PEP

Celebrities gave us enough to talk about this year, so we could forget, albeit momentarily, our day-to-day struggles.

Photo by: Noel Orsal

PEP YEAR-ENDER REPORT (Part 2): A recount of stormy showbiz issues in 2008

Karen A. Pagsolingan | PEP | January 1, 2009

JUNE. The onset of the rainy season had the entire nation mourning the death of Action Prince Rudy Fernandez, who succumbed to cancer last June 7. He was 56.

On June 17, five days after Daboy was laid to rest, Gretchen Barretto strikes again with the “credit card” incident .

The actress-host-singer had a dinner with her sister Marjorie and showbiz friends Ruffa Gutierrez and Pops Fernandez, plus a non-showbiz lady named “Jocie” at the Dusit Hotel. When it was time to settle the bill, the swiping machine declined her credit card, and La Greta supposedly uttered her now-famous line: “We own the bank!”

Meanwhile, disputes with “in-laws” also became dominated the scene.

Sunshine Cruz, who confirmed her separation from husband Cesar Montano during the early part of 2008, elevated her issues against Ched Manhilot-Cantu, her sister in law, to the courts.

Likewise, Cheska Garcia decided to sever her ties with Jennylyn Mercado, the mom of her first pamangkin. In an exclusive interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), the sister of Patrick said, “Would you invite a person who stepped on your brother a million times? No! No! Why should I?”

Another hot topic this month was the engagement of Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos.

JULY. The second major rift of 2008 involved Claudine Barretto, who had a “salon confrontation” with Angel Locsin.

The issue was brought up to ABS-CBN management, which acted as the mediator. A meeting was held last July 23, attended by Star Cinema managing director Malou Santos, ABS-CBN TV head Cory Vidanes, Star Cinema AdProm director Roxy Liquigan, Star Magic vice president Mariole Alberto, Becky Aguila (manager of Angel), and Raymart Santiago (husband of Claudine).

Afterwards, the management issued a statement: “Sa naganap na meeting, nilinaw ang mga isyung ito, kinilala at naintindihan ang nararamdaman at emosyon ng bawat isa. Naging malinaw ang lahat at nagkaroon ng kapatawaran.”

But some PEP sources rebutted this, claiming that the two ladies allegedly had a heated argument in front of the bosses and did not arrive at a resolution. There were even talks that the “salon confrontation” did happen, but the reported trigger—which was Angel’s bad attitude towards one of the staff—was a “made-up story.”

Other stories that caught the attention of the fans: Riza Santos’s “snob attitude” during the Bench Blackout event, the sudden breakup of Pauleen Luna and Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, and the birth of Danica Sotto’s first baby.

AUGUST. Major events, with tinges of contention, ruled the month. There was the opening of KC Concepcion’s first movie with Richard Gutierrez, and the birthday concert of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. Both would take place on August 27, and this did not sit well with Annabelle Rama, mom and manager of Richard.

She deemed the schedule of Dingdong and Marian’s concert as “sabotahe” and declared war against Wilma Galvante, senior vice president of GMA-7.

Another shocking news was Francis Magalona’s confirmation of his leukemia. The Master Rapper issued a statement last August 13, saying: “Ngayon meron akong isang pagsubok na dapat daanan at ang hiling ko lang ay ang inyong pang-unawa at suporta. I have been diagnosed with leukemia and I am preparing for my treatment.”

The next day, Pinoys streamed to the Medical City to donate blood for the Master Rapper.

August 16 marked the birthday of Jennylyn Mercado’s baby. The young mom gave birth to her son (and Patrick Garcia’s) at St. Luke’s Hospital via caesarian section.

The month ended with a sad news: Comedienne Zorayda Sanchez died of breast cancer on August 28. She was 57.

SEPTEMBER. See how complicated a real-life drama could get…The story began with a gap between a talent manager and her ward. According to an article published by PEP on September 10 , it was caused by “finance-related matters.”

The gap widened as the talent made a decision to terminate his contract, and this provoked the manager to file a 20-million lawsuit last September 16.

But on top of a legal tussle, the issue gave birth to another hubbub, which involved another set of characters.

Said one reporter, “Gabby Concepcion started it all. Una, sila ni Mommy Rose [Faminiano], na dinawit si Nadia [Montenegro], na nasagad din ang galit dahil nakisawsaw si Cristy [Fermin].”

The simple gap between two people turned into a major tumult, with the three women involved hurling foul words at each other. Rose called Nadia “sulsoltant” and “badviser,” and Cristy called the former Regal baby a “bangaw.”

Nadia Montenegro snapped back, but her anger was directed at Cristy, whom she described as “walang budhi.”

Another scene stealer was Kris Aquino, who made a “pa-star ka” remark on the gown of Charlene Gonzalez during a fashion show. Witnesses said Kris said it four times, and Charlene reportedly said, “Kris, do you have a problem with my dress?”

Kris said it was just a joke, but majority did not agree.

Meanwhile, we also saw some celebrities saying hello to a new phase of their life.

Lorna Tolentino finally confirmed reports that she’s transferring to the Kapamilya network. The deal was inked last October 19, and one of the terms mentioned a television soap with Gabby Concepcion.

Dennis Trillo announced his breakup with Cristine Reyes. Ironically, the Gagambino star never was upfront in defining his relationship with the female lead of Eva Fonda. Both are now focused on their careers.

Last September 28, Vina Morales admitted her pregnancy. She did not talk much due to the complicated status of her relationship with the dad of her baby, but one thing’s sure, she’s very happy and excited to embrace  motherhood.

On a separate note, a part two of Gretchen Barretto’s reported ouster from the Dasmariñas Village mansion of her partner Tonyboy Cojuangco resurfaced last September 19 in the column of Ricky Lo. But PEP, with the help of three different sources, deduced: “She is still there and she never left.”

And lastly, Riza Santos’s “attitude problem” strikes again, and this time, it concerned her “tardiness.” The former Ms. Earth-Canada got the flak from the former Miss World Second Princess Ruffa Gutierrez, her co-star in I Love Betty la Fea.

OCTOBER. This is perhaps the busiest month of the year, so many things were happening at the same time. There was a breakup, a controversial suspension, an altercation in a bar, two reconciliation stories, and another baby boom.

