SOUL-STIRRING SHARON
by Claire David, Photography by Eddie Boy Escudero
The Web Philippines, May/June 2000
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It's hard not to be star-struck once your editor announces that you have to interview the megastar. She is the epitome of a woman, a real survivor considering all the ordeals she faced in life. She raised a beautiful daughter, married a witty man, and turned out to be very successful in her profession, not just as an actress and singer, but also as a commercial endorser. Behind all that overwhelming success is a simple woman full of heart and definitely full of soul.
As she walked down the winding staircase, the room lit up with her ever-winsome smile. She wore a black spaghetti strap top with very little make up. Sharon cheerfully welcomed us to her dining room. Her house exuded an enchantment with stylish Parisian art. Candles of all shapes, sizes and scents were tastefully displayed throughout the house. Sharon sported a new look after her recent trip to Hong Kong for her Asian release album.
DIGITAL SHAWIE
Congratulations to you and Ronnie Miranda, your webmaster for www.sharoncuneta.com, for winning the People's Choice Philippine Web Award for the Film and Celebrities category.
Yeah, we were so proud of winning this award because it's a new thing to me, and you know we didn't expect it to be successful. I'm very proud, and at the same time it was humbling because you think of more ways to keep it exciting and keep people interested in the Web site. And I take a personal effort to submit my photos to Ronnie with my messages, and I write my letters when I can. We have the photo request list printed out.
Did you conceptualize the site when you were in Boston?
Actually before Boston I was already toying with the idea of having a site. Because when some people write about you, they write about what's current but they get the history wrong. They say that my first record was "Mr. DJ." It wasn't my first record, it was my second. But it was my first hit. I said better if it comes from the horse's mouth. So at least they're sure when they go there it's all real, the Web site has some words from my friends and my family, my co-workers kasi mahirap naman kung pupurihin ko sarili ko (outburst of laughter).
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That's the idea. It's thorough, and it's all there from my childhood to the present. When the Web site idea came up, I kind of really resolved to get this thing going when I was in Boston because someone created a US Web site for my concerts. It was www.mega-star.com, and not many people knew about it. They really put it up for tickets and info about the concert.
There were people writing in, and in my free time I would really just answer the mail but there wasn't much. In the first few weeks of my official site, I was really masipag and after a while I received thousands of e-mails.
The present site is called the new utterly gorgeous Sharon site.
Naks (giggles). That was in Mega. It was Ronnie, he put that there. I didn't tell him to put that.
Do you work on the concept of the site?
No, I leave that to Ronnie because that's Ronnie's expertise. He designs great Web pages. In fact, I visited some of his Web sites, the ones he created for other celebrities, and I was so impressed, and I said this is the guy I want. So you know, I could have chosen anyone but it had to be Ronnie.
What is your favorite part of your Web site?
I like the movie part with my co-stars and my co-actors, my directors talking about me. They were asked the same questions and it was interesting to read what they really thought about me. They discussed strengths and weaknesses, and all that. It was so touching because these are the people I grew up with and they are such a big part of my life.
If ever you feature a downloadable movie at your site, what would that be?
Dear Heart.
What kinds of messages do you receive at your site?
The messages that I have been getting, thank God, are really sweet. There was just one during the first few weeks of the site, one which was really obscene. Ronnie was really angry, and I got shocked. That's about it and the rest are just sweet. They ask questions about what's new, "how are you?," and "I grew up with you."
I know that your Web site has made many Filipinos happy not just here but abroad too. We can name so many people who have been delighted by the pictures you give out. Can you give a rough estimate as to how many pictures you have actually given out through your Web site?
About maybe 6,000. I have signed around 6,000 pictures. And, I have been guilty because I haven't done anything for about three months because I had to catch up with so many things. But in my shooting I just had fun signing the pictures. During my free time I'd just sit down and write while making chika.
