Who is Jon?

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In the Philippines scene, nobody is anybody until he / she / it is done by Jon Santos. Beyond imitating and impersonating -- having perfected the art of costume and make-up -- Jon becomes the person; in fact a better version of the person because it's a much, much, much funnier version. Even bureaucratic bores who somehow land on the news become hilarious, endearing creatures in the hand of Jon. Actually, in the hands, face, and body of Jon. So just think what a riot he creates with the already colorful or absurd..... Jon has been paid to be other people for ten (10) years now. He thrives on who's hot at the moment but some of his best loved characters are the classics: Ate Vi (Vilma Santos); Basana Roces (Rosanna Roces); FVR (Former President Ramos); Sherap Estrada (President Erap Estrada); Ate Shawie (Sharon Cuneta); Brother Mike (Evangelist Mike Velarde); Tita Midz (Armida Siguion Reyna); Michael (Jackson); Jolibina Walangdangal (Jolina Magdangal); Dayanara; Baby Arenas; Miriam Defensor; Imelda; and Tita Cory (Former President Cory Aquino). Jon's "Ate Vi" has become so popular that even the real Vilma Santos requested for it in her campaign rallies when she ran for Mayor of Lipa. Jon's Vilma is sweet, sincere but vulnerable; a superstar trying to be an ordinary housewife; a showbiz personality with masa roots hopelessly trying to fit in with the old rich culture of her-in-laws and the politician colleagues of her husband; a middle-age woman on the verge of "the big M" still desperate to become a mother; an undisputed pillar of the entertainment field still picking fights with Nora, her rival in their teeny-bopper, starlet days. It is such a rich material because it covers two of the Philippines favorite past times: showbiz and politics. Another rich material is Basana Roces -- the all-too-straightforward sexton. She is funny because nothing can ever shock or scandalize her and the irony is that underneath it all is an innocence that questions taboos. Jon's "FVR" is a no-nonsense president who is torn between his wife Ming and his 'open-secret' number 2, "Baby Harina". Like a true Filipino Macho, he is both proud and embarrassed of his predicament. What makes him such a rich character as well is that the real FVR is quotable and complex. He deals with political enemies and cries by making jokes about them;

and while he truly wishes to serve the country, he cannot hide the fact that he wants power, popularity, and free airfare like everyone of us. "Sherap" is, of course, out and out funny because of the real person's genuine stupidity Malapropisms and bad English galore! Jon's "Tita Midz" is a clash between old and new; real versus fake art; classical versus pop. What makes this character different from the other is the format: it can be heavily musical. And as we all know, nobody has ever really taken Armida's operatic singing seriously but Armida herself. She is a bad singer on denial. It is also very easy to understand what makes her tick: a hatred of censors chief Manoling Morato; desire to uplift Filipino movies, and a need to be respected as a genuine artist. Jon's "Mike Volare" is another show stopper. But these are samples of Jon on paper (in this case Jon on the net) -- and don't even capture half the adlibs, the brilliant spur-of-the-moment remarks that add tons to the character that he is at the moment. We don't see the costume, the make-up nor hear the voice and the delivery that keep audiences laughing for 30 or so minutes nonstop. As they say, everybody in the Philippines is a comedian. But you can count the truly successful ones in TV and live stage; but with only one finger the true and gifted impersonator -- and that is Jon.