Let’s start with the Dingdong-Karylle split, which is the most-read breakup issue of 2008. PEP posted the article titled “Confirmed: Dingdong and Karylle breakup; Denied: Marian as third party” last October 29, which was a month prior to the day Dingdong was spotted watching Karylle’s theater performance in West Side Story, and a few weeks before Karylle’s television interview, where she dismissed breakup rumors.

Insiders say the announcement was made two or three months after the actual date of their breakup. Some claimed Dingdong and his leading lady Marian Rivera had been dating already. But the two denied the allegations.

Cristy Fermin’s suspension, which was served last October 15, was another controversial story. The official statement of ABS-CBN about the issue read:

“Ang suspensyon ng talent contracts ni Ms. Fermin sa ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation ay may kaugnayan sa mga naging pahayag niya sa episode ng The Buzz noong October 5, 2008. Ang aksyong ito ni Ms. Fermin ay lumabag sa ilang probisyon ng kanyang kontrata.

“Sa pananaw ng kompanya, nadamay ang mga batang walang kinalaman sa kontrobersya sa kanyang pahayag.

“Nalabag din ng aksyon ni Ms. Fermin ang mataas na batayan ng propesyonalismo at integridad sa pamamahayag. Ito ay nagdulot ng kapinsalaan hindi lamang sa kanyang pangalan at kredibilidad, kundi sa programang The Buzz at sa ABS-CBN.”

The major puzzlers here: What fueled the “all-out war” between Cristy and Nadia? Why did Cristy join Rose Flaminiano in lambasting Nadia in her tabloid columns? Why did Nadia describe her as “walang budhi?”

Some showbiz denizens asserted that the Gretchen-Dody affair was the root of their rift. PEP featured the two women and their versions of the story. (CLICK THESE LINKS TO VIEW THE STORIES: NADIA and CRISTY.)

Richard Gutierrez’s near-brawl incident with StarStruck graduate Aljur Abrenica last October 18 at the Fiamma bar in Makati City launched more than a thousand comments from the PEPsters. Only a few media and press outfits touched the story, so showbiz fans relied on PEP for the detailed account.

Initially, Richard dubbed the issue an “invented rift.” He did not deny that there was some hostility between him and Aljur because the latter “barged in” on him and his friends, sat down, and drank with them when he was clearly “uninvited.” But all he did was ask the newbie to “leave the table politely.”

But several sources , including Aljur —who broke his silence almost one month after the incident happened—said there was really a confrontation and that Richard slapped Aljur’s head twice.

Simultaneously happening with the Fiamma bar incident was the “historical” reconciliation of Joey de Leon and Willie Revillame, which took place at the Embassy Super Club. After more than a year of a very public word war, the two hosts decided to bury the hatchet.

Joey said, “Tama ang sabi ni Willie, mga tuksuhan lang ‘yan. Kaya lang, yung dalawang co-hosts mo [to Willie], paliwanag muna nila kung bakit nakikiiyak sa ‘yo?”

Willie quipped, “Alam n’yo naman kami, artista! Ikaw nga ang nagturo sa akin niyan. Pero alam mo, hindi ba na-suspend ako, pero noong na-suspend ka, nakidalamhati rin ako!”

Likewise, in a PEP Exclusive, Gabby Concepcion told PEP about his ex-wife Sharon Cuneta: “Sharon and I are friends now. It’s different. When my dad died, things have changed. You know, time has a mysterious way of healing things and I think it’s happening.”

The fourth pregnancy news this year was announced by Angelika dela Cruz. She said, “I am pregnant. I’m very happy and I am very proud.” The La Lola co-star also related that she and her boyfriend already got married last August 19.

NOVEMBER. After the “hiwalayan issue,” Sharon Cuneta found herself facing the persistent rumor about Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s “other woman.” And this time, she dealt with the intrigue in a more forthright manner.

She said half-seriously and half-jokingly, “Di ba, parang ini-insist nila? Humihingi ako ng pruweba, kahit five to ten million cash, ipabibigay ko doon sa tao. Nakakairita! Pengeng ebidensiya! Sige, isasanla ko asawa ko, magbibigay ako ng cash!”

Heart Evangelista became the center of attention when her paparazzi photos with new beau Francisco Delgado in Boracay circulated. Last November 12, the Luna Mystika star affirmed what the photos insinuated, and told the press, “Yes, I think I’m in love.”

Jennylyn Mercado’s comeback was greeted by a rumpus, allegedly caused by her manager Becky Aguila and her former road manager Mel Pulmano.

The single mom found out that somebody forged her signature and rediscounted checks on her behalf. Initially, tabloids dropped the name of Mel as the culprit.

In exclusive interviews with PEP, the former staff of Becky said she was just a messenger. In phone conversation with her last October 30, she stressed: “Hindi ako authorized na mag-withdraw. Alam ni Jennylyn na manager niya ang humahawak ng kanyang pera. Minsan, inuutusan ako bilang representative ni Becky.”

In response to Mel’s statements, Becky retorted: “Ang pagkakamali ko lang, naging mapagtiwala akong masyado at ipinaubaya ko ang pagha-handle ng talents sa mga handlers. Kung may ginagawa akong hindi maganda sa mga talents, tulad ng ibinibintang ni Mel na ako ang gumagalaw ng pera ng mga talents ko, bakit nasa akin pa rin silang lahat?”

Becky filed 19 counts of Qualified Theft, five counts of Qualified Theft Thru Falsification of Documents, at Falsification of Commercial Documents at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s office.

On Mel’s part, “Nagsampa ako noong October 12 sa DOLE, sa Department of Labor. Idinemanda ko si Becky ng illegal dismissal, salary wage, overtime pay, holiday pay, holiday premium, rest-day payment, 13^th month pay, separation pay, non-payment, and moral exemplary damage, and attorney’s fee…”

On a separate note, two socialites made headlines due to a pepper spray incident, which transpired at Embassy Fly last November 19.

Patricia Panlilio-Cu-Unjieng, a former model and the daughter of the late jeweler Fe Panlilio, allegedly used pepper spray to hurt stockbroker and fellow socialite Neny Montinola.