It's asking so little of you, pasalamat ka nga they're interested in your picture even if it takes a while. I make it a point to sign those because I cannot answer all their e-mails. That's why we also try to answer all the possible questions through the site. I'm only human, and I am not Supergirl. I cannot really answer all their e-mails even if I wanted to. So the least that I could really do is send them a picture every now and then.
And I really like to sign everything personally, I never asked anyone to sign anything for me. I enjoy doing it. It's not a chore, it's not something that I have to put up with. And the mails come from all over the world so it's fun. The people here in the house help me out. They have fun just putting it in an envelope, sticking the names, and going to the post-office.
How has the Sharon Web site helped you?
Well for the first time, everybody from all over the world has instant access to information about me or the latest news about me, and that's very important. You want to keep them updated and you want to let them know when a new record or movie will be coming out or when there's a new article in a newspaper. So a lot of Filipinos in other countries, who have probably been homesick for some time, get to know this information. It also helps and somehow they can interact with each other at the MEGA forum. They can talk with each other, or fight (giggles). It's just fun, it's very exciting and very inspiring. When you see all of a sudden, huh, a fan in Sweden. It's all over and it's so touching.
From your photo captions, messages, and articles, I really liked the article you wrote about Julio Iglesias.
Yeah, I really love him. It was the least I could do because he really did something no regular superstar would do for someone who is not even of the same caliber. He's a very sweet guy and how could I forget that.
Your prose is engaging.
Really, I'm a frustrated writer.
When did you discover your love for writing?
Grade school. When I was in Boston we were given two months to do this paper which was 30% of our grade. I was taking up literary works. Ever since I've always liked anything about reading and essay writing. I've always been interested in that, and I always took to it very naturally.
I write the way I talk, so it's very natural. If I asked someone to write something and pretended it was me you would know it wasn't me, if you knew me well enough. So it was for two months and I did it over a weekend. It was a literary critique of a book we chose that had to be approved by the professor. It was the bonus second story in Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. And I said "Huh?" It was a good grade I got over one weekend because I like to read very much about anything that has to do with history, literature or these American, English literary figures.
I also like to read books about the Chinese cultural revolution, biographies. I have this new favorite author who is a very gifted Indian writer. Her name is Shoba De. And I have all her books that I ordered from India. She writes beautiful English, very natural.
I also like Barbara Gonzales, Jessica Zafra, and Julie Yap-Daza. I don't like heavy duty writing in which you have to figure out what they're trying to say. I like natural writing because it's easy reading, inspiring and it fills your soul. I always love to write, I always love to read, I can be a stockholder at Amazon.
Have you published any column?
Oh no, no, no, no. Only when I was in Boston and Ricky Lo asked me to write every now and then. I did two articles for the Philippine Star. It was a way to keep them informed.
How do you envision your site in the future?
Well, Ronnie is always the first to know about whatever's new. You know what I appreciate in Ronnie is that he is the first one to suggest whatever he thinks would be good for the site. He's so well-informed and he doesn't think twice about sharing with his clients.
How has the Internet changed your lifestyle?
The big effect of the Net on me is it opened all these doors to more information about anything under the sun. I love searching, you know, like let's see a villa in the South of France. Let's go to Provence, and then you see what's for rent and then you fantasize "Oh, some day I can live in that villa." With my e-mail, it's fun to be in touch with family and friends.
You love reading books and watching movies.
Oh yes! My love affair has always been with paper and home videos.
With the different forms of media, what are you most addicted to?
The TV. It's mostly movies because I have a whole collection of movies from all over the world. I have French movies, Chinese movies, I have also Japanese with the subtitles of course. I have the whole Jet Li collection. I don't have all my movies, but I have all of his 26 or so. That's my passion maybe because it's my craft. I'm interested in how other cultures make movies.
What is the technology tool you can't do without?
My laptops because different aspects of my life are on those laptops. And of course, my Discman. I also have a digicam because I like taking home videos, and a camera because I like taking pictures of my friends, my family, nice buildings and nice houses.
