by Tinna S. Bonifacio
Being a celebrity helped him become a better manager, says Boy Abunda.
The glib-talking TV host, publicist and talent manager says he understands artists better now that he’s one of them. “As a manager, I used to not understand the quirks of artists, like when they say, ‘Puwede ba, pagod na ako, ayoko na gawin ‘yan. ‘ But becoming a celebrity made me a more compassionate manager. I’m not complaining—I love it—but being in show business is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. It’s a tiring job. I like to think that my being a celebrity made me a better manager, because it’s only then that you start to really understand the spirit and psychology that goes into being an artist.”
Boy leads a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted life. He is the president of Backroom, Inc., a public relations-slash-talent management agency. He manages talents that include singer Erik Santos, Gretchen Barretto, AiAi delas Alas and Mariel Rodriguez. On TV, he hosts four programs—the daily morning lifestyle show Boy and Kris, the Sunday afternoon showbiz talk show The Buzz, Private Conversations on ANC and Inside the Cinema on Cinema One. He is an in-demand commercial endorser and the day that we caught up with him in his dressing room at ABS-CBN, he happily shared that he was about to launch a brand of cologne named after him. In 2007, he also released an album under Star Records.
Recently, he also went back to school—he’s enrolled in a certificate course at the Helena Benitez School of International Relations and Diplomacy based at the Philippine Women’s University Taft campus where his classmates include lawyers and teachers.
“My load is punishing,” says Boy. He chooses the word carefully, not wanting to give off any negative impressions. But in Boy Abunda’s lexicon, a punishing schedule is no reason to give less than is expected of him. On The Buzz, for instance, it’s never a case of him just being pushed onstage with a cue card in hand and told to read pre-written spiels or make small talk with guests. “I confer with my EP’s (Executive Producers) and I do pre-prod. I do research. I put the same kind of effort into preparing for each interview on each one of my shows, no matter if I’m interviewing the President or a bold star,” he says.
He works very hard and long hours, and there really is no way to explain it. “There is no logical or scientific explanation for it,” laughs Boy. “It’s just a job I love so much. I love showbiz too much. I have to admit, it has been very kind to me.”
Boy, a native of Borongan, Eastern Samar, did not grow up wanting to be in show business even if he was (and is) a big Nora Aunor fan. His father wanted him to be a lawyer. “Ewan ko, siguro dahil nakita niyang madaldal ako. Si Nanay naman, at recently ko lang nalaman ito, ha, when I was doing my album Love Life, gusto niya na maging manager daw ako sa bangko dahil gusto niya pumasok akong naka-barong!”
He left Borongan at age 16 to attend college in Manila . His dreams were simple. “I just know that I wanted to have a good life. I wanted a better life for Nanay [Lesing, his mother, who turns 80 this year].” Though he knew early on that he had the gift for cab and loved the theater, the young Boy “had no secret ambitions. In my life, I was guided to be where I am now by a combination of life-changing moments and some minor ones. But I took advantage of every opportunity. Wala akong pinalagpas.”
Boy named some of the insecurities that he had to contend with while he was going up the career ladder: he was a college drop-out; he came from one of the poorest municipalities in the country; and he was a probinsyano with a Visayan accent trying to make it big in the glamorous world of showbiz. Yet these trials also taught him important lessons. Boy says, “I learned that the important thing is to work around what you have. Work from your truths. Embrace who you are. Don’t be afraid to commit mistakes.” And unlike some famous people who ignore invitations or requests from the not-so-famous, Boy makes it a point to return their phone calls.
And most of all, adds Boy with a loud laugh, “Don’t be afraid to be beautiful, even if you’re not.”
Hands-on
One of the most important skills Boy has learned is how to delegate. Because he’s into so many things, he counts on the help of certain people, among them his longtime partner Bong Quintana, who is Backroom’s VP for Finance. Another longtime associate, Rowena Salido, runs the talent division of Backroom as its AVP for Talents. Backroom also has a separate PR group.
Boy admits that because of his schedule, he can’t be as hands-on as he was 10 or 15 years ago. “I’m not as physically hands-on as a manager as I used to be. But that doesn’t mean I’m not involved. Any one [of my talents] who has a concern will call or text me. I have a lawyer in the office, but the final draft of a contract still comes from me. When I’m on a break from taping, that’s when I make my calls, do my contracts and conduct negotiations by phone. It’s about being able to merge your functions, and about trusting your staff. Huwag mong akuin lahat. You have to choose what’s important. There are jobs that can be delegated.”
Bong, who also recently ventured into directing concerts and stage productions, runs Backroom’s day-to-day operations.
Tricky situation
Of course, there are times when a little discretion is called for. Fortunately, this is something that Boy is blessed with. “It’s happened a few times when a client is interested in me [as Boy Abunda] and also interested in one of my talents. When that happens, I tell the client to give it to my talent, because I don’t want to compete with them. I want them [my talents] to have more jobs. My cup runneth over. I’m too blessed already as it is.”
He also experiences those moments at showbiz affairs when photographers and entertainment journalists seem more iinterested in him than in his talents; or when he’s out with one of his talents, and fans will ask to take a photo of Boy rather than of the talent. Sometimes, it calls for subtle physical maneuvering on Boy’s part: by throwing an arm around the talent he’s with, he draws that person into the picture, literally. It does, however, have its moments. “That can be awkward,” admits Boy, “and not all talents can handle that. It takes a lot of maturity and security to do it. You have to be an AiAi delas Alas to laugh your way through it.”
The upside of being a celebrity and a talent manager at the same time is that “you’re more known; you become a magnet for jobs”.
To date, Boy has been a TV host for 15 years. He’s been in the business as a publicist and talent manager for much longer than that. “By heart, I’ll always be a manager and publicist,” Boy tells us. “I still act that way out of force of habit. Like sometimes, when I’m with Martin Nievera (who was one of his first clients), I still find myself saying, “Martin, this is…or this is…”
Future plans
Barbara Walters, one of Boy’s idols when it comes to TV hosting and interviewing, is now 82. Larry King, another idol, “can’t be far from that.” So until when does Boy intend to talk his way through television? Does his going back to school mean that he is preparing himself for a future career in politics?
Boy has been prevailed upon to run several times for a local post in his hometown of Borongan, but he has turned the offers down. He decided to study not because of any political plans, but because he loves learning.
In school, he is excited to be learning about concepts like just war—“I didn’t even know there was such a thing!” and comity, a term used to describe the respect that exists between two nations.
“I’ve always been interested in politics and international relations. I don’t know where it’s going to bring me. What I know is today. But it’s giving me a certain high that I’m expanding my purview and expanding the possibilities of my life,” he says.
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