USHERED TO the dressing room ng GMA studio ay sinundan namin ang magge-guest nang live sa Startalk na sina Arnell Ignacio at Ken Psalmer, our first time to meet the off-and-on couple like conjoined twins.
Ang teaser kasi ng nakaraang episode ng Startark ay patanong na Arnell at Ken, sa balikan nga ba nauwi? Cornered at the dressing room, ang mas hinarap namin ay si Ken than Arnell whose life story is already known to the world.
“Hi, Ken, I’m Ron. Ngkabalikan na nga ba kayo?” diretsong tanong namin. “Tanungin mo siya,” sabay nguso kay Arnell who jokingly exclaimed, “Bakit ako na naman?! Ikaw ang tinatanong, sagutin mo!”
Sandaling bumuwelo si Ken, “Hmmm, hindi naman masasabing nagkabalikan, but we’re good friends.” Hirit uli ni Arnell, “Etchosera!”
Seeing the rather odd couple trade jokes was a delight. Bawi ni Arnell, “Pero alam mo, funny ‘yan.”
Na-touch lang ang hitad nang sabihin namin kay Ken na it would only take an Arnell Ignacio to put up with his (Ken’s) idiosyncracies (read: kaluka-lukahan). Banat ni Arnell, “Hay, naku, maloloka ka talaga diyan… eh, kahit nga wala kang pu—e, rereglahin ka diyan, eh!”
Ayon kay Ken, June when he and Arnell parted ways, but it seemed na nagsimula silang magkaroon ng problema nitong July that led to their eventual breakup in August.
Pero nakaraan na ‘yon dahil, “Du’n uli siya nakatira sa bahay,” sey ni Arnell. So, anong domestic setup nila, like who cooks, who does the marketing, etc.?
“Siyempre, gabi ang trabaho ko, madaling-araw na ‘ko umuuwi. Paggising ko, nakaluto na siya,” sabi ni Ken. Salag naman ni Arnell, “Kakain na lang siya, tapos, ‘yung pinagkainan niya, iiwanan niya sa lababo!”
Still vivid ‘yung VTR interview ng Startalk kay Arnell sa August episode nito kung saan he seemed decided on finally calling it quits after his discovery of Ken’s kalandian without the benefit of an apology.
Maya-maya, pagtayo ni Arnell sa aming harapan ay napansin naming he had a bulging tummy na naitatago lang ng kanyang tucked-in long-sleeved polo shirt.
Mukhang nabusog si Arnell for eating his words.
Pepperoni
by Ronnie Carrasco III