My phone I just keep to be in touch with VIVA, ABS, BMG and my friends. I actually hate the telephone. I do not like being on the phone. If I could have it done through e-mail or fax, I am so much better off. The telephone I cannot have in my ear for more than ten minutes unless of course a friend needs to talk to me, then that's fine. So it's so funny, I go to extremes. I really love technology and in the same breath I hate it.
What are your favorite e-commerce stores?
Ahhh, Victoria's Secret, Amazon.com. I wished the Gap shipped worldwide. And I still have this one where I get my Indian books, www.rediff.com. It's a good site, like the Amazon of Asian books.
I know people would also like to buy your DVD's and CD's online.
We have a store on the site that's not open yet. Ronnie and I are trying to get it all together. I am actually at fault here because I have to go by my priorities, and there are too many things that I have to do before I find the time to do that but that's on the list.
Have you ever attempted to chat with a stranger?
Never, never in my whole life have I attempted to chat. When I surf the Net I just usually go to a lot of travel and tourism sites. But if ever I do a chat, it will be at my site.
GOING INTERNATIONAL
Congratulations on your recent trip to Hong Kong. What was it like working with Andy Lau and Jim Brickman?
Thank you. Andy Lau is one of the biggest movie stars and recording artists in Hong Kong. It was really an honor, plus it's going to be my first release in the Asian region. That's why I'm with BMG Pilipinas for this album. Jim Brickman composed the duet that we sang. It will be included in Andy's album, and hopefully in Jim's album in America. This will also be included in my Asian release album with another solo song composed by Jim.
Jim Brickman is a very nice and very sweet guy na walang ere. You wouldn't think that he has so many hits because he's pretty famous and he has the loveliest songs that we Filipinos fell in love with. It was a totally new experience for me. It was so great because dalawang malaking pangalan na walang yabang. I cannot work with people who are not down-to-earth. Thankfully these guys are down-to-earth.
What was it like working in Hong Kong?
They woke me up at 5:30 in the morning. By 6:30 the make-up people and the director were in my room. By 8:00 a.m., we were already rolling and we had four locations. We finished just in time for dinner, around 8 p.m.
Does this mean that you're set on pursuing an international career?
The way I look at it is a lot of people have tried to break in to the international scene and not all of them were successful. My prayer is "Okay, Lord you've taken me this far, let's see." I don't know whatís coming but for whatever it is at least the experience of getting to work with Andy Lau and Jim Brickman is more than enough.
It's my first time, hopefully it will do well. But the rest of the album, I will have compositions by Americans and only one by my voice teacher Cecille Azarcon. The arrangements for some songs that will be recorded here in Manila will be made by Ryan Cayabyab.
LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF BEING A MOTHER
How do you celebrate mother's day?
Actually all of them are unforgettable because my brother and I would make a big deal of giving Mommy flowers and a mother's day card. And when the apos came along they also wrote letters, same with my mother-in-law.
What was an unforgettable mother's day experience with KC?
One time she went to Tagaytay with my mom and I was home that mother's day. She wasn't home yet, and I was feeling so bad. And then KC came home alone because my mom stayed in Tagaytay with her sisters. She gave me a card and I cried.
What is the best part of being a mother?
Watching this child just grow up before your eyes. It's hard for me to accept because she just turned 15. One time I wrote her and said you'll always be my little Casper baby because at that time she had little hair. It's those little things, and then you see that her personality is developing and slowly she's spreading her wings. Sometimes it breaks my heart because I don't seem to be needed that much anymore. She has all these friends and she has a whole new different life now. She's a teenager, you know the teenage years are the most monstrous and ghastly years. It scares me to death (sighs). It's funny because I just gave birth to this child, and now she's growing up before my eyes.
She's really pretty.
Thank you. That's my ambition in life, to look like the yaya of all my children. I want them all to be better looking to improve the human race (giggles).
What are your thoughts on motherhood?