Actresses Maricar de Mesa and Angelu de Leon became witnesses and women of the hour that night. The two rushed the pepper-spray victim to the hospital.

The last item to earn a spot in the hot list of PEPsters was Karylle’s transfer to ABS-CBN. Her new management STAGES told PEP last November 7:  “Karylle, warmly welcomed by ABS-CBN executives Cory Vidanes and Deo Endrinal, will be seen in ABS-CBN’s musical variety shows, and soap operas.  She is set to record a new album, and reprise her critically-acclaimed portrayal of Maria in STAGES’ production of hit Broadway musical, West Side Story, in 2009.”

DECEMBER. A victory, an unexpected demise, a messy breakup, and reconciliation marked the ending of 2008.

December 7, people both rejoiced and grieved over Manny Pacquiao’s win in his Dream Match against Oscar Dela Hoya in Las Vegas, and Marky Cielo’s death.

The latter became this year’s most read, and perhaps, most shocking showbiz news. Nobody saw it coming.

His death was shrouded in controversies.

First was about its cause. GMA Artist Center, Marky’s family, and Antipolo Doctor’s Hospital cited “bangungot.” Some claimed “suicide.” A few said there was a “foul play.”

PEP was able to gather different versions of the story. Initially, there was the “gay benefactor issue,” which was overshadowed by a “love triangle angle,” which was reportedly dismissed by the lady involved. The last feed claimed that “foul play” killed the 20-year-old StarStruck Batch 2 Sole Survivor.

The second controversy was wreaked by the network war. Despite the family’s requests for privacy, some news programs of ABS-CBN showed a tight shot of Marky inside his coffin.

Mildred Cadaweng, mom of Marky, tearfully said in her Startalk interview: “Nagtaka naman ako nang nalaman ko na lumabas sa news, nandoon yung mukha niya [Marky], kung saan, paulit-ulit akong nag-e-explain at humihingi ng paumanhin kung bakit ayaw naming pakuhanan ng picture… Bakit ginawa nila yun? Talagang masakit ang loob ko dun.”

Marky was laid to rest last December 15 in Mountain Province.

Just before the Christmas break, the split of Dra. Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho became the talk of the town. The beauty doctor, to date, has never said a word about the issue. On the other hand, the former Celebrity Duets contender regretfully admitted that he had a suicide attempt and an affair with Katrina Halili.

Last December 29, Katrina affirmed Hayden’s statement but she stressed that the breakup of Dra. Vicki and Hayden was caused by several factors. “Kung naghiwalay sila, maraming ibang bagay ‘yon. Huwag naman pong ako lang. Maraming ibang bagay, ang baduy naman na hiwalay sila dahil sa ‘kin lang e, ang tagal-tagal nang wala,” asserted the StarStruck alumna.

Raymond Bagatsing’s wedding in Los Angeles, California also caught the Pinoys by surprise. The age difference had most PEPsters talking—the 35-year-old award-winning actor married a 60-year-old Pinay columnist named Cora Pastrana.

Four more stories diverted our attention from the holiday rush: Didith Reyes’s death, Marian Rivera’s tearful interview due to the “plastikada” comment of a member of the showbiz press and Karylle’s “pa-smile-smile” on the “buntis issue,” and the squaring off of Annabelle Rama and Wilma Galvante last December 3 at Los Angeles Airport, and of Neny Montinola and Patricia Panlilio just before Christmas.

In total, suki PEPsters read and talked about more than 4,300 news items posted by PEP contributors and writers, but we recounted only the news items which made it to the Top 50 Most Read list per month.

The intent was neither to relive any kind of pain nor resurrect old issues. We just want to portray that celebrities are just like us ordinary people—they get hurt, they cry, they get excited, they laugh, they get mad, they argue, they make wise decisions, they make mistakes.

We get to witness almost everything they do and say. We talk about them. We take sides in the issues. We support them. We laud them. We ridicule them. Showbiz has given us a lot of things to do all-year round.

It’s high time to thank the newsmakers who became our source of entertainment, and the Pinoy showbiz fans in the different parts of globe who patronized their stories.

Ang 2008, pinutakti ng bagyo, pero hindi yata natin ininda. Masarap kasing isipin na sa tuwing natatapos ang ulan, muling sisikat ang araw. Maligayang pagdating 2009!

Star Ngayon (1)

Intrigang pinag-usapan sa 2008
Ni Salve V. Asis | Pilipino Star Ngayon | December 31, 2008 12:00 AM

Pahabol n isyu ng taon, katrina umaming nagkamali

Nababawasan man taun-taon ang pelikulang Tagalog na ipina­la­labas, hindi naman nababawasan ang intriga, lungkot, saya at kulay ng show­biz.

Bago matapos ang taon, maraming nakakaaliw at naka­ka­baliw na pangyayari na hindi pinagsasawaan ng mga mahilig sa showbiz tsismis.

Bago pa man matapos ang taon ng mga Daga, humabol pa sa ma­raming kuwento ang paghihiwalay nina Dra. Vicki Belo at Dr. Hayden Kho. Hindi man sila artista sa pelikula, kinamulatan na ang pagiging bahagi nila sa showbiz at dawit pa ang pangalan ng sexy actress na si Katrina Halili na umamin sa GMA 7 news program na nagkamali lang siya nang patulan niya si Dr. Hayden.

Umamin na si Katrina sa sandaling relasyon nila ng doctor kaya ma­tatapos na ang usapan. Sinabi na rin ng anak ni Dra. Belo na si Crystalle na walang balikan sa pagitan ng kanyang mommy at Dr. Hayden. “Thank God,” sabi ni Crystalle.

Hindi na rin konektado ang bagets na doctor sa mga pag-aaring clinic ni Dra. Belo.

Nadawit din sa hiwalayan si Rufa Mae Quinto, pero agad niyang kinontra.

Fans Nina Karylle At Marian Nagbabangayan

Bagama’t humupa na ang kuwento tungkol kina Karylle, Ding­dong Dantes at Marian Rivera, nagbabangayan pa rin ang fans ng dalawang aktres. Hindi pa rin matanggap ng fans ni Karylle ang nangyari – dahil ang alam nila, si Marian talaga ang dahilan ng hiwa­layan ng kanilang idolo at ni Dingdong.

