The ‘Pope Francis Effect’ on Willie Nepomuceno
Willie Nepomuceno may not have seen Pope Francis up close and personal when he visited the Philippines recently. Willie may not be as religious as the priest next door or the lady who serves in the church every Sunday.
But like you and me, the veteran satirist-impersonator felt the overwhelming ‘Pope Francis Effect.’
“I was stricken by him like electricity in my body. I cried for no reason just seeing him on TV.”
Man electrified
Willie felt exactly the same when he accidentally caught a glimpse of Pope John Paul II in Manila in 1995. Willie admitted he was not interested in seeing the pope (who has since been canonized a saint). But fate had other plans.
“I was caught in traffic, and there he was, passing by for a fleeting moment. Again, such electricity jolted me.”
The man known for making people laugh suddenly turned emotional.
“Tears flowed. And I wasn’t even religious at all. I’ve never felt that way before.”
Heaven-sent
These two instances inspired Willie to “share my talent as a tribute to one who’s heaven-sent, and is yet so down-to-earth, humorous even.”
He is paying tribute to Pope Francis in a bonus act of his show, “The Votes of the Philippines” on February 20 and 21, 8:30 p.m. at Music Museum in Greenhills.
Watch his impersonation of Pope Francis here.
Willie explains that the main theme of the show is totally different. It spoofs politicians expected to run in the 2016 elections and turns them into ‘contestants’ of the popular reality talent search “The Voice Philippines (the spoof, that is).”
Among the politicos Willie is spoofing are vice-president Jejomar Binay, senators Grace Poe, Mar Roxas and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
“Baka isama ko na rin si Erap (Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada) kasi controversial.”
Hot, light and humorous
Following the reality show’s format, these characters will audition through song and answer questions from the resident judges, one of them “Buko de Ap (a spoof of renowned rapper apl.de.ap, one of The Voice Phiippines' judges).
The guy, says Willie, is a ‘magbubuko’ in the Hundred Islands, Pangasinan.
Willie has yet to figure out how to name the other judges (impersonators of Lea Salonga, Bamboo and Sarah Geronimo).
Whatever it is, Willie hopes to make a hot, serious topic like the coming elections, light and humorous.
Different attack
“Hindi ko maitaas ang level masyado kasi ayaw ng taong mag-isip.”
Neither does he know how he can bring his kind of show to the masses because it requires a different attack. All Willie knows is that his way of impersonating popular people has clicked through the years, and the time is ripe for another such show inspired by today’s most popular personalities.
Problem is, we don’t know who of them is the real Willie Nepomuceno – the brain behind the impersonations and the laughter they bring.
Next time, can the real Willie Nep finally stand up and be counted?