That motherhood is not a bed of roses. Because I have a very strong personality, my husband has a strong personality, and my daughter has a strong personality too. So if we're not careful we're all just going to have a world war. But I think it's about being tolerant of your differences and finding a middle ground whenever you come to a disagreement.
What have you realized in raising your daughter KC?
That parents should really make an effort to really understand their children because we're more mature, we've been through more, we're older, and hopefully wiser. We can't expect them to come up to our level. We have to make an effort to understand them.
It's fulfilling in the sense that I love my daughter a lot. I love her more than life itself. You know when you're a mother, and you know that this is the one person in your life that you would really die for. If it came to that you wouldn't think twice about dying for your child. She's the only one that can claim that.
TALK TIME
Your talk show is doing quite well. Who do you consider as the epitome of a talk show host?
Oprah Winfrey. Because she's intelligent, and at the same time she's not intimidating. She's down to earth. She has good sense, and so I think people listen to her because she's credible. They respect her because she's upfront, honest, open and sympathetic. She's real, that's why I like her very much.
In the Philippines, it would have to be Julie Yap Daza. I also love Teddy Locsin Jr. because he is so sarcastic and funny. Actually he is brilliant. I admire intelligent people. They don't have to be geniuses. They just have to be witty, entertaining, and smart about what they're talking about.
My show is mainly for entertainment. I don't like to get into deep issues, that's not what Sharon the show is all about. We have all these other shows that can tackle all these deeper issues. But on a Sunday night at 6:00, I'd like to treat and entertain my audience with some music and some fun and that's why we concentrate on the lighter side.
What was the hardest interview you ever did?
A long time ago we had the Crusade Against Violence people. When we tackle a heavy topic and deep issues, of course you get affected. "Oh my, I am interviewing someone who actually went through this," a rape victim or Mr. Vizconde. But in a way you learn a lot, because sometimes you can't complain when you have problems, when you hear about what these people went through. That's one of the loneliest episodes we had. When a guest cries nauuna pa ako minsan umiyak.
If you had a chance to interview somebody from the past who would it be?
Adolf Hitler. So that I can scream at him and tell him "Do you realize how many people you affected and will still affect because of what you did?" To think that a whole race is a biological mistake is so evil. I'd like to get into the deepest recesses of his mind and see how someone can be so evil and so power-hungry. But of course I'd probably be carrying a gun.
Another one would be Princess Diana. If I could go back to the distant past, I'd like to interview Jesus Christ.
What would you ask Him?
"Lord, why are there people that are allowed to suffer, especially little children?" If my faith were not strong I would wonder if there really was a God, or even knowing that there is a God, I'd wonder if He is unmerciful because He has allowed these things to happen. But then His wisdom is far more infinite than ours could ever be, so there's a reason for everything. And who am I to complain, I have been blessed with so much. But really I would just like to at least hold His hand and just have Him comfort me. Probably, I would just cry and ask for forgiveness.
What do you think is your greatest achievement?
My personal life. I think the fact that I have an intact family, I have been a good daughter, I try my best to be a good mother and a good wife. I've succeeded because I kept my sanity in this world of ours in show business. It would be easy to be swayed by the fame and the fortune.
Now, I'm a go-getter. I'm a workaholic, and I'm an achiever. But I only give my best when I have to work on something simply because that's the way I am. I do not like doing things half \baked. But if it came to a real serious choice between my family and my career, obviously my family would come first. I would not want to watch my movies before I die. My family are the last ones that I'd like to see before I die.
And that is the greatest achievement I think anybody with any degree of success can achieve, to keep your sanity and to keep your feet on the ground. It's the most important because it is so easy to be fooled. You have to kind of remind yourself every day that it's not going to last forever. I'd just like people to remember me in a nice way. They're actors, not the perfect people that you'd expect them to be. It's a hard life.
I can just imagine.
Yes, I can just imagine what Julia Roberts has to go through. I can go to another country. At least I'm not known. She goes to any part of the world and people would still recognize her.
OF LOVE AND LIFE
Can you describe Atty. Pangilinan in one word?
