Sam Milby has kept mum about the stars who have named him showbiz's closet gay in DJ Mo Twister's "Forbidden Questions" radio game—until now.
PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) brings you an exclusive interview with Sam. He answers intrigues surrounding his sexuality, "Forbidden Questions," and Mo Twister.
The Newbie. A Filipino-American teenager came to the Philippines years ago to try his luck in show business. The Buzz host and talent manager Boy Abunda advised the young teenager to come back to the country when he was older. The teenager followed the veteran's advice.
Years later, the boy did come back.
On September 2005, Sam Milby was formally introduced to show business when he joined reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother. Within a year, the "Amboy Hottie" starred in two movies, recorded a solo album, and top-billed a teleserye.
He also graced the covers of several lifestyle and showbiz magazines, including YES!, which bills itself the No. 1 Entertainment Magazine. (With reason. The YES! print order for its January issue, with Gretchen Barretto on the cover, is 133,000 copies.)
Sam has the promise of staying power and his current popularity is unquestionable.
The Heartthrob. As a testament to this young singer-actor's irresistible charms, fellow housemate Chx Alcala kissed him on his first night inside the PBB house!
Soon after, Sam was being paired, successively, with Say Alonzo, Toni Gonzaga, and Anne Curtis.
He is truly fortunate to be a bachelor—or is he?
In the closet? "Forbidden Questions" is a game celebrities play in the radio program Good Times, hosted by Mo Twister, Andi 9, and Mojo Jojo. Celebs are challenged to answer provocative questions about themselves and the entertainment industry. One of the controversial queries asks: Which celebrity should admit that he's gay?A few celebs—including Geneva Cruz, Rachel Alejandro, and Borgy Manotoc—have answered "Sam Milby."
"Honestly, I'm not affected really ‘cause that's just their opinion," Sam says in an exclusive interview with PEP. "I know what I am and I know what I'm not."
The Star Magic talent adds, "And if they want to think that, then that's what they want to think. It's not like I've got to prove anything to them. And it's part of the business. People are gonna think things about you. That's part of the business, so I respected that... so I understand."
He does object: "But I know that they don't know me personally at the same time. So I'm sure if they did know me, then they'll know that I'm really not."
Asked why he has kept mum all this time, Sam simply says: "I don't know. There's no need to fight it. I don't need, like I said, to prove anything to them."
Keeping grudges? Showbiz insiders will say that a star's bread and butter is his image, that image is often attached to what's currently acceptable, and that, therefore, a non-traditional sexual orientation can damage that image.
Sam is being built up in the image of a matinee idol. All this talk that he is not male, but female, in orientation does not serve that image. Therefore, it can bring him down in his career.
So is Sam mad at those who say he's gay?
"No," he says without hesitation. "That's just their opinion, and it's up to them. I'm sure that some people would be offended by them. There could be a lot of people, if their names come up on the show, they'll probably be offended, but for me, I'm not affected really. They can make what they want. It's up to them."
He also adds that he doesn't have anything against the controversial DJ. "Like I said, I don't know him personally. He doesn't know me personally. And that is the show... I don't have anything against him... I've never met him."
What does he think of the show?
"It will be offensive to a lot of people, obviously," he explains. "But that's what gives the show ratings. It creates controversy. That's what sells. That's what attracts people. So you know, if you're the type that doesn't care...you know, if you wanna just speak your mind, that's up to you. I don't know. It's fine."
Defenders. Sam's former housemate and good friend, Say Alonzo, has defended Sam against Mo and the show. Say and Mo have been sparring verbally for some time.
"I feel bad that she [Say] was attacked for defending me, but I'm really glad that...I don't know. She knows me, so I just feel bad that she was getting hit for that," he says.
Another defender of DJ Mo is print/radio/TV personality Cristy Fermin, who seems to have mounted a concentrated and scathing attack on DJ Mo. Of course, DJ Mo did not help things any by calling Cristy, who is known in the entertainment business as Tita Cristy, "stupid."
From Cristy's radio program and her tabloid columns, it looks like the veteran showbiz reporter has made it her mission to bring down DJ Mo. Her known allies, Jobert Sucaldito among them, have also been stepping up their down-with-DJ Mo campaign.
Meantime, it looks like the English-speaking disc jockey doesn't care a whit if the veteran reporter and her allies keep stewing. In and out of showbiz, DJ Mo has also found supporters. Mainly, these are those who find his brand of straight talk engaging and those who never liked Cristy and her allies in the first place.
Good sport. With the ongoing word-war between stars and reporters because of "Forbidden Questions," it is amazing that Sam Milby is not joining that whole hullabaloo.
Possibly, it's because even with the "gay issue" hanging over him, Sam remains one of the country's bankable stars, not to mention one of its certified heartthrobs. Or possibly, it's because his handlers have told him to keep quiet and to leave his big and powerful defenders to create the ruckus for him. Or again possibly, it's because Sam Milby is just a really nice guy.