Rustom Padilla, also known as BB Gandanghari, guested on TV5’s Paparazzi last Saturday, March 17.

His first live interview in years was conducted by the show’s guest co-host, Mariel Rodriguez, who is the wife of his brother Robin Padilla.

Here’s an excerpt of the said interview with Rustom Padilla/BB Gandanghari:

On his Life decisions:

“Whatever you’re seeing now, is the manifestation of how I really feel deep inside. I’ve made decisions in my life and I guess, [they’re] the best decisions I’ve ever made. It made me surer. It made me happier. It made me more peaceful…”

On speculations that he has undergone sex change:

“But I hope you will forgive me if I don’t talk more about it because whatever’s between my legs is basically my own private thing. And hopefully, my partner’s…”

“I have nothing against change… I’ve embraced my change. I’ve embraced everything and happy ako,”

On his Life in New York:

“I walked six miles in the morning and six miles at night. I do yoga, everything. Tapos there was a time na nag-ahensya ako. Tapos sabi lang sa’kin, ‘You can’t just fit in the dress. So if you think you can fit in the dress, come back to us.’ Ang lola, ‘day, kailangan na ‘yung cleansing, for 24 days. I did that. I was 140 when they said that to me. I went down to 115. Konting disiplina lang po!”

“Pag hindi ka gagalaw, walang gagalaw for you…at bawal magkasakit… I was with my dogs… I’m taking care of them. So kahit blizzard siya, ‘day, every morning, nandyan ako sa kalye’t nilalakad ko ang aso ko.”

On being an androgynous model:

“I was considered an androgynous model. Basically it is gearing towards genderless fashion. Ang dami ngayong modelo sa New York na lalake pero kinukuha sila to model female clothes… Kung ang ordinaryong babae will prove herself 100 percent, we have to prove ourselves 200 percent or even more.”