MANILA, Philippines?With a comedy concert ?Akin Ang Tronong Ito? slated to bring her back to the live stage tonight at the Araneta Coliseum, Ai Ai de las Alas is throwing down the gauntlet to copycats, second-rate, trying-hard or otherwise.

The Inquirer caught up with her as she sat during a break in her first day of rehearsals, and we got her talking about the concert, why she decided to finally introduce her closely guarded kids to her fans, and what she feels about the new generation of comediennes. Some of her answers have been translated from Filipino.

Why are you doing a concert now?

My last concert, ?The Greatest Performance of My Life,? was in 2008. We decided to go back to Araneta because this is my 20th anniversary in show biz. I only mount concerts when there?s a special occasion. I?ll probably mount another one next year, because my birthday will fall on Nov. 11, 2011, so that?s 11-11-11. That?s a rare occurrence, so I might as well have a concert. And then we project the next one to be on my 25th anniversary.

Can you explain why it?s called ?Akin ang Tronong Ito??

The concept for the show is a tribute to the divas and kings of show biz, so that?s reflected in the repertoire, the numbers, the costumes, and even the guests, who are all show biz royalty?Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez, Lea Salonga and Christopher de Leon.

Is performing live still fulfilling for you?

Lahat na-try ko na. ?Try?-media nga. But there?s nothing like live performance, where people dress up and pay money just to see you. Parang high na high ako kapag naririnig ko silang pumapalakpak.

It?s more challenging now, though, isn?t it?

Well, I am turning 46 on Nov. 11. Madonna?s my idol, and she still mounts concerts at 51. When you?re a performer, you?re a performer. And so I go to the gym, and I get my energy from the people?s eagerness to see me. And then I pray a lot.

Why not do a retrospective instead?

Madami nang sumusulpot na bagong komedyante, so siyempre yung iba kong ginagawa, ginagaya na rin. Gusto ko naman bago. Para may bago silang magaya.

Who are you referring to?

?Di ba si Pokwang ginagaya ako? From attire to performance ? alam naman natin iyon. Friends of mine who watch her say the same thing, and she admits that I?m her idol, although I could have heard it wrong. If it?s true, flattering siyempre, because people won?t copy you if your act is awful. Panahon na rin naman kasi ng imitation ? kahit sa Greenhills, may imitation.

Does having an imitator irritate you?

The more the merrier. There will always be new acts, so your foundation has to be strong. I come from the world of sing-along bars, and we started all that. The generation now doesn?t know that we laid the foundations for what they?re doing?they don?t know they?re copying things we did 20 years ago. Salin-lahi yan.

And really, the reason why I?ve persevered all this time was because when I was coming up, I wondered why there never was a female comedian who was the bida... So natutuwa ako kung may susunod pang babae na magbibida rin. I believe this is my destiny.

You?re also introducing your kids to your fans for the first time.

Yes?the very handsome eldest, Sancho, and the beautiful and talented youngest, Sofia, have always been ?ma-show biz,? but I?ve kept them away from the business because I know it?s in their blood. And if they get a taste of it, it?d be hard to get their heads back into schoolwork.

So they have to finish school first, although this is the exception. Because this is my 20th year, it?s probably time for them to meet the fans.