Funny. Of course I can say intelligent but he's really funny. Not too many people know he is, but he really is.
Describe Sharon in one word.
Real. So take it or leave it, that's me.
If you could change anything in this world, what would it be?
First, fix the ozone layer because if that's gone, we're all gone. And then, get rid of all nuclear weapons. There will always be differences between people and nations, with just one push of the button we will all disintegrate.
I'd also like to eliminate pollution. It's so horrible now in many parts of the world, and traffics jam in the Philippines. Mainly before the world, I'd like to work on this country first. Change the Filipino idea of discipline because some of us are too relaxed, to expect our leaders to take care of all our problems for us. There are many things that I'd like to change.
Celebrities come and go and often they self-destruct. What is the megasecret of being well adored for years?
I've kept my sanity. I have seen it happen all too often to people in this business whom I respect. Because there are people I respect for who the person is, and there are some people whom you admire just because of the talent and not the person.
I look up to people who are self-made and know how to take care of their gifts and blessings because some people who have lost it all, at one point in their lives, probably believe that it would be forever. They were very irresponsible. So I was always afraid of that.
I think it's no secret, and it's just maybe the way I have been brought up. And the fact that my father started out from nothing and made something out of himself. So I'd rather deal with someone who is self-made who started from nothing, rather than someone who inherited all this money and didn't know what to do with it. So I have respect for honest work, that is what I try to give. I don't take the title too seriously. You can still be Sharon without all these titles - mega or grand slam. I do not take them home.
This is not my be-all and end-all because I have a family, not only my husband and daughter. I've always had a family. I actually just love to sing and love to make movies. People that I grew up on the set with are like my family too. It's second nature. This is my world, but still in the same breath, and at the same time, it's not my be-all and end-all. It's just something I enjoy doing.
Who inspires you?
My father. My Tita Helen. Oprah Winfrey.
You've always been an inspiration to many people.
I hope so. I hope so. But I am not perfect. I think that it has to do with a little bit of it also. You know I've had a broken marriage and all. I think it's the fact that people see something human in you who they actually just see on the screen.
I think all those years that I grew up in the public eye people were able to empathize with me, kind of felt they grew up with me. Every mother felt that I was their daughter, the lolas would feel that I was their apo, or Sharon, she's our friend or our tita. I think it's because they also saw me go through all my pains even when I didn't want to. I had to go through them publicly. So when someone can succeed still and keep one's head intact in spite of all the troubles that life throws your way. I think that's what inspires people. But really it was survival on my part, I didn't try to survive to impress people obviously. I had to survive because I had a daughter to feed. I was always scared to disrespect my hard-earned income or my work first and foremost. I have great respect for my craft and the people in my craft.
You're being real.
Yeah, itís just my attitude. I am sunshine. When I enter a room, I can't work with people who are masungit or mabigat. Life is too short. I do not want to deal with people who will just piss me off on a day to day basis. I want to be around happy people.
Can you leave us with words of wisdom that we can live by?
No one's ever perfect. The point is when something happens and you're feeling so bad about it that you want to kill yourself, you want to beat yourself up over it, you never forgive yourself. I think the first step for anybody is to forgive yourself and move on.
Your life is just way ahead of you, it's all in front of you. So just grab your chance and find what God put you here for. We all have a gift or two, we just have to find it then develop it and maximize it. And then make a difference, no matter how small in someone's life, even if itís just making a stranger feel better about something.
It takes so little to make the world a better place. If everybody did something little all at the same time, can you imagine how much better the world would be, just to care for someone and not be selfish all the time. So life is just a balance of everything. It's your attitude. You keep a healthy attitude, follow your dreams and at the same time keep your feet on the ground. And remember, always have a Plan B and a Plan C. If Plan A doesn't work out, don't go jump off a cliff. Above all, prayers, prayers, prayers, it gives us the kind of strength we will never ever get anywhere else or from anyone else.
