Francis M. has leukemia

"Lipgloss" is like the hit US show "Gossip Girl," without the sexual shenanigans of the teen characters in it. It's about the wealthy students of the classy Linden High School whose lives unfold with the help of a blogger who reveals the juicy secrets and intimate lives of these youngsters, to the tune of today's most popular songs. The campus queens are Meg (Saab Magalona) and Abby (Maxine Eigenmann). Their nemesis is Steph (Miki Hahn), the mean girl who wants to dethrone Meg and Abby from their posts. The secret moderator of Lipgloss is Kyle (Sam Concepcion), a nerdy techie who has a nose for mischief.

The other girls are Charina Suzara as Julivee (the show's comic relief who's named after her parents Julie and Virgilio who got rich when they won in the lotto), Cheska Ortega as Ