Mr. Fu: Hosting is a long-time dream

By Maridol Rañoa-Bismark (The Philippine Star)

Dahil diyan, close na tayo! is a line people know well
these days, thanks to Mr. Fu (real name: Jeffrey Espiritu). The 91.5 Energy FM DJ says it with such spunk on his daily morning show, even Q-11 network bosses can’t help but sit up and notice.

They also took a fancy on Mr. Fu’s catchy way of poking fun at situations — or what he calls his okrayan moments. Mr. Fu spices up to his work as love guru on air by taking a jab at some of his listeners’ situations, their attitudes, etc. He tells a distraught wife to crack a joke for her mother-in-law to enjoy. Mr. Fu (for follow-up) takes a two-timing husband to task, not by delivering a sermon, but by naming funny situations he might get caught in if he pursues his cheating ways.

Those of us who hate being scolded — and there are many of us out there — drop our defenses and laugh along with him.

And Mr. Fu can’t be any happier. It is humor that keeps him going from morning, when he mans the radio booth, to night, when he starts hosting Tweetbiz. That’s why pounding the police beat some eight years ago was more of a job than a joy for him.

“It was too serious,” he complains.

Reporting and commenting on showbiz events is more his cup of tea. Thus, when the chance to turn showbiz reporter came along, Mr. Fu grabbed it without thinking twice. It allowed Mr. Fu the chance to rub elbows with people as free-spirited as he is.

Now that Q-11 tapped him to be one of the hosts, or “editors” (along with PMPC Star awardee for Best Lifestyle Show Tim Yap and Sam Y.G. ) of the new showbiz talk show Tweetbiz (Monday to Friday, 7 p.m. starting tonight), Mr. Fu is beside himself with joy.

“This is a dream come true,” he relates. “I really want to be a host.”

Back in college at UST, a radio career was never part of his plan.

“I got a grade of three, or barely passing in my radio subject,” recalls Mr. Fu. “I first tried radio work because I needed the money. I was hesitant since I didn’t know how to handle the technology involved in the booth.”

But what do you know — radio proved to be his stepping stone to finally fulfilling his dream.

Now that he has crossed over to television, Mr. Fu looks back at radio with the reverence of someone who knows how to respect his roots.

“Radio has taught me to speak spontaneously, to think quickly. Radio has also taught me how to gather information on the topic for discussion,” he explains.

As expected, Mr. Fu will add the zany touch to balance co-host Tim Yap’s serious style.

Turning showbiz talk show host has a price, though. Some of Mr; Fu’s showbiz friends have distanced themselves from him, scared that he might reveal their dark secrets, or their whereabouts when they don’t want to be disturbed.

“Even if I myself don’t report the incident, the show’s paparazzi can still do the job,” he says.

The paparazzi, composed of Survivor Palau’s Justine Ferrer and Suzuki Sadatsugu, Gorgy Rula, Ron Carrasco, Dansen Santos and Sebatian, will air showbiz scoops backed by video clips, on-cam interviews and photos. They will comprise three teams with catchy names: Team Yap, Fu Crew and Shivaker Squad.

There will be no sacred cows.

If Mr. Fu would have his way though, even these sacred cows will be lambasted, not through pointed words, but through humor.

“My idol as a host is Arnell Ignacio. I’ve watched him in the noontime show Chibugan Na and I hope to be like him,” says Mr. Fu.

Now you know where all that humor on-air — sometimes scathing, sometimes good-natured — is coming from. And you know why Mr. Fu, despite the deadpan expression, can get away with it.