Kesyo kung noong isang taon daw ay si Karylle ang kasama ni Dingdong ng Christmas eve, last Christmas daw si Marian na ang kasama nitong nagsimba.

Wala mang inaamin sina Dingdong at Marian, hindi na raw kaila­ngang magsalita ang dalawa na may relasyon nga sila.

Si Karylle naman pagkatapos nilang maghiwalay ng aktor at kumanta sa laban ni Pacman, pumirma ito ng kontrata sa ABS-CBN, tinalikuran ang pagiging Kapuso.

Sa rami nang naghiwalay na showbiz couple, sila Karylle at Dingdong ang nagkaroon ng malaking isyu although pinag-usapan din ang paghihiwalay nina Sam Milby at Anne Curtis na balitang relihiyon ang dahilan, Jericho Rosales at Heart Evangelista, Dennis Trillo at Cristine Reyes.

Isyu Ang Pagbubuntis

Isyu pa rin ang pagbubuntis ni Vina Morales dahil hindi agad niya binanggit ang ama ng kanyang dinadala. Pero naging maayos din naman ang lahat dahil naklaro na hiwalay na talaga ang negosyanteng boyfriend ng singer/actress at inaayos na ang annulment bago sila pakasal. Pero may ibang anggulo raw.

Nanganak si Jennylyn Mercado na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa nakikita ng amang si Patrick Garcia ang bata. Kasama sa mga nagluwal sila Sheree, Alicia Meyer na ayaw pangalanan ang ama ng anak, Aubrey Miles (kay Troy Montero).

Buntis sa kasalukuyan sina Jaya, Dawn Zulueta (hindi na nakakagulat dahil asawa niya si Cong. Anton Lagdameo), Mylene Dizon (buntis sa ama ng una niyang anak pero wala naman daw silang relasyon), Nancy Castiglione (hindi mabanggit ang pangalan ng boyfriend) at Angelika dela Cruz (na kasal na pala bago pa umaming buntis.)

Panalo Ni Pacman May Kasabay Na Kalungkutan

At habang nagsasaya ang buong bansa sa panalo ni Manny Pacquiao ilang linggo lang ang nakakaraan, nagulantang naman ang buong bayan sa biglaang pagpanaw ni Marky Cielo, ang Kapuso aktor na isang Igorot. Hindi inaasahan ang biglaan niyang pagpanaw na hanggang ngayon ay marami pa ring nag­tatanong kung ano ba talagang rason ng kanyang biglaang pag­kamatay lalo na nga’t may isyu na umano’y nagpakamatay siya. Si LJ Reyes ang sinasabing may alam ng lahat ng kuwento.

Goodbye Daboy…

Pero hindi makakalimutan ng lahat ang pagkawala ng isang masasabing haligi ng industriya ng showbiz na si Rudy Fernandez ngayong taon.

Bagama’t handa emotionally ang kanyang mga kaibigan at pamilya dahil nga sa kanyang sakit, nagluksa ang buong bayan sa kanyang pagpanaw.

Dinagsa ng libu-libong tao ang kanyang burol. Galing pa sa iba’t ibang probinsiya ang karamihan. Doon naramdaman ng kanyang pamilya – Lorna T. at mga anak – ang pagmamahal sa kanila.

Kasamang ‘namaalam’ ngayong matatapos na taon sina Didith Reyes, Direk Khryss Adalia, Zorayda Sanchez, Gilbert Perez, Abbo dela Cruz, Tiya Dely Magpayo at Lou Salvador Jr.

Sanga-Sangang Kuwento Pagbalik Ni Gabby

Nagdagdag ng kulay ang isyu kay Gabby Concepcion na pagkatapos ng 13 years ay nagbalikbayan. Pero sa simula pa lang ay intriga ang binalikan – hindi natuloy ang project niya with Jolina Magdangal sa GMA Films dahil bigla siyang nagkakontrata sa ABS-CBN sa tulong ng manager niyang si Rose Flaminiano. Pero hindi nagtagal ang pagsasama nila ni Mrs. Flaminiano dahil nauwi ang lahat sa demandahan. Gustong magpa-release ni Gabby sa manager sa issue ng pera at nadawit si Nadia Montenegro na nakabangga ni Cristy Fermin na kaibigan ni Mrs. Flaminiano.

Naging masalimuot ang issue na siguradong mauungkat pa rin pagpasok ng taon.

Big Deal Sa Showbiz

Hindi man artista, big deal sa showbiz ang pagkakakidnap kay Ces Drilon ng mga rebeldeng Muslim. Matagal-tagal ding pinag-usapan dahil sinasabing ‘nagalaw’ ng mga bumihag ang broadcaster. Pero nagsalita ito na walang nangyaring ganun.

Mainit Na Isyu Ng Hiwalayan

Mainit din ang issue ng hiwalayan nina Megastar Sharon Cuneta at Senador Kiko Pangilinan. Pero walang may alam ng totoong kuwento dahil walang nagsasalita sa mag-asawa maliban sa mga kamag-anak nila na walang katotohanan ang lahat na may ibang babae ang senador na wala na sa bansa at naayos ang birth certificate ng mga sinasabing anak nito sa labas.

Dagdag kuwento...

Isa pang nakadagdag sa saya ng showbiz si Gretchen Barretto. Walang tigil ang issue sa kanya at sa partner niyang si Tonyboy Cojuangco. Pero ang ending, sila pa rin at magkasama sa iisahang tirahan.

Marami pang kung anu-anong kuwento sa showbiz sa pagtatapos ng taon.

Mga kuwentong siguradong mauulit lang sa darating na taon.

Bulletin

The 10 biggest news of 2008

Manila Bulletin | December 28, 2008

By KAYE VILLAGOMEZ

Compared to 2007, the year that’s just about to end is a relatively tamer one. Its predecessor was a more scandal-fueled one.

Still, there are news that screamed blacks and bolds on headlines and talks that peaked wherever at certain periods of 2008.

