Ever since his career took off in 2006 through his remarkable stint on “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 1,” in which he was named the 3rd Big Placer, Gerald Anderson arguably became one of the most awaited stars to grace the “ASAP” stage.
And eight years after leaving the show, he once again made a thrilling appearance during the April 13 episode for a special dance number alongside new-gen Kapamilya dancers, which included AC Bonifacio, Gela Atayde, Jeremy Glinoga, and Jameson Blake, among others.
A proud alumnus from Batch 2006, the Kapamilya heartthrob indeed had nothing but gratitude to “ASAP,” which he conveyed in this exclusive interview. He said, “Thank you sa ‘ASAP’ dahil sa experience to travel the world, to have the platform and the opportunity to entertain our OFWs. Thank you because itong show ay inaabangan every Sunday ng mga Kapamilya and it has been a big part of my career lalo na noong nagsisimula ako.”
Gerald is also grateful for the friendships that he had forged through the program, which he compared to a “school” where he got to see his “classmates” and friends, and they would do song, dance, and loveteam numbers. Thus, his stint on “ASAP” is the kind of experience that he would definitely treasure forever, not to mention that it has been a big part of his career.
Speaking of experience, the Kapamilya actor reminisced on how he felt really nervous the very first time that he set his foot on the “ASAP” stage after his “PBB” stint. As he put it, “Sobra akong kinakabahan.” Besides, he also implied being so starstruck by Gary Valenciano, Piolo Pascual, Zsa Zsa Padilla, among others, upon seeing them up close for the first time, alongside his fellow “PBB Teen Edition 1” housemates at the time: Clare Cabiguin, Mikee Lee, and Kim Chiu, who was eventually hailed the Big Winner.
“Kapag 17 ka’t baguhan ka at galing kang probinsya, talagang ido-doubt mo ang sarili mo kung tama ba na nandito ako. But sa awa ng Diyos, it was a great experience, and hanggang ngayon nandito ako. Kaya ako pumayag na mag-perform today kasi itong 30th anniversary ng ‘ASAP,’ and it has been a big part of my life and my career,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gerald had quite a hard time choosing which part of his “ASAP” journey is the most memorable since he actually had a lot. But in the end, he picked their out-of-the-country shows in Hawaii and Guam, which made him realize the power of the work they do and of their ability to provide entertainment and inspiration to many people. Thus, his most important takeaway from his “ASAP” stint is the impact that they have on their audiences.
Gerald capped off the interview by expressing again his gratitude to his “ASAP” family. He said, “Sa ‘ASAP’ family, unang-una, thank you for the opportunity, lalo na noong nagsisimula pa lang ako and noong mas regular ako sa ‘ASAP.’ Thank you sa lahat ng prods, sa lahat ng sayaw, ‘yong mga kanta naming. Thank you for the experience.”
He continued, “At sa mga audience, sa mga Kapamilya, please keep on supporting ‘ASAP.’ I promise you, they always give the best every Sunday. Kahit hindi na po ako kasama, alam ko na ‘ASAP’ is top quality.”
Did you have any favorite memory of Gerald Anderson during his “ASAP” days, Kapamilya?