MANILA, Philippines - Comedian Jon Santos makes it look so easy when he breezes in as Vilma Santos, Korina Sanchez, even Kris Aquino in his shows. But it's not as easy as it seems.

"I wish there were a template. But there really isn't. Sometimes you prepare for a character for 2 months but you don't get the character until opening night," he said.

What he does is study each character well. "You do try to get your hands on whatever video, print, film, YouTube, research material you can to get a grip on it. Fortunately, characters that I get so challenged doing physically, I find something inside to tap into. Hindi mo kamukha pero kuha mo yung boses (like Senator Juan Flavier). Hindi mo ka-boses pero kuha mo 'yung content ng sinasabi niya from the heart. The thing is to let it register to the live audience or the TV audience," Santos said on "Headstart" on ANC last Friday.

Santos also revealed, "I never work alone. I work with a writing buddy. It's a team of artists, prosthetics experts, musical arrangers, and others. I like it when the people think it's unrehearsed."

He first broke into the comedy scene 25 years ago. "I started in the mid-80s when the political climate was very exciting. There was the new freedom from EDSA I that the artists enjoyed. The Apo (Hiking Society), Tessie Tomas, and Willie Nepomuceno opened the doors for political satire.

"I shelved the 9-5 job. Sayang 'yung election fever of EDSA I. So the first characters were Gringo, June Keithley, Tita Cory, Imeldific," Santos said.

He added his batchmates in the comedy scene then were Mitch Valdez, Nanette Inventor, Tessie Tomas, Fe delos Reyes, and Willie Nepomuceno. "A little bit ahead of Ai Ai and Allan K. A little bit before the Vice (Ganda) and Ate Glow."

Playing Ate Vi, Krissy, and Nanay Dioning

In the so many years he has been doing stand-up comedy, he has done so many characters that he has lost count of the total number.

"I suspect that the number of male characters I have tried to copy, double nun 'yun ang female. I realize the Pinay is more monologue-susceptible. They are storytellers. They are better candidates for my monologues than the male celebrities. The lovelorn Pinay, the single mom, the celebrity, the star, the politician--mas napapagsalita ang Pinay," Santos said.

"Women talk more. With the males, you either have to be a politician, a drunk, or a drunk politician," he added.

The character of actress Vilma Santos or "Ate Vi" is her favorite. "Ate Vi always has a story to tell. She can talk about showbiz, politics, motherhood, stardom, love, really for 'all seasons' -- political season or off-political season, showbiz season, awards season, back to school season, even Marco Sison. I like to play her any time of the day, not just once in a while. Ate Vi is eternally my favorite. Not just once. More than once. She will always be in the repertoire."

He admitted that he has met Ate Vi in person and the actress is happy over his impersonation of her. "Word of caution daw. Baka one time malito si Ralph, baka Ralph may take me home by mistake," he said, referring to the actress's husband, Senator Ralph Recto.

But Santos doesn't make it a point to meet first the characters he is playing or is about to impersonate. "I don't always meet the originals. Sometimes it's OK not to because you stay objective. You stay committed to your audience," he said.

Among all the characters he has played, he finds that of Senator Juan Flavier, Nanay Dionisia "Dioning" Pacquiao, and Kris Aquino the hardest.

Senator Flavier is hard to do because he can only "get" him vocally.

Jon Santos as Nanay Dioning Pacquiao, mother of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao. Credit: ANC

"Nanay Dioning because I had to learn to put on the dancer in me. I had to learn a little tango, a little swing, a little lambada. I like her as character. And I can always play her because people relate to someone whose dreams are coming true," he said.

Of the President's sister, Kris Aquino, Santos had this to say: "Medyo mahirap talaga i-impersonate si Krissy. Kasi ma-delay ka lang ng 2 days, obsolete na 'yung script mo. Napaka-current. Ang daming nangyayari sa life niya especially since she has one side of her in showbiz, one side of her in politics. Especially when you're juggling being part of the First Family, the showbiz family, this family. It's tough."

There are also other new characters in his repertoire such as Katrina Humalili, his take on sexy star Katrina Halili, and international teen singing sensation Charice.

Jon Santos as Charice. Credit: ANC

But there are the mainstays such as Korona Sanchez, Santos's impersonation of broadcast personality Korina Sanchez of "Rated K". "Korona Sanchez -- hindi puwedeng mawala na lang. Siya naman ay eternally may K. Pero mahirap i-impersonate kasi ang mamahal ng damit," he said.

The real Jon Santos

Looking back on his career, Santos said, "It's overwhelming that what I thought to be a half year off from job-hunting became 25 years of doing this."

Santos said stand-up comedy "is a little easier than just being myself."

He has been described as a worrier, a trait he thinks he got from his mother.

"I find this job very stressful because it is people-pleasing. And because of the training we get from the stage where you project and perform for that one lady at the back row who cannot hear you and doesn't care about you," he said.

Asked if he gets hurt when some people say he's not that funny, he whispered, "Yes. You know that you cannot please everybody. But because I am me, yes."

But imitation is the best form of flattery, they say, and he revealed that "what intrigues me is if someday somebody impersonates me."

His best role? It's being happily married for the past 5 years to his American husband who is into renewable energy. "He's half-Italian, half-American, but 100% Vilmanian," he said. They have a home in Palm Springs ("it's so calm") and Manila, and Santos said he likes both "because I'm for all seasons."

His husband "gets the jokes all the time. He comes to the shows," Santos said, speaking of which, the comedian has a new show, "101 Jonjemons: The Pinoy Fower List" to be staged at Teatrino theater in Greenhills, San Juan, on August 21 and 27 and September 16 and 17. In this show, he will impersonate 101 characters.