Ricky Reyes: Ang Mother ng Ganda
A friend texted me late last night - “Gising ka pa? Bilis, watch GMA 7, I-Witness.” It turns out a documentary about Ricky Reyes (”Ang gandaaaa…!”) was showing. It was entitled, “Ang Mother ng Ganda.” I caught the portion where Howie Severino, host/writer of the docu, was interviewing “Mader Ricky.” It was an eye-opener. The Parlorista Ng Bayan has got some hard-hitting ideas in that hairstyled head ha! The gay guy’s got wisdom. And his rags-to-riches story is just perfect for the Pinoy Audience — we Filipinos just can’t resist the inspiration of a poor man turned millionaire, even if he’s gay.
After watching the documentary, I do think Ricky Reyes is one of the Pinoy gay icons who shape how gays are perceived in this country. People may not agree with some of his ideas but I do believe he deserves respect for all his accomplishments, good work, and most of all, for his own way of uplifting the perception of the Pinoy Parlorista. He addressed gay guys on how they should behave in public, and I quote loosely, “Huwag ninyong pabayaang pagtawanan kayo ng mga tao, na magmukha kayong unggoy sa hawla…” There were several other interesting sound bytes, too bad my memory is failing me at this moment.
I wish I can get a copy of that episode. Howie, in his blog, even commented - “(Ricky Reyes) turned out to be a complex character with surprisingly conservative views about gays, women and politics.” Anyone here who was able to capture that episode and can perhaps share via YouTube?
(Photo credit: Howie Severino’s blog)
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March 27th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Majority of us here posting in this blog (I presume) may be claiming be straight-acting, but of course, we should respect how effeminate gay guys nonetheless.
March 27th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I couldn’t have seen that episode with Ricky Reyes here in Phnom Penh, but I must say that I have tremendous respect and admiration for the likes of Ricky Reyes and other effeminate gays. If not for their courage to be who they are and to be true to themselves (as opposed to others, including myself, who are straight-acting and hiding in the closet), the rest of the world can pretend that homosexuality does not exist. But the in-your-face attitude of these effems bring the reality of homosexuality into everyday life. I, too, used to be uneasy about such gays, but now I adore them as the fabulous trailblazers that they are. Mabuhay ang mga Parlorista!
March 27th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Go Mother Ricky!!! He’s an epitome of a gay person who REALLY is not afraid to reveal his true self….MABUHAY KA MOTHER!!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
i am gay. but i did not disclose to my parents yet ( unless they ask me. )pero i know they know na. my being gay has never been a hindrance for me to enjoy life- i get the respect from my family and kins and to my colleagues as well. there’s more than to being effeminate in being gay. to each his own lang naman yan. i dont despise the effems but yun ang gusto nila. so be it….. about gays who want to have a straight guy as a paramour, well, yun ang trip nila. so be it. yun lang po….. good thing i am blessed with a good and wonderful 10-year relationship. hehehehehehe. good luck sa sa atin lahat…
March 27th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
“mader ricky” s a real philantropist. To all the hair cutters he has helped and improve themselves we salute her(him). I was able to watch bits of it also last nyt. ilang beses na nga raw sya invited to run for public office but she refuses.. Shes says, I can help people in my own ways… politics are for peole who are trained in that field (kaya yung mga pulitiko dyang keso gustong tumulong sa mamamayan kaya tumatakbo, think twice before voting them in office). Tama ka migs sa sinabi ni mader ricky… in other words if one wants to be respected, you should show the world (in action & words) that you are one respectful(?) person. Baka nasa GMA web natong episode na to ng Iwitness.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
i watched it and heard real wisdom from the “first gay” of the philippines. asked about ricky befriending presidents from marcos to gma, ricky said (in context) that he does not care if they have differing political stands, but what matters is the fact that he respects the authority of the office of the president. if our politicos are like that we would have peace and progress in this nation. when asked what if he would be given the chance to be in malacañang as president, the only response he gave: “Ang gandaaaaah!”
natuwa din ako sa sinabi ng anak ni ricky, si ian reyes, na 30 years old na. proud siya kasi ricky is his mama. never niya ikinahiya si ricky. (para bang si tristan encarnacion, who never was ashamed to tell the world that jun encarnacion is his dad, whom he desribes as a very responsible gay man)
March 28th, 2007 at 12:27 am
My freind is a classmate of ricky reyes in high school.Of course my frend is gay but he is very respected because he is a banker.
anyway, he told me that during their elementary/high school days, some of their classmates would bully ricky bec hes gay and poor. Kawawang ricky aping api.
But when ricky became rich he organized a reunion and guess what kung ano gnawa nya?
Pinamukha nya sa mga nangbully sa kanya ang kanilang mga ginawa nung HS.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Go mother! Gandang Ricky Reyes is indeed skin deep.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I have always admired Mother for his love of family, generosity, strength of character, respect for every possible existing human being, and way of thinking. Kaya din siguro sya pinagpapala ni Lord. Sana marami pa syang ma-inspire na tao.
March 28th, 2007 at 11:15 am
I get to watch that episode of I-witness..inabangan ko talaga..i like what Mader ricky qouted “Ang bakla gilingin mo man ang labas baklang hamburger parin”
March 29th, 2007 at 2:57 am
we are all very proud of you mother ricky ! we love you !
March 29th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
know what? a lot of people say i look like mother ricky..siya kaya ang biological mother ko?
April 1st, 2007 at 12:19 am
too bad, ang pangit ng resort nya na golden sunset sa calatagan, batangas. squatter’s area yung labas ng resort. for someone who tries to do good deeds, bat di nya tulungan yung squatter’s area na yun?
April 29th, 2007 at 12:35 am
di ako dumaan sa pagiging straight acting… effem agad hahaha. kasi alam ko pag maging straight acting muna, I denied myself. I denied everything. bow! aiza, ikaw ba yan? ay, di ako tomboy! hahaha bakla ako!
May 5th, 2007 at 12:03 am
[…] this first part of the i-Witness documentary featuring Ricky Reyes, ang Parlorista ng Bayan, ang “Mader ng Ganda”, Ricky teaches Howie Severino (docu […]
May 5th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
hi!go ricky…go ricky…go ricky…go…go…go… !!! nga naman ganda talaga maging sa loob at lalo na sa labas eh di vah philanthropist daw yan ? may the shower & blessings of God be unto you para marami ka pang matulongan.
July 29th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
i really admire him… he is my inspiration why i took up bs business admin. mjor in entrepreneurship. im planning to have a business which will help a lot of people… just like him!