A few days before we call 2008 the year that was, here’s a showbiz rewind:

10. Stars with new babies. Kicking it off on a positive note, many celebrities gave birth this year. Jennylyn Mercado gave birth in August to her and Patrick Garcia’s baby boy. She named the baby Alex Jazz Mercado. Other celebrities who are enjoying new bundles of joy are: Camille Prats, Eda Nolan, Jeni Hernandez, Sheree, Danica Sotto, Gladys Reyes, Alicia Meyer, Inah Revilla, Sex Bomb Dancers Weng Ibarra and Evettte Pabalan and Aubrey Miles. Next year, the following are expected to give birth: Nancy Castiglione who is carrying twins; Manilyn Reynes with her third with hub by Aljon Jimenez; Angelika dela Cruz with her first with non-showbiz husband; and Vina Morales.

9. Big hookups. On screen, the biggest hook-up was that of Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion. Throughout TV history and since the network war became the axis by which showbiz anchored its business, there was hardly a thing that GMA7 and ABS-CBN agreed upon save for calling a ceasefire just to pair Richard (who’s from GMA) and KC (of ABS-CBN). The otherwise warring networks agreed to lend their contract stars to the other station with Richard starring with KC in the Star Cinema blockbuster “For the First Time” in exchange for KC joining Richard for a coming Valentine flick under GMA Films. Richard and KC looked too good together that public started believing there might be something more than the sealed movie deals. Realistically speaking, the two never admitted to anything, as they seem to be just doing their jobs as a screen couple.

The real thing: Off-screen, the following spoke their wedding vows this year: Joyce Jimenez with Fil-Am boyfriend Paul Eli Egbalic on Aug. 23; Camille Prats and Anthony Linsangan on Jan. 5; James Blanco and Tania Creighton on Feb. 8; RJ Ledesma and Vanessa Pastor on Mar. 9; Inah Revila and Vince del Rosario on May 28; Jude Eastrada and Rowena Ocampo on June 2; Bernadette Sembrano and Emilio Aguinaldo IV on June 12; Cheska Garcia and Doug Kramer on Oct. 9 and Angelika dela Cruz and Orion Cesareo.

8. E-heads concert cut short. On Aug. 30, some 50,000 concert fans trouped to the Bonifacio Open Field in Taguig City to witness what they never thought would happen — an Eraserheads reunion concert. It did not matter that the concert grounds did not have seats to rest the audience’s tired feet as some have waited as early as 5 p.m. But to everybody’s surprise, and later grave cause of concert, the concert was cut short after only 15 songs (when there are supposed 15 more numbers to essay the rich catalogue of the most successful band in local music scene). E-heads frontman Ely Buendia nearly collapsed on stage and was rushed to the hospital due to chest pains. Moments later, Ely’s former bandmates Raimund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro and Buddy Zabala went back on stage with Ely’s sister to announce that the concert had to be stopped because of Ely’s condition and asked the audience to join them in prayer for Ely’s recovery. Apparently, the overwhelming response of the crowd and dealing with his mother’s recent death at the time were too much for Ely’s heart. He underwent angioplasty again before recovering fully.

7. Word wars. Showbiz 2008 got its annual dosage of word wars via TV and print exchanges. Some were eventually resolved like that of Alfie Lorenzo and ward Judy Ann Santos. Alfie unleashed a mouthful when Juday left the country with her friends without him knowing. Alfie threatened to expose things about the actress while reports circulated that Juday already hired lawyers to look into her career deals. Juday later apologized and said it was just a conflict like those between parents and their offspring. It was also manager-talent conflict that scarred the relationship of Rose Flaminiano and Gabby Concepcion. The actor questioned the way his manager was handling his deals and the issue went way out of hand that Gabby’s confidante Nadia Montenegro got into the mess. As an aftershock of this issue, Cristy Fermin (who is a friend of Mommy Rose) was suspended by ABS-CBN after the network found her comments on “The Buzz” about Nadia Montenegro’s children unfit. Her contract was suspended until its date of expiration.

In other exchange of mouthfuls, Rufa Mae Quinto and Jessa Zaragosa had their run with talk shows left and right. Anabelle Rama had her share of conflicts with Lolit Solis (whom she felt was maligning daughter Ruffa Gutierrez while defending Lani Mercado when the latter reportedly snubbed Ruffa at the wake of Rudy Fernandez) and GMA7 exec Wilma Galvante (when she felt GMA is favoring Dingdong Dantes whose concert with Marian Rivera happened the same night Richard and KC’s movie premiered). Richard Gutierrez and Aljur Abrenica reportedly clashed while in a bar. Richard said it was because Aljur joined his and his friend uninvited so he politely asked him to leave. Aljur denied Richard’s allegations. Another angle being speculated on is Richard’s alleged relationship with Jewel Mische and that it was just a case of jealousy. Speaking of Jewel Mische, she claimed she had been elbowed by Bubbles Paraiso. Bubbles denied anything of it happened.

6. Big breakups. When Jennylyn Mercado and Patrick Garcia announced their intention to get married in late 2007, nobody thought that the relationship would end sooner than expected. Jen was still pregnant with Patrick’s baby when they parted ways this year. To this day, even after a few months after Jen gave birth, Patrick has yet to see his son. The first Starstruck female winner closed her doors on the Patrick whom she felt went for the exit door at a very sensitive time in her life. Other controversial breakups were that of Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista and Anne Curtis and Sam Milby. Roxanne Guinoo and Jake Cuenca also ended it as well as Bea Alonzo and Mico Palanca. Relationships between Lovi Poe and Jolo Revilla and Paolo Contis and Isabel Oli have also ended. However, one breakup was too controversial, it deserved a later slot in the countdown, so read on…

5. Claudine vs Angel. Slicing the countdown into half was the alleged salon scandal between Claudine Barretto and Angel Locsin. Like classic queen bees protecting territories, the two were reportedly seen and heard going at it. ABS-CBN later patched things up by setting up a meeting between the actresses and their camps. In a rare showbiz conflict, the issue was resolved even before it blew up into a full-blown scandal.

4. Marky Cielo’s death. On Dec. 7, 20-year-old actor Marky Cielo died at dawn in his home in Antipolo City. It is shocking in itself that a life as young and full of promise as Marky’s ended in an untimely demise but what was even more shocking are the talks that surround his death. Marky’s family refused to disclose the cause of death. Early reports claim he died in his sleep but when his mother Mildred Cadaweng told of a problematic son the night before he died and Marky’s friends from showbiz saying that he could have talked to them if he had problems, lines were read in between the messages. Speculations on suicide spread like wildfire. To this day, the reason remains undisclosed.

