My Sharon Cuneta Story

On the first episode of The Fandesals Podcast (available on Google, Apple and Spotify and also on YouTube), we discussed our beginnings as fan girls, where I shared my earliest experience as a Sharon Cuneta fan. Allow me to repost a post from an older version of my blog on my Sharon Cuneta story:

Back when I was a little girl I used to be a big fan of Sharon Cuneta. I was a big fan of the days when she was paired up with people like Rowell Santiago and Gabby Concepcion. I was so young then, probably in prep or first grade. I was hooked to all things Sharon growing up: Sharon Cuneta movies were a must. Sharon Cuneta's songs, especially theme songs from her films, were the ones I knew by heart (yes, even the Jack and Jill theme song, which I used to sing with my younger sister).

My father once told me that the reason my sister was named Sharon was that I had insisted on having her named after Sharon Cuneta when she was born. In a weird twist of fate, Sharon Cuneta ended up being my sister’s godmother for her confirmation (but that’s another story altogether).

There was this one time when our school had a program that had Sharon Cuneta and Rowell Santiago as our special guests. I don’t remember this but my father said I cried like crazy until they bought a bouquet of red roses that I wanted to give to Sharon on the day that she was at our school. I remember the flowers and walking up to her and giving them to her though. It was a thrill for me as a little girl, even more so when we passed her parked vehicle later that evening and saw the roses inside. I felt so proud to have given a gift to my idol.

I have been to Sharon Cuneta’s house once or twice. This house is the one she used to share with her then-husband, Gabby Concepcion. This was also when I was in grade school. My father knew Gabby and I remember he forgot to pick us up one time and my sister and I got the surprise of our lives when Gabby came to pick us up. He took us to their Alabang home and I remember asking if Sharon was there. You see, I was more hyped up that I was in the same house as Sharon more than the fact that Gabby Concepcion picked us up from school (sorry Gabby). Too bad she was sleeping at the time.

I grew up changing my hairstyle according to hers. It wasn’t always a conscious thing but it ended up happening anyway. Oddly enough when she gained weight from her thyroid condition, I did too (because I have the same thing, talk about strange). Some people even say we have the same sounding singing voice, which I guess comes from years of singing along to her and trying to copy the way she sang when I was a kid.

As I got older I have to admit that the whole super fan thing faded. I’m still a fan and I get nostalgic hearing her songs or seeing her old movies. I still get a little giddy when people compliment me that I look like her, something that I’ve been getting from people since I was in high school. They say some of my mannerisms remind them of her too. I guess it comes with starting as her fan at a young age?

I think I was in 4th grade when I last saw Sharon in person (during my sister’s confirmation). It’s been decades since I last saw her. I think it would be nice if I had the chance to see and chat with her one of these days. I wonder if she remembers the little girl in the white gown (long story) with the roses way back in the 80s. I hope she does.

Here is the episode of The Fandesals Podcast where I talked about being a Sharon Cuneta fan. Have a listen and let me know if you can relate!