“Balak ko kasing maging lawyer,” he says. “But then, nakuha na ako agad na DJ sa radio then I branched out sa TV when ABS-CBN got me as part of their Hero Channel on Studio 23. Then nag-guest ako sa ‘Pinoy Henyo’ ng ‘Eat Bulaga’ as Shivaker and it was such a hit that I became a co-host there.”
His girlfriend is Joyce Pring, daughter of topnotch cop Joe Pring, whose life story was filmed twice starring Phillip Salvador. Is it true they’re officially engaged? “No, pakulo lang yun ng co-host ko sa ‘Boys Night Out’ on Magic 89.9, si Tony Toni. Binati kami on air at sa social media, and people thought ikakasal na nga kami. It’s true, we’re on, pero di pa kami nagbabalak magpakasal.”
People know Sam for his funny Bumbay alter ego, Shivaker, but what they don’t know is that he dealt with a lot of bullying at the Ateneo from grade to high school because he’s of Indian descent. “My family comes from Jaipur, India, but I was born and raised here. I’m now a naturalized Filipino citizen. Siempre, sa school, tinutukso kong mabaho dahil Indian ako. Ayaw makipaglaro sa akin. Masakit. Racial discrimination talaga. But in spite of that, I consider myself a Filipino and I love Filipino culture,” adds Sam who is part owner of four Backyard restos.
He loves hosting “Vintage Trip” as it’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane paying tribute to bygone eras. “Young millennials in today’s fast-paced world have no idea about the past. This show will help educate them about our history, the legacy of the past. Our first episode will show vintage Volkswagen Beetles, the eldest one is from 1937, fully restored and in good running condition. The 2nd and 3rd episodes feature collectors of old Coca Cola bottles. The 4th episode will explore the old houses of Vigan and the 5th episode is all about Pangasinan. It’s about time na ating bigyang buhay ang mga lumang bagay.”