3. The Marian-Dingdong-Karylle triangle. As promised, the most controversial break-up of the year was the one with unknown reasons to this day. Dingdong Dantes and Karylle ended some three years of being together. Because Dingdong and Karylle refused to tell what brought the split about, speculations kept brewing that a third party was involved in the person of Dingdong’s screen pair Marian Rivera. Marian denied she had anything to do with the split and Dingdong (who himself is a newsmaker on a positive light having been named E! Channel’s third sexiest man in the world) supported this claim. Even Karylle told in interviews that the reason is something only she and Dingdong knows. But the issue would not die. Over the recent days, Karylle moved to ABS-CBN for a fresh career start and while rebuilding there, she was asked a question that she unintentionally answered with a smile and caused Marian to be offended when asked about this in a press conference recently.

2. Gabby’s comeback. One of the most ground-shaking news was the return of matinee idol Gabby Concepcion to local showbiz. Gabby’s return spawned possibilities for die-hard Sharon-Gabby fans since he returned a Kapamilya, where ex-wife Sharon Cuneta and daughter KC Concepcion are under contract with. But Sharon quashed any ideas of a possible project together. The Megastar (who herself has been hounded by rumors of troubled marriage with Sen. Kiko Pangilinan) said it’s best if they don’t do something together because she and Gabby have their respective families and partners now whose welfare should come first.

1. Daboy passes away. Junior Action King Rudy Fernandez succumbed to pancreatic cancer after a long and hard-fought battle with the C. The entire show business mourned the loss of one of the most celebrated icons in local cinema. Daboy’s passing was made even bigger because the public was not only focused on his death but how his wife Lorna Tolentino coped with it. Many said Lorna did it with much grace under heavy grieving. Lorna later explained that she had it all bottled up and up to now lives it one day at a time.

Star

2008 marked by Bombshells Baby Boom and Break-ups
By Ricky Lo Updated December 28, 2008 12:00 AM

2008, Year of the Rat, ended the way it started — on a sad note.

In early January, the showbiz world was shocked by the discovery of Heath Ledger, 28, dead in his sleep in his New York apartment due to what was later confirmed an overdose of prescription drugs. Ledger is being touted as a shoo-in for the Best Actor plum in next year’s Oscars for his landmark performance as The Joker in Batman The Dark Knight.

In early December, the showbiz world was rocked by a similar tragedy when StarStruck Marky Cielo, 20, was found dead one Sunday morning while everybody was glued to their TV sets, cheering Manny Pacquiao “Right on!” in a non-title bout with Mexico’s Oscar de la Hoya until his eighth-round victory. Up to now, mystery continues to surround Marky’s untimely death.

Here in capsule form are the headliners of 2008:

Rudy Fernandez succumbs to the Big C.

The country’s most amiable, most wholesome and most friendly action superstar ended his brave two-year battle with pancreatic cancer in June, leaving a void that may take years to fill up. The whole country mourned his passing along with his wife Lorna Tolentino (the epitome of grace in grief) and their sons Ralphe, Renz and Mark Anthony.

Other fond farewells: Lou Salvador Jr.; Tiya Dely (Magpayo); directors Felix Dalay, Gilbert Perez, Abbo dela Cruz and Khryss Adalia; actress Joy Soler; producer Cirio Santiago; comedienne Zorayda Sanchez; singer Didith Reyes; and movie writers Billy Balbastro and Gil Villasana.

The Gabby Concepcion factor

Who would have thought that Gabby Concepcion’s much-awaited homecoming from his 13-year “exile” in California would stir up an Intensity-10 shaker? The boyish ’80s Regal Baby got entangled in a court case filed by his manager, Rose Flaminiano. Together, they dragged into the mess other people, including Gabby’s friend Nadia Montenegro and Flaminiano’s “defender” Cristy Fermin who was slapped with a three-month suspension by ABS-CBN in the process. Nobody emerged a winner from the “free-for-all.” The loser? Gabby’s ailing father Rollie Concepcion whose heart condition was reportedly aggravated by the ugly incident.

Passing mention: Baron Geisler sued for “sexual harassment” by Patricia Martinez, daughter of William Martinez and Yayo Aguila.

The never-ending real-life ‘teleserye’ starring Gretchen Barretto and Tonyboy Cojuangco

Newsmaker for all seasons this year and years before and, for sure, in the years ahead, Gretchen Barretto proves true to her image as “The Paris Hilton of the Philippines,” with her every move and every word faithfully monitored by the media. Whether he likes it or not, her beloved Tonyboy Cojuangco — along with a popular playboy-businessman — is (reluctantly) caught in the eye of the storm.

The Willie Revillame-Joey de Leon ratings game

They have both cried on their respective noontime shows on separate occasions, Willie Revillame on ABS-CBN’s Wowowee and Joey de Leon on GMA’s Eat, Bulaga!, in the thick of the fierce ratings rivalry. But during the Supreme Awards that highlighted the first anniversary of this paper’s Supreme section, the “bitter” rivals kissed and made up, with Supreme boss Tim Yap acting as “bridge.”

Baby Boom

The stork was unusually busy delivering babies conceived in liberty, those by Aubrey Miles (and Troy Montero), Sheree (and Gian Magdangal), Alicia Meyer (and a Bulacan politician), Jennylyn Mercado (and Patrick Garcia), Jenny Hernandez, two (unidentified) Sexbomb girls and the non-showbiz girlfriend of Paolo Ballesteros. Those born “within wedlock” were those by Camille Prats, Nanette Medved, Inah Revilla, Danica Sotto and Jennifer Sevilla. Expectant unwed moms (who proudly announced their “achievement” on national television): Angelika dela Cruz, Nancy Jane (formerly Castiglione), Mylene Dizon (again by Paolo Paraiso like her first baby) and Vina Morales (by a controversial businessman); and “wed moms” Dawn Zulueta (by husband Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo, their second child) and Jaya (by non-showbiz husband, also their second).

