Dolphy 1928 - 2012

I'm not really a huge Dolphy fan nor am I fond of local showbiz but upon hearing of Dolphy's death all over the news, I felt compelled to write about his enormous contribution to Philippine cinema most especially to the gay community. As we all know, Dolphy is one of the first to take the role of a homosexual man into mainstream cinema. This leads to the likes of Joey de Leon, Michael V., Ogie Alcasid and even Tirso Cruz III to follow suit without fear of bigotry and alienation in donning serious 'faggotry'.

Without Dolphy, people would definitely have biases towards gay people. It's true that the media's influence on public opinion is humongous and Dolphy's portrayal of a gay man from Facifica Falayfay to Markova has somewhat put on the public's consciousness that gay people are here to stay and an essential part of the society. I may have my own bias on Dolphy's gay roles given his depiction of homosexuality is synonymous to how the Filipino public stereotyped PLU (people like us): effeminate, loud, cross dressing faggots in heavy make up with a boylet in tow.

I state the latter with animosity given the fact that not all of us can be boxed within such a description. Most of us, especially those in the closet, are far from what Dolphy portrayed in his movies. Most of us don't wear make up or cross dress or effeminate  Although a good number of us would mask our somewhat feminine characteristics with a sweaty dose of gym workout and weekend fun runs, I know quite a lot of gay man out there who are surprisingly undetectable. Unless you are equipped with a well calibrated gaydar, some of these men are totally straight acting you'll have a big surprise of your life when you learn that they too are eyeing your hunky next door neighbor. But I won't delve into that as it will require another article.

Which takes me back to Mang Pidol. As I write this, a lot will be written about Dolphy's life and work. From countless newspaper articles including that piece from the New York Times which reads Dolphy, Comedian Adored By Many Filipinos, Dies, to endless parade of TV specials and re-runs of the Comedy King's films and TV shows. Mang Pidol had a prolific career and we all grew up laughing at his brand of slapstick comedy. One role in particular stands out in my memory: Lino Brocka's Ang Tatay Kong Nanay 

In this review from fellow blogger Oggs Cruz, Dolphy played the typical gay beautician Coring, who is left with a baby by his former ward, Dennis (Philip Salvador). The baby grows up (the boy is played by a very young Niño Muhlach) thinking that Coring is his real father.

During its closing sequences wherein Coring (played with a pitch-perfect sense of both comedy and drama by Dolphy), dressed as Ms. Spain in a low-budget gay-version of an international beauty pageant (again, a testament to Philippine ingenuity), answers a question by the pageant host. Brocka's camera then lingers to Dolphy's exaggeratedly painted face; and Dolphy owns the close-up, delivering his lines with subtle emotionality and tender grace. His manner of answering felt like his character bore the aches of the entire Philippine gay community on his shoulders, and you can easily feel for him. Just when you are drawn to his character's poignant soliloquy, Dolphy snaps out of the mood with a joke, and you laugh, although still teary-eyed.

Mang Dolphy, you're truly one of a kind. Thank you for the years of laughter you've given us. You will surely be missed.