Jess Española: Bart Simpson, the Emmy Awards and the Tocino
I was given by Inang Minda, the name of his Ima an iced-tea served in a used Chiz Whiz bottle, impeding my thirst and smiling at me in gestures that expresses acceptance. I just found a traditional courteous family in the “small” house of a Hollywood “giant”.
It was the 2nd day of May in 2012 when I received a text from an unregistered international number saying this: “Ruston,datang kung May 3, 11am ku kuldas eruplanu.Mikit ka ta karas ku Lubao” (Ruston, I will be arriving in May 3 there in the Philippines at 11am.Let’s meet when I get to Lubao). There was a sense of urgency in the request — from a person who wish a company the soonest he arrives in his hometown. I was actually expecting the message. And It will be an honor to be given a trust and to be the first person to think about by an individual who gained worldwide success and one of the most important persons in the animation industry-Mr.Jess Española.
Kong Jess as he preferred to be called who spent almost 20 years of his life in California is a native of Baluyut, Lubao and is the assistant director of the hit primetime cartoon T.V. series The Simpsons. Only few Filipinos knew that he is the First Filipino/Kapampangan Emmy Award Winner.
On the day of his arrival, as the scorching heat of the sun wiped off the Kapampangan landscapes, I drove to the address Kong Jess specified, passed through narrow streets of Concepcion roofed by the embracing leaves of mahogany trees where the newly-grown pale on the side seemingly swayed to the path where I was heading. It is with this kind of atmosphere that I began to rationalize the roots of Kong Jess’ early beginnings.
I arrived at his house almost an hour after I left Betis. The house is a typical house that doesn’t flaunt wealth. Although concrete, some parts of it are still unfinished. But the unfinished house is fulfilled and embellished with a warm welcoming of the relatives and neighbors of Kong Jess who came towards me one at a time shaking my hand. Kong Jess was very proud in introducing his Ima to me-greater than the EMMY Trophy which was at that time was placed on one corner of the terrace. I was given by Inang Minda, the name of his Ima an iced-tea served in a used Chiz Whiz bottle, impeding my thirst and smiling at me in gestures that expressed acceptance. I just found a traditional courteous family in the “small” house of a Hollywood “giant”.
It’s a wonder on how a native Filipino who grew up as a poor boy in a secluded area of this upper end of Pampanga beyond the confines of modern technology made it big in Hollywood-something any person in the 4 corners of the globe can only dream about. “My mother is a labandera. She tried so hard to meet both ends of our daily living. I remember growing up skipping meals everyday because there was nothing to eat on the dining table,” Kong Jess recalled.
Jess Española started out in animation industry after he graduated top of his class in the UP College of Fine Arts where he majored in Painting. His first gig was in Fil-Cartoons,a subsidiary of Hanna Barbera in Pasig where he served as lead animator and supervisor. His exceptional talent was immediately noticed by the company,giving him the opportunity to work in Los Angeles. Jess Espanola and his family has since moved to the States since 1994 where he was given a resident visa.
“Pa gas ke ing saken mu ne.Balu ku mal ing gas keni.Sana tanggapan me”.(I’ll load your car a gas.I know how expensive the gas here in the Philippines.I hope you will accept my gratitude)-This is what Kong Jess, a socially-aware individual said to me while we left their house and drove him to San Fernando. My intention for the drive was actually a joy-ride of conversation. We were immediately invited by the Hizon’s of Pampanga the soonest they knew that he’s already in Pampanga. In fact, the Hizon’s are only one of the many Kapampangans who wish to meet the legendary Kong Jess. Early months of this year, I already have contacts from several artists and politicians in Pampanga who wish to meet Kong Jess in person. And I wasted no time to get the Emmy Awardee to people who wanted to see him which relatively makes every Kapampangan proud to become a Kapampangan.
A conversation with Kong Jess revealed so much about his struggles,conflicting issues in life,the dilemma,of being a Filipino and a Kapampangan, the discrimination, the triumph and success of breaking and making it to HOLLYWOOD, the prestigious AWARD, the reason why he doesn’t call himself an artist despite his cosmic success and the condition of being all too human. As we passed the whole stretch of Golangco and tiptoed the heavy traffic along Lazatin Boulevard in San Fernando, Kong Jess who already had a friendly conversation with Jennifer Love Hewitt on a dinner party, a sharing of jokes with Macgyver’s Richard Dean Anderson or even a red carpet march along with top Hollywood actors and actresses revealed himself as a typical unassuming person that he is just an ordinary Kapampangan who is craving to eat tocino after all.
“I will never call myself an artist,” Kong Jess exemplified as he narrated the process of his job being an assistant director of the longest running primetime animated sitcom in the world.” I am happy with what I am doing with my job and very proud of it as a means to earn a living but my fulfillment to be called an artist will not come from animation. You can just call me an animator. But not an artist,” he even stressed.
Kong Jess understands art as a means to communicate in a more subtle and more indirect method through the use of a conventional method like painting and sculpture. His plan to do which he wanted to start immediately is to start doing 3-dimensional works/sculptures. He believes that he can only be called an artist if he will render these orthodox method where he was originally trained.
Animation in the US is the same industry as its film industry. According to Kong Jess, the competition is cutthroat as the market is technology-driven, paving the motion pictures company to look for fresh ideas coming from younger generations who can cope with the demands and technicality of the new softwares. Every now and then, softwares are being invented to make the work flow efficient-leaving behind what was used before, therefore giving opportunity to those who are up-to-date and consistent with the abrupt changes. For Kong Jess, his main competitor are the new ones since he can no longer have the knack to compete in the battleground of computer-technical skills.
“There’s no assurance that I will last longer than I expect here in my job as animator. I am all prepared if ever that time comes,” said Kong Jess when asked about his contract with 20th Century Fox Studios.
We ended our day at the Angie Hizon’s house after the the family served us a luscious dinner and a good conversation. It was past midnight when we drove back to Lubao.
As I was reminding Kong Jess about our meet up with the other artists for the coming weeks, he mentioned that he wanted to teach the new generations of children in Pampanga who have artistic endeavors for free. He remembers that when he was still a kid, he never had a drawing paper to put what he has in mind and never had a teacher to teach the rudiments of art. He only had to collect used cigarette foils so he can practice drawing.
This is Kong Jess last word to me before I left: “I want to give back the things that has given to me to poor kids who wish to become an artist someday. I know how hard it is to grow in an environment that lacks everything. But this is the way I can help them. Bart Simpson is a kid that I animated is a typical American kid who has almost everything. But the kids in my plan are no-Bart Simpson. I cannot give them an animated life full of wealth and unlimited resources. What I can give to them is to teach them how to animate their dreams and make them come true.”
