Can a fading 80’s pop culture icon turn author? It may be a tricky transition, but looking at the success of RJ Ledesma’s book Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me, RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide to Whine and Women, published by Anvil Publishing, which went into second printing a few weeks after it was released, the answer is a resounding yes.

Those who know him, or (more probably) know of him are likely to expect an unapologetically satirical exploration of his psyche—and based on the title, largely anchored on the wisdom his Yaya generously imparted during his formative years.

"This book was inspired by a great deal of childhood memories, which is why I talk about my Yaya a lot—the 80s was a blur except for Royal True Orange and my Yaya," RJ explains, referring to a commercial he did in the early 80s that sealed his fate as a definitive, albeit fading, pop culture icon. "And then of course, there were also accelerated hair loss, continued unsupervised surfing of the Internet…" he adds.

The book, available at National Bookstore and Powerbooks, is a rollicking compilation of random observations about dating in the 21st century. And as the real face of Filipino manhood comes out from behind his Yaya’s skirts, his definitive commentary on the profundity of courtship and the intricacies of relationships come to light as well. Ledesma has had a lot of experience after all—in fact, his first foray into the dating scene was broadcasted on national TV nearly 20 years ago, when he was cast as Joey in what could possibly be the most memorable Royal Tru Orange advertisement ever made.

When asked about this topic, RJ candidly says that while the subject of dating may not have caught his interest when he began his writing career, he admits that, "dating is very interesting—in fact, the most interesting thing that I can write about is human relationships, because it’s something that everyone can relate to."

Approaching it from an anthropological perspective as well as spiking it with a good dose of biting honesty and self-deprecating humor however, breathed new life into the subject. "The nice thing about humor is that you’re able to tell the truth in a way that you can accept it. Luckily I’m someone who has a very low threshold of embarrassment and can make fun of the fact that Yaya used to bathe me until I was 25," he says (hopefully) in jest.

An erstwhile college instructor, brand manager, yoga teacher, television host and of course, unforgettable hawker of orange soda, RJ today writes a regular humor column in a local daily which tackles issues about Filipino men, and is editor-in-chief of a men’s magazine.