Those who tied the knot: Jude Estrada and Rowena Ocampo (non-showbiz), Bernadette Sembrano and Emilio Aguinaldo IV (non-showbiz), Inah Revilla and Vince del Rosario (non-showbiz), Joyce Jimenez and Paul Ely Egbalic (non-showbiz), Chesca Garcia and basketball player Doug Kramer, and Nina Corpuz and Vince Rodriguez.

The Karylle-Dingdong Dantes-Marian Rivera triangle

Where does love go when it dies? To showbiz headlines, that’s where! The most celebrated break-up was that of Karylle and Dingdong Dantes, with Marian Rivera accused as the “third party” even if neither she nor Dingdong has confirmed up to now if they are really “on” (although showbiz-observers say that their action speaks louder than their words).

Other break-ups: Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista, Paolo Contis and Isabel Oli, Dennis Trillo and Carlene Aguilar (with Cristine Reyes thrown in for good measure), Iza Calzado and her US-based non-showbiz boyfriend, Sam Milby and Anne Curtis, Pauleen Luna and Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Sheryl Cruz and John Norman Bustos, Anjo Yllana and Jackie Manzano (reconciled), Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz (reconciled), and Jolo Revilla and Lovi Poe (reconciled).

The Ces Drilon kidnapping

We followed every detail, and every twist and turn, of this headline-making incident, didn’t we? Ces is back as co-anchor of the ABS-CBN late-night newscast Bandila after having been suspended, following her release by Muslim rebels.

The rudely-interrupted eraserheads reunion concert

Halfway into the much-awaited reunion concert of the Eraserheads, vocalist Ely Buendia complained of chest pains and breathing difficulty, and rushed to the hospital where he underwent an angioplasty. Will there be another “re-reunion” concert with other E-Heads Buddy Zabala, Raimund Marasigan and Marcus Adoro? Abangan!

The family ‘feud’ between the Revillas and the Del Rosarios

Did you know that the May wedding of Inah Revilla (daughter of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Lani Mercado) and Vince del Rosario was almost scrapped at the last minute because of the intrigue that nearly ripped the two families apart? All was well that ended well. Inah and Vince’s first child was born on Sept. 30, the same day former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. (now well on the road to recovery) was rushed to the hospital due to a stroke.

The Dr. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho files

Ho-hum! Aren’t we tired of these lovebirds who have broken up and who have kissed and made up; and who have broken up (again!), driving Dr. Hayden to a suicide attempt by over-dosing on unidentified pills, and who just might kiss and make up (oh no, not) again!?! Next “patient,” please!

Mirror

The Best & Worst of ’08: There’s a fruitcake for everyone

Life

Written by Totel V. de Jesus
Wednesday, 24 December 2008 23:15

‘I’ve seen the future and it’s much like the present, only longer.” The line is from US major-league baseball’s legendary right-hand pitcher-turned-poet and cancer victim Dan Quisenberry. In the field of local entertainment, we feel the quote aptly summarized what happened in 2008—the best and the worst of it—and our forecasts for the coming year. Besides show business, we’ve decided to include the trailblazers in film, music and theater.

A famous Christmas song by the Eraserheads reminds us that “there’s a fruitcake for everyone…and there are B sides to every story.” So we list the “worst” only in the canned world of local showbiz, where there are more worms than open space, lots of B sides behind headlines.

Film

THE still very young but already dying Philippine cinema got a major boost this year when one of its earlier outputs, National Artist for Film Ishmael Bernal’s 1982 opus, the Nora Aunor-topbilled Himala (Miracle), won CNN’s Best Film of All Time in the Asia-Pacific via a poll conducted by the same international media network.

The Ricky Lee-penned story about a simple barrio girl who becomes a famous and most envied faith healer never fails to astound new generations of critics and audiences. It bested what millions in Europe and the US had considered as modern classics, like Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Akira Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai, and Wong Kar Wai’s Chungking Express, among others.

A more recent local output, Judy Ann Santos’s self-produced headliner Ploning hopes to compete in the 2009 Oscar Awards for the Best Foreign-language Film plum. Shot middle of this year in the once-obscure island of Cuyo, Palawan, with Santos’s close friend Dante Nico Garcia as director, it has already gathered some major awards, the more recent being the Asian Film Festival in Singapore, with Garcia as Best Director.

In the indie route, avant-garde director Lav Diaz’s recent nine-hour opus, Melancholia, won the grand prize at the Orizzonti Section in Venice, the oldest and longest-running film festival in the world.

Because of the fresh blood infused by these three titles, the local industry—both mainstream and indie—can look forward to a more fruitful harvest in the years to follow. And we’re not talking about Golden Harvest productions.

Music

IF there’s one major event that single-handedly shook, charged, changed and continues to revitalize the heavily pirated, greedy producers-infested, nearly bland, boring and homogenous local music industry, the reunion of the Eraserheads tops our list.

Controversies involving multinationals, cause-oriented groups and a government agency hounded the much-awaited regrouping of the estranged members of the most influential and popular rock band in the 1990s, touted to be the second golden age of Pinoy Rock.

On August 30 fans from all over the world came, with OFWs and immigrants—doctors, nurses, engineers, cooks, seafarers—sacrificing their vacation leaves usually intended for the Christmas holidays or summer breaks.

Never mind if vocalist-rhythm guitarist-main composer-band leader Ely Buendia’s fragile health stopped the concert midway. The show gathered around 70,000 fans, a record only nearly equaled by foreign acts like Beyoncé and the back-to-back show of Rihanna and Chris Brown.

Even the US-based Sebastian “Basti” Artadi of Wolfgang wished he had been there.

Like an earthquake that shook the scene, the aftershocks can still be felt and many benefited from it. One giant telecoms company raked in billions of pesos in revenue for having the sole right to sell the songs from the aborted concert as ringtones.

In November the movie version was released and ran for almost three weeks at SM and Robinsons cinemas all over the country, making Eraserheads the only Filipino band with a successful output on the big screen. The last group whose live concert was shown on the big screen was the three-decade-old British rock band U2 with its internationally released U23D. Still, it was shown in special cinemas like SM’s Imax Theater.

Although there’s already a CD recording of the August 30 concert that’s still selling like hot puto bumbong, fans from all over the world are looking forward to the DVD release.

