Long ago, Kapamilya star Pokwang was a hardworking girl named Marietta Subong. With her siblings, she was a diyaryo-bote girl pushing a kariton in Antipolo subdivision and she was also a sampaguita vendor in front of Antipolo Church. She was extremely poor and showbiz fame was the farthest thing from her mind.

At the age of 17, Marietta was already eking out a living for her big family as an entertainer in Japan.

According to Filipino Musica's website, she also worked in Abu Dhabi as a dancer and cheoregrapher.

It was at that time that she experienced her "greatest tragedy," she said.

In an interview with a broadsheet and in later television features on her life, she related that when her six-year-old son was dying of a brain tumor, she was not allowed to end her six-month contract in Abu Dhabi. She also had no personal money to fly home to his side.

When she returned home for good, she worked as a singer/stand up comedienne at the comedy bar, Music Box (now closed), on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.

People generally think that the job of a stand-up comic was easy money. Pokwang says no.

"Noong nasa Music Box pa lang ako, kapag rumaraket kami, minsan nararaket din ang pera namin.  Hindi kami binabayaran kesyo wala raw kasi kaming customer. Kasalanan namin walang customer?

"'Tapos magba-bus ka lang sa madaling araw, nakakatulog ka na sa bus. Gigisingin na lang kami ng driver, nandoon na pala kami sa istasyon.

"Eksakto lang ang pera mo.  Ang dami ko na ngang utang doon sa may carinderia sa tapat ng Music Box, e. Buti na lang nabayaran ko bago kami lumayas!" she says with a laugh.

And if Pokwang did not become the comedienne she is today, she says, still laughing, "Siguro ano ako, karpentero or kusinera sa canteen."

FROM COMEDY BAR TO SHOWBIZ. Pokwang still clearly remembers the day in 2004 when she almost missed her stepping stone to fame.

ABS-CBN had its talent-search segment, "Clown in a Million," in the defunct gag show Yes Yes Show in 2004. She did not intend to join the contest until she was convinced by a talent coordinator to try it out. Even then, her self-confidence was so low that she almost backed out.

Pokwang recalled, "Alam mo ba, noong nandoon na ako sa audience entrance, uuwi na dapat ako dahil natatakot ako, e. Pumapara na ako ng sidecar, ayaw ko na.

"'Tapos dumating na 'yong taong susundo, 'Ikaw ba si Pokwang?' Sabi ko, 'Ako nga.'