Screen heartthrob John Prats verbally warns that if and when provoked by a gay, he would not hesitate punching him in the same manner that he will retaliate if a guy pushes his patience to the limit.

    This is what he shared during a chat with the Manila Bulletin at a recent presscon promoting his upcoming movie "Manay Po!" In this film directed by Joel Lamangan with screenplay written by Dinno Erece, he plays the role of a screaming faggot who shaves his legs and daringly wears a swimsuit in a beauty contest.

    "Hindi pa naman ako nababastos ng kahit na sinong bading. Pero kapag mangyari yon, mananapak talaga ako. Katulad din yun kapag napuno ako sa kabaro ko, sasapakin ko din," said the 22-year- old actor who already played a gay character in "Ako Legal Wife: Mano Po 4."

    The difference between his two gay roles is that, he was a closet gay in "Ako Legal Wife" while he is described as an all�the�way�gay in this �pink� comedy to be shown in theaters at the end of this month.

    Asked if he had any difficulty dealing with his role as the outspoken Orson whose two other brothers are also gay, John implied, "Basta I just played out my role and did it because of the fact that I am an actor at maganda naman ang treatment ng mga gay characters sa pelikula. Mas loud ako dito kaysa sa first gay portrayal ko sa �Mano Po 4.� Kailangan lang na tanggalin ang inhibitions in doing roles like this."

    John Prats is fresh from his stint as a celebrity housemate in "Pinoy Big Brother�s" 2nd Edition wherein another actor Rustom Padilla admitted on live television that he is gay. In "Manay Po" (the title of which is a parody of the "Mano Po" franchise), John has worked with other handsome stars like Polo Ravales and Luis Alandy who are all portraying themselves as gays.

    Always wanting to challenge himself via handling different roles, John believes that the movie is just sending out the message that "the third sex really exists." He even hoped that the kissing scene between Polo and Luis, which he found "very passionate" had not been edited out of the movie, though he does understand that their film was vying for general patronage so it was logical that the lips-to-lips between his two co�actors had to be deleted.

    The multi�talented actor also cleared that he doesn�t mind doing a kissing scene with another man for as long as the story needs it.

    How come he hasn�t been pissed off by a gay ever since? That is probably a proof that he just knows how to deal with members of the third sex and he has a soft touch for them.

    In support of the prevalence of gay characters in Philippine movies, John seriously pointed out, "Let�s admit it, nagbibigay-buhay ang mga gays sa mundo. They�re the more creative, powerful and dominant. I think there�s no problem giving life to gay characters."

    Recent local movies significantly involved gays in their stories wherein they are played by real men � like Dennis Trillo did in "Aishite Imasu" which won him several nods from movie critics. Plus, the success of the Awards�Night favorite "Brokeback Mountain" where hunks Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal kissed and fell in love as cowboys made the door really wide open for gay�oriented movies asking for good�looking, straight actors to dress up, act, or at least feel like real gays.