Buendia, drummer Raimund Marasigan, lead guitarist Marcus Adoro and bassist Buddy Zabala have already been elevated to heroes of their generation. Never mind if they are back with their respective postbreakup bands. Still, they remain among the highest-paid rock musicians around.

Theater

THERE’S a big difference from laughing—like at Tito, Vic and Joey jokes—to really laughing and being entertained with your heart and soul. Atlantis Productions’ local rerun in June of the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q tops our list of being the best play for this year.

To think it was a rerestaging, with the original run held in September 2007. It was so successful that phone lines to Atlantis were flooded with calls for a repeat. Additional playdates were held in December the same year.

And still, reports persisted that people were ready to sell their liver, lungs and other internal organs for a seat, so the whole gang had to regroup again for what was touted as the “farewell” run in June this year. The third run had reports of people watching the musical more than five times. Souvenir T-shirts and other items came in boxes and always sold out after every performance.

The requests for more runs didn’t come from fans just in these parts but from as far as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and other Southeast Asian countries. Not surprisingly, the whole all-Filipino cast flew to Singapore and hit the Esplanade Theater in October and November this year for another jam-packed run.

Humbly speaking, it takes a genius of a director like Bobby Garcia to stage something like this. With puppets and real actors jiving onstage, the delightful story of Princeton, a young new graduate, and his jobless neighbors is set in New York City’s suburbs, tackling everything from unemployment and toxic relationships to basically finding one’s purpose in George W. Bush-led biosphere. Now that recession has struck not only the US but the whole world, Avenue Q may as well be the most relevant and entertaining theater piece of this lifetime.

Other local productions of more strident politics could only sing, “It sucks to be me.”

Now, there’s talk that a Filipino version (meaning Tagalized) is in the works. Nahhh, it’s not going to be titled “Avenue Quiapo.”

Showbiz

NOW, for the bad news and newsmakers—and we have five on our list. Of course, Gretchen Barretto’s affairs and skirmishes are among the worst. Her diva-like attitude and alleged trysts with a certain Puno precipitated yet-to-be-resolved fights with so-called friends like Nadia Montenegro and showbiz scribe Cristy Fermin.

Next, Gabby Concepcion’s equally endless legal battles. There were the questions regarding marital status and, of course, that filmfest scam he will never be able to live down—the earnest puff-up job of ABS-CBN notwithstanding—and before we could even blink, he was suing his manager, Rose Flaminiano, to free him from her clutches. Montenegro, who seems to be dipping her finger in just about anything and everything, came to his defense, resulting in more legal problems. To the relief of many, one of the upsides to the Concepcion-Flaminiano imbroglio was the axing of Fermin in what she used to call her home network.

Third were the deaths of Rudy Fernandez, Didith Reyes and our much well-loved Zaido Green, a.k.a. Marky Cielo. Among the three, Cielo’s untimely demise is something we’ve barely recovered from.

And who can forget those weeks recently when the whole nation tuned into a true-to-life telenovela in the supposed love triangle involving Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes and Karylle, the story becoming even more complex and charged as the year comes to a close. Up to now, no one has admitted guilt of any sort. Well, except Karylle with her much-quoted quotable: “He said he never cheated on me and I trusted him.” Yes, the italics are all ours.

As we wait for the latest developments in this still-unfolding telenovela, there’s the more plot-driven breakup of high-profile couple Drs. Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho. And they’re not promoting a movie or anything, mind you. This time, it involves many characters and subplots. If only someone can get a hold of that laptop and upload those “evidences.”

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■ KARYLLE IN A RICKY VICENCIO PINK TAFFETA DRESS WITH FEATHERS AND HAND-STITCHING DETAILS. MAKEUP BY NANAN VILLALBA. HAIR STYLE BY GEORGE DELFIN. SHOES BY BABY PHAT. PHOTOGRAPHED BY TOTO LABRADOR.

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Now for the positive vibes we can carry through the coming year.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” These words of affection could be uttered like a mantra by several showbiz personalities who made waves in the year of mermaids, environmental concerns and international recognitions.

For sure, Heart Evangelista used to say this line to a guy she lost herself to for some three years. But things change for a reason. Heart found herself broken, resulting to her transfer from the Kapamilya playground to the Kapuso landscape, and finding herself not only with a No. 1 prime-time TV program but also what could be true love in the arms of a nonshowbiz guy (who belongs to the same social strata). Certainly, these are the best things that happened to Heart this year.

Despite the alleged bar brawls over some girls who aren’t really bagay for him, Richard Gutierrez remains one of the bankable stars this side of showbizlandia. Many say that being Gutierrez, he’s got everything on his laptop—er, we mean lap. Then again, unlike Dennis Trillo, Dingdong Dantes, Piolo Pascual and John Lloyd Cruz, it’s the same surname that is putting too much pressure on his shoulders. And let’s not talk about the mom.

Richard’s involvement with Greenpeace International and other not-so-well-publicized advocacies for the environment is really something not so showbiz. While other heartthrobs sire (or about to) sons and daughters left and right out of wedlock, or are dodging never-ending rumors about being gay, Richard could be the better guy among the Gabby Concepcions of today.

Now regarding Dingdong—being named as the third sexiest man alive via E! Television’s list of 25, way ahead of Johhny Depp and Eric Bana, it’s definitely one for the books. It’s probably one of the best international recognitions a local sexy lead actor could ever receive. No wonder he is at the center of an alleged love triangle.

We’ve written about it many times and we’re damn consistent about it. This year is only the start of Marian Rivera’s reign. From being a once largely obscure soap actress and commercial model, Rivera was catapulted into where she is now via GMA’s decidely unapologetic fantaseryes, starting from Marimar and continuing to Dyesebel.

Suddenly, she’s endorsing everything—jeans, shampoo, clothes, wellness center, telephone service, fiber-diet food supplement, you name it. And suddenly she’s the girl everyone loves to hate and blame. But the fighter in her (“Cavitenya po ako, di ako umuurong sa laban ’pag alam ko’ng nasa tama ako!”) will surpass all the intrigues.

Like the usually tearful religious icon, she’s cried and she will cry some more. But this is showbiz, bey-beh. Indeed, 2008 is a Marian Year. And so will 2009 be.

Let’s just hope she won’t have an immaculate conception.

Indeed, we’ve seen the future and….