Whoever pushed for political correctness in this world should be given the Nobel Prize.
People have always been cruel. Anyone with physical deformity is taunted by society.
In M. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage, the main character Philip Carey is born with a club foot. The girl he fancies, Mildred, is a mean person who – in a fit of anger – calls him “cripple.” She gets her comeuppance soon after when she ends up a prostitute afflicted with syphilis.
And then, there was the Elephant Man of late 19th century London. His life story was even turned into a film by David Lynch in 1980.
Here in the Philippines, Filipinos are just as mean. A polio victim cannot walk the street without being called “pilantod.”
In show business, comedians were given screen names based on perceived physical imperfections. And so Pablo Sarmiento became Babalu because of his pointed chin. Oh, he was given a love interest: Babalina, who didn’t stay long in the entertainment profession.
Three decades later came Babajee – yes, the comic with a long face - who became known through his appearances in Bubble Gang. He was Alfredo Cornejo, Jr. in real life. The screen name Babajee was taken from Viveka Babajee, the Mauritian beauty who got involved in the 1994 Manila Film Festival scam.
Both have left this cruel world. Cornejo succumbed to pneumonia in May 2020. Miss Mauritius’ death was more tragic. She committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her room in Mumbai, India in 2010.
Until the late 1960s, there was also a comedian known as Ngongo because, well, he was born with a cleft lip. Ngongo, at least, found regular employment when he was turned into a sidekick by famed broadcaster Johnny de Leon.
In 1970, one of the semi-mainstays of ABS-CBN’s Super Laugh-in was a little person named Mauricio, who was referred to as a midget then. He was, of course, always at the receiving end of jokes about the vertically-challenged people of this world where height is might.
And then came Mahal. She passed away last year and so let us put to rest all the ugly issues that hounded her in her lifetime. Mura is still around though and here’s hoping he’d be able to make a showbiz comeback soon because he is quite talented.
In stark contrast – while everyone in the entertainment world is still struggling in this pandemic season – the career of Jo Berry seems to be shining brighter than ever. Currently airing on GMA’s afternoon slot is her latest soap opera, Little Princess.
It was in 2018 when Filipino viewers became curious with Jo Berry. This was because of her primetime series Onanay. Everyone noticed her and looked up to her immense acting talent. Where did they ever find her?
As it turned out, she already had prior appearances in various GMA programs. It all started when – just for kicks – she auditioned for a role in Magpakailanman that had sent out casting calls for little people. Jo Berry handily got the part.
But who is Jo Berry?
Born Josephine Bibit Berry, she is a little person of Spanish-American roots, which explains her surname. Her mother, the former Romilyn Bibit, is of normal size. She is related to the late colonel Billy Bibit, who revolted quite a number of times against the administration of President Cory Aquino.
It was her father, Perry Berry, who actually helped boost her self-confidence. A little person himself, Perry served as Jo’s handbook to the challenges of life. Thanks to her father’s guidance, the characters played by Jo on television certainly had a lot more drama compared to her 28 years on earth as a little person.
The drama came only September of last year, but wholesale. In one swoop, she lost her grandfather, her beloved father and the brother closest to her to COVID. Even she was afflicted with the virus.
In this online site’s program, This is Showbiz, Jo Berry talks about the pain she had to go through in that dark, dark episode of her life. It is with difficulty that she discusses how her heart was broken into a million pieces when her father was returned to them in an urn. And how she had to immediately report for work in spite of the family tragedy.
What is most admirable about Jo Berry is her strength. She has the courage to face whatever obstacle that comes her way.
Her confidence manifested itself as early as grade school. That shielded her from getting bullied by her bigger classmates. Why, at age 12, she was even elected class president.
Born and raised a Makati girl – in Guadalupe – she was familiar with the cruelties of city people. But she never allowed anything or anyone to hurt her just because she is not of average height.
And she is not one to shy away from challenges. She was already quite settled in the business of outsourcing —where the money is relatively good—when she decided to try out the unfamiliar territories of show business.
No, she wasn’t just some piece of oddity trying to get into the world of entertainment. She is now a dramatic actress sparring with the likes of drama greats Nora Aunor, Cherie Gil, and Elizabeth Oropesa.
It wasn’t just luck that brought her to her present status on television. Obviously, there is a lot of hard work from her end. But she is humble enough to share the credit with her acting coach, who makes sure she delivers the proper emotions required of her in her every scene.
But maybe it can be said that Jo Berry was fortunate enough to have been born in a generation where everyone has to be politically correct – or else. These days, you hardly ever hear anyone say “unano” - from the Spanish word “enano.” Try using that derogatory term on anybody on social media and you’ll regret having been born in this world.
But Jo Berry is not about to hide under the skirt of political correctness. She herself is doing everything she could to change everyone’s traditional perception of the little person.
How does she do it? By being the best in her chosen profession.
Jo Berry has uplifted the image of little people by becoming an outstanding actress through perseverance and hard work. She brought them a sense of dignity and continues to do so by sheer diligence in her career. Thanks to her, we finally saw the day when show business no longer has to cast a little person as a clown – as a freak to be mercilessly taunted and ridiculed by a society that doesn’t know any better.
All it had to take was one Jo Berry to send the cruel circus away.
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