracting add-ons.

We also deplored the disengaged and uncaring way that some segment narrators read their scripted spiels. So much for their professed love for the honoree. If they cared so little about him, they should have just stayed at home.

But Dolphy and Zsazsa Padilla’s lovely daughters did well in the musical number they shared with some of their half-siblings. Speaking of Dolphy’s progeny, the other Quizons who did well on the show were Epi and Vandolph. Epi has imbibed his dad’s performing soul so astutely that he definitely must play the lead in a Dolphy film bio—perhaps for the king comic’s 85th birthday?

Other aspects of the show fell short, however. Particularly unfortunate was a reenactment of the hit “translation” act that Dolphy and Panchito used to do so well that it became a signature highlight of their decades-long partnership. The new version was so bereft of genuine wit and humor that it ended up as a major disappointment—and pain in the psychological posterior.

Also way off its intended mark was the long dance number that paid tribute to Dolphy’s iconic gallery of gay characters. They were personified by comedians who weren’t dancers— and weren’t really funny, to boot.

More on the up-and-up, we appreciated some of the show’s “reminders,” like the section on Dolphy’s own dance career, especially and excitingly recalled by a vintage clip of his frenetic dance routine with the late, great Bayani Casimiro.

Also appreciated were other reminders: the inspirational effects on Dolphy of the “old, bald” comedy tandem of Tugo and Pugo; the fact that “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay” was one of his most memorable and affecting movies, and some notes on the master comic’s famous comic timing.

Alas, they really don’t make them like they used to, and it was a sad sight to see that most of the talents who swore that they had been inspired by Dolphy turned out to be his inferiors. For instance, young comedians tried to do a Dolphy and Panchito and ended up merely revealing their comedic shortcomings.

But we should be thankful for the occasional bits and pieces of the show that did work, like the duet between Dolphy and his “last love,” Zsazsa— even if she had to work doubly hard to make up for his relative age-induced listlessness.

Alas, Zsazsa wasn’t around for the duet between Dolphy and Willie Revillame, so it was a relative dud. In addition, the show was much too long— we really have to learn when enough’s too much!

In any case, we frequently wish our beloved king comic better health and heaps of happiness, and are looking forward to that film bio starring Epi Quizon on his dad’s 85th birthday!