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Can a fading 80’s pop culture icon turn author? It may be a tricky
transition, but looking at the success of RJ Ledesma’s magnum
opus, Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me, RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary
Guide to Whine and Women, published by Anvil Publishing (www.anvilpublishing.com),
which hit 2nd printing a few weeks after it was released, the answer
is a resounding yes.
Those who know him, or (more probably) know of
him are likely to expect an unapologetically satirical exploration
of his psyche—and based on the title, largely anchored on the
wisdom his Yaya generously imparted during his formative years.
“This book was inspired by a great deal of
childhood memories, which is why I talk about my Yaya a lot—the
80s was a blur except for Royal True Orange and my Yaya,” RJ
explains, referring to a commercial he did in the early 80s that
sealed his fate as a definitive, albeit fading, pop culture icon.
“And then of course, there was also accelerated hair loss,
continued unsupervised surfing of the Internet . . .” he trails.
The book, available at National Bookstore and
Powerbooks, is a rollicking compilation of random observations about
dating in the 21st century. And as the real face of Filipino manhood
comes out from behind his Yaya’s skirts, his definitive commentary
on the profundity of courtship and the intricacies of relationships
come to light as well. He’s had a lot of experience after all—in
fact, his first foray into dating scene was broadcasted on national
TV nearly 20 years ago, when he was cast as Joey in what could
possibly be the most memorable Royal Tru Orange advert ever made.
When asked about his topic, RJ candidly shares
that while the subject of dating may not have caught his interest
when he began his writing career, he admits that, “dating is very
interesting—in fact, the most interesting thing that I can write
about is human relationships, because it’s something that everyone
can relate to.”
Approaching it from an anthropological
perspective as well as spiking it with a good dose of biting honesty
and self-deprecating humour however, breathed new life into the
subject. “The nice thing about humour is that you’re able to
tell the truth in a way that you can accept it. Luckily I’m
someone who has a very low threshold of embarrassment and can make
fun of the fact that Yaya used to bathe me until I was 25,” he
shares (hopefully) in jest.
An erstwhile college instructor, brand manager,
yoga teacher, television host and of course, unforgettable hawker of
orange soda, RJ today writes a regular humor column for The
Philippine Star called “Pogi from a Parallel Universe,” which
tackles issues about Filipino men, and is editor in chief of Manual
Magazine.
As for future projects, well, given that his
first one has already sold out, expect to see the sequel to Lies My
Yaya Should Have Told Me soon.
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