HOW DOES Dolphy feel about the premature reports of his passing? “Oo nga, e,” he laughs at the launch of his album, “Handog ni Pidol, A Lifetime of Music and Laughter”. “Ang daming pumapatay sa akin. One time, galing ako sa Hongkong, pagbalik ko, headline: ‘Dolphy Dead’. Bakit nag-aapura kayo? Darating din tayo diyan. Gusto kong tawanan na lang kaya lang ang relatives ko abroad, worried, umiiyak na nagtatawagan. So, wag nyo ko madaliin. Nandito pa ako. Bukod sa plaka ko, may TV show akong ‘Pidol’s Wonderland’ sa TV 5 at may entry pa ko sa filmfest, ‘Father Jejemon’.”
Did he have any hesitation when Pres. Noynoy gave him an award when everyone knows he campaigned for Manny Villar? “No, na-realize ko lang, hindi pala mapagtanim ang taong ito. Napakabait pala. Binato ko ng bato, binato ko ng tinapay.”
How long did he prepare for his singing? “Not much,” his longtime partner, Zsa Zsa Padilla, answers. “He’s got perfect pitch kaya konting vocalization lang, okay na siya.”
“Dati naman akong kumakanta sa movies ko at sa ‘Buhay Artista’ noon sa TV. Nagkaplaka na ko with Panchito ng novelty songs. Pero ngayon, solong plaka ko ito. Plaka ko ng plaka. Napaghahalatang luma na ako. Album pala.”
Called “The Ultimate Collection of the Comedy King’s Most Memorable and Favorite Songs”, the PolyEast release has ten songs. It features duets with Zsa Zsa (“You Make Me Feel So Young”), with their daughter Zia (“You’re Just in Love”), Vandolph (“Sitsiritsit/Pipit” medley), and “May Sakit ang Tao sa Ilalim ng Kubo” (with Mar Lopez of Big 3 Sullivans). You should also listen to Pidol’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” and “What a Wonderful World”. This album is a collector’s item so be sure to get a copy.
