How is the new Captain Barbell from the previous one? “Maraming differences,” says Richard Gutierrez who’s very happy that the special preview of his Captain Barbell got very positive feedback from the press people who attended it. “Unang-una, sa costume ko pa lang, it’s more modern in design with a color pattern done in a way that will show the evolution of Captain Barbell. It was made in Hongkong, but it had to be approved first by GMA execs and the family of the late Mars Ravelo who wrote the original Captain Barbell. When they first sent it here, maluwag sa’kin. Kasi noong unang sukatan ako, I was heavier. E dahil sa training and diet, I lost 12 lbs. and they had to make adjustments sa costume they made for me. The first time na nag-fitting ako, I showed it to my friends and family and they all say it’s an improvement over the first costume I wore.”
What other preparations did he make for ‘Captain Barbell’? “Nag-martial arts training ako, then no sweets, no carbs. Wala ring night life so I can get enough sleep. Even the special effects used are more advanced, more spectacular kasi iba na rin ang technology ngayon, more state of the art na. Tapos, in the first one, I had only two leading ladies, Rhian Ramos and Camille Prats. Ngayon, apat na sila: Isabel Oli, Lovi Poe, Michelle Madrigal and Solenn Heussaff. Kasama rin si Rhian sa pilot week to bridge the stories between then and now. So marami talagang exciting things na aabangan dito sa new Captain Barbell.”