Indeed, it was a fitting way to end the interview with the megastar. The interview was supposed to focus on her digital activities and career. But as Sharon talked, the conversation turned to discovering another dimension of Sharon and that is her emotional and spiritual side. Despite the money and the success, we all sometimes have to stop and really take time to smell the roses.
More than anything else, the truth about Sharon is that she is a real person inside and out. She is not pretentious. She readily admits her shortcomings and mistakes. One might think that all the success that sheís reaping now is because of pure luck. No, sheís just like all of us. The only difference is she is really driven to give her best in everything. Thatís the best part of Sharon, a woman full of passion and full of soul.
| SHARON'S PICKS: | Sharon Cuneta: Megastar Online! (sharoncuneta.com) |
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CNN Interactive CNBC Asia ABS-CBN The Boston Globe The Philippine Daily Inquirer The Philippine Star International Herald Tribune Rediff.com Amazon.com The New York Times Victoria's Secret |
Vital Stats Birth Date: November 12, 1998 Visits: 304,057 as of April 19, 2000 Webmaster: Ronnie Miranda of Storm Visualization and Imaging Award: 1999 Philippine Web Awards (People's Choice in Film and Celebrities Category) Future Possibilities: downloadable movies, Megastore, chat sessions |
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THE WEBMASTER WHO SHOWERED THE WEB WITH STARS
by Claire David
A BS Math graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, Ronnie started out with 3D and computer graphics. He has been involved in creating station IDs, graphics for TV shows, animated 3D titles, and computer generated characters. Ronnie was one of the early starters of the Internet industry. One of the articles written about him described his first Net experience like this: It was love at first sight when he discovered that he could instantly communicate and send files through the Internet. Some time after, he applied as a product tester for an ISP, and was soon toying with making Web sites through WYSIWYG page editors, and learning what he had to in creating his first, www.stormviz.com. Ronnie says that the best part of being a webmaster is you're creatively programming by merging the technologies in the fulfillment of your goal to express yourself. Beyond it, you find a greater purpose for the technology. The Sharon Web site started out when the megastar was still in Boston. She was playing with the idea of coming up with a site to get updated and correct information about her. She found out about Ronnie's work and instantly knew that she just had to get Ronnie to do her site. Working on the Sharon Web site was no easy task because Ronnie had to plow through the humongous collection of Sharon's work. The megastar gave general directions as to how she wanted her site to appear. She wanted something that would be fun and simple, and at the same time active and sophisticated. So how does one integrate all these qualities? A major aspect of Web development is researching and updating, so it took a thorough conceptualization process. Ronnie started to find a way to come up with a clear-cut skeletal structure for the site. And then he proceeded to categorize the site into each aspect of Sharon's life, from her personal life in Simply Shawie, to her extensive professional career that spans from her movies, songs, and TV shows in The Megastar. Aside from the content, Ronnie made sure that the site was interactive by integrating the sliding jigsaw puzzle, megaforum, mailing list and guest book. The most distinct quality of the Sharon Web site that sets it apart from the others is the personalization that Sharon gives to the site. Sharon writes the welcome letter, selects photos and writes each caption, and she also sends autographed pictures by request. The site just took a life of its own. Advertising for the site was done through search engine registration in sites like Yehey, Yahoo,and AltaVista, among others. Sharon would mention her site through her TV show but the bulk of the advertisement came by word-of-mouth. Plans for a bigger and bolder Sharon site are in the pipeline. The vision is to create a truly megasite that would fully serve its usefulness for the audience. And this is a vision of a true webmaster, and a true Web star in his own right.
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For every great celebrity Web site, for sure Ronnie Miranda is behind it. He has been known as the celebmaster for the stylish execution of the sites of Mikee Cojuangco, Charlene Gonzales, Pops Fernandez, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Alice Dixson (a.k.a. Mrs. Ronnie Miranda). What people don't really know is that aside from these stellar Web designs, Ronnie also possesses the intelligence and technical skills of a programmer, unmatched creativity of an artist, and the vision of a leader.
