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MICHAEL EUSEBIO A.K.A. KETCHUP BOY a Meet the guy behind the name Ketchup a Published in Youngstar Magazine March 2003
He did a commercial for Del Monte tomato ketchup when he was ten, and from that time on, people referred to him as the Ketchup boy. Now, eight years later, fairly older and taller, 18-year-old Michael Allen Eusebio is still known, not just by his ka-Berks, but by viewers as well, as Ketchup. So what does he think of his nickname? “I guess…cool na rin yun, to be named after a condiment,” he says, grinning that same mischievous grin of his alter-ego on the ABS-CBN’s new teen-oriented show, Berks, where he plays – who else? – Ketchup.
So exactly how similar are Michael and Ketchup? According to Michael, “Halos 70% yung similarity namin, eh – si Ketchup tsaka si Michael. When it comes sa barkada, yung parang, ikaw nagpapatawa lagi,” he says, admitting that both on-screen and off, most of time, he’s what one would refer to as the “court jester” of the group, as he gave justice to the three words that, according to him, best described him: unpredictable, versatile and wacky. But the similarities end there. “Si Ketchup kasi, parang, everytime, lagi nalang siyang hyper, eh. Ako, mas serious,” shares Michael. And unlike Ketchup who always tries to weasel his way out of work, Michael is very dedicated to his work and passionate about his craft. “…Hindi nila napapansin, yung sa…totoong Michael…very dedicated siya dun sa work niya, unlike kina Ketchup kasi, tumatakas sila sa trabaho,” shares Michael.
And dedicated to his craft is what he is. He started out in Musikat, an OPM musical theatre and eventually started starring in productions produced by the Gantimpala Theatre. “When I was high school, talagang sabi ko, wow, gustong-gusto ko yung nakikita ko sa plays,” he says, as he shares how he fell in love with the stage. “Sabi ko, I also want to be, that one, so, hanggang hindi ko pa natatapos yung mga dream goals ko dun sa mga yun, hindi ko titigilan. Dati nag-umpisa lang ako, mga alagad, ganun, kasi workshops, tapos yung mga taong bayan, eventually, nagiging leads ka rin. I started kasi from theatre,” he explains. Then eventually naging commercial model, and then right now, I’m doing TV shows. But, galing talaga ako sa band. I have a band,” he reveals. And so we find out that not only is Michael is passionate about acting, but music as well. In a word, “Performing. Any aspect of that,” says Michael. It turns out that there’s more to Michael than just being an actor; he’s a musician as well, and is currently in the process of forming his band, together with his ka-berks from elementary, where he’s the lead vocalist. So exactly what kind of band is this? “Alternative, he shares enthusiastically. “Ngayon, ginagawa ko yung alternative band ko. I just came from…a showband, so (I) decided nalang to form another band…yung gusto ko talaga.” He named The Goo-Goo Dolls as his favorite band, and while they don’t have any scheduled gigs yet, they’ve already come up with some original songs they’ve composed themselves.
So for a guy who’s known to be the “funny guy” in the barkada, what would people be surprised to find out about Michael? “That I’m very torpe,” he says sheepishly. “I never approached a girl…hindi ako nag-aaproach talaga ng girl. I’m very, very torpe,” he says admittedly. “It’s either papa-approach ko mga sa kabarkada ko, papahingi ko yung pangalan. Ganun.” He shares the worst pick-up line he’s ever used on a girl. “ ‘Hi! Your name is…Joan, right? Ahh…kasi I thought you were…so…ah…I’ll just go to the bathroom…’ Ganun,” he says. Apparently, it didn’t work. “Sabi niya kasi, di raw siya, eh. So parang, akala ko nung una, nag-smile siya sa akin, yun pala, hindi naman ako. Yun palang nasa likod. Akala ko, malakas loob ko, yun pala, yung mga nasa likod ko pala.” Awwww. So does he have a girlfriend at the moment? “Nope,” he replies. “Kakatapos ko lang sa isang relationship (that lasted) a year and two months.” When asked if he’s ready for a new one, he grins while saying, “Very.” His type? “Michelle Branch look-alike…and anysthing siguro, basta, as long as you have a good sense of humor, then she’s confident with her personality and her choices.”
For the moment, though, Michael is focused on his career, both as an actor and a musician. He names Epi Quizon as one of his idols. “I wanna be, something like… well, actually like him, like Epi Quizon,” he shares. “…he’s doing theatre…musicals, and then, he’s a very, very versatile actor, and now, nakita ko meron din pala siyang band. Something like that, na hindi naman siya ganun ka-main-stream ang dating. Mejo underground, na mejo pag-sinabi, ‘Ah, si Ketchup, okay yun.”
But for the moment, Michael shares that he’s happy with the way people refer to him. “ ‘Ay, si Ketchup, yun yung makulit.’ ” he says, echoing the way he thinks some people would talk about him, and how some have approached him. “Parang iba yung approach nila…parang madali kang ma-approach. Masaya ako dun, sige na. Happy na ako dun. Sige na. ”
© Valerie V. Mayuga, 2005
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Interestingly, Michael
love for music and Ketchup’s appreciation of it, depending on how he defined it,
are both one of the similarities and differences that Michael and his alter-ego
share. “Music lover si Michael. I don’t know kung si Ketchup
ganun,” he says smiling. “Puro kalokohan kasi si Ketchup. Like,
yung definition niya ng bandang magaling, is sabi niya, orchestra—yung
mga taga-U.P. na magaling. Yun pala, sila yung mga grupo ng mga bulag at mga
bingi, yung mga pipe na tumutugtog ng mga gitara.”