“RJ is a newspaper columnist whose humor column, "Pogi from a Parallel Universe" comes out every Wednesday in the For Men section of the Philippine Star, the Editor-in-Chief of UNO Magazine, a seasoned television, events and weddings/debut host and actor."
(Dear friends from the blogging community, I would appreciate your support for my upcoming book signing event this coming November 22 (Saturday) at Fully Booked Bonifacio Hi Street, Taguig. This article came out in the events portion of Fully Booked’s website http://www.fullybookedonline.com/fb_events.asp)
His yaya made him do it.
As a chubby be-pimpled teenager slash 80s pop icon slash alpha-nerd, RJ Ledesma was the laughingstock of his peers because his Yaya Cora was with him wherever he went, be it to the disco or to a soiree or the banyo.
RJ with his Yaya Cora
After several years and extensive psychological counseling, the tables are now turned and RJ struck back at his detractors. Newspaper columnist and magazine editor (but now a fading 80s pop icon) has written a best-selling book (his mom bought a lot of copies) from Anvil Publishing entitled “Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me, RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide To Whine and Women” about his ruminations on dating and mating in the 21st century, which collects his columns from Manila Times (“Playing With My Tools”) and the Philippine Star (“Pogi From A Parallel Universe”).
RJ takes his brand of irreverence to new lows with a book signing at Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on November 22 (Saturday) at 5pm. “Your yayas are welcome to come.” RJ added.
As a special treat, RJ will not only be reading excerpts from “Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me” but also from his next book “I Do or I Die: RJ Ledesma’s Explosive Guide to Getting Married and other Man-Made Disasters (As told to him by his Yaya)”. He will also be delivering a short lecture on humor writing. As of press time, it was not confirmed if his yaya would be making an appearance.
Rj with spiritual adviser Gary Lising
Come to the book signing slash indoctrination and find out why everybody’s jumping into the yaya bandwagon! Just check out these reviews:
“The book chronicles the author’s travails in the savage lands of the female species; one presided over by a girlfriend who won’t think twice about pummeling his man-parts with a gavel, a mother who’s amusingly overbearing, and, of course, a yaya who acts as the cackling entity looming over his manhood and the bastion of his subservience to the fairer sex…All the campy imagination makes for a riotous read…RJ writing of the 21st century Pinoy man’s concerns, from the hazards of dating and the task of appeasing girlfriends we don’t seem to deserve, no matter how smart, funny, and rightfully geeky a man is…RJ channels Steve Martin, Dolphy, and pre-duplex Ben Stiller…with RJ as our crash test dummy, we can stand at the sidelines rubbing our bellies and laughing nervously at how much of an absolutely clueless and lesser sex we are.” – Paolo Lorenzana of Philippine Star’s Supreme.
“In Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me, RJ’s strength lies more on hyperbole than irony. There’s nothing to read between the lines and all the scenes are meant to be imaginatively relished and in some instances, cringed upon. It’s evident that the author dips his foot into fiction but not only for effect: he finagles truths about the human condition – chiefly, the eternal interplay between a man and a woman – by enlarging and sculpting situations to suit his end…It’s commentary that doesn’t leave a bad taste on the mouth but interests just the same because it is so left-field, so dripping with humor.” – Carlomar Arcangel Daoanna of Daily Tribune.
“One might be fooled into thinking that the anecdotes and annotations are purely anchored on his yaya’s wisdom and female intuition…Whether it’s a sacred subject or not, RJ boldly explores the female figure in such a way that female readers are sure to get self-conscious, if not embarrassed, after putting down the book…Women, too, should pay heed to the author’s informational, albeit amusing, insights which our moms forgot to teach us in our formative years.” - Candy Veneracion of Manila Bulletin.
“The observations on pick-up lines, dating, courtship, and certain life-changing events, such as dealing with the parents of your girlfriend, are razor-sharp, laugh-out-loud (not just chuckle) funny, and most of the time, embarrassingly true.” – Gmeleen Faye B. Tomboc of ClickTheCity.com
“Rumor has it that a movie musicale based on the book (starring no les than the dashing Andrew E as Ledesma) is set to be released shortly before the campaign season of the next elections, where Ledesma is said to run for President under a platform of free government-subsidized soft drinks, a ban on all meat products and calls for an orange revolution…Kidding aside, the book delivers oodles on the science of romance such as the biochemistry of pheromones and oxytocins. It also delivers realistic situationers about romance and relationship for 21st century Pinoys – like Catholic guilt about premarital sex and skulking about drive-in motels just the same.” – Rome Jorge of Manila Times.
“It made me cry.” – RJ Ledesma.
Shock jock Mo Twister, stand up comic Tim Tayag, Dirty Old Man Gary Lising, Dirty Young Adult RJ, tv host Sam Oh, and 80s icon and Tiger head Jojo Alejar
And, what perhaps is the most important lesson RJ has learned from his yaya? According to Carlomar Daoanna. “He spirals into Dante Alighieri hell by knowing the fury connected with PMS and ovulation. I have never read anything that is as reverential when it comes to woman’s body rhythms.”
His yaya has trained him well.
Please come to Fully Booked and buy a book, RJ needs to pay for his credit card bills.
For more information on the launch, you can call Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street at (632) 858-7000/858-7036/858-7037/858-7038.
Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me is now available at Fully Booked, National Bookstore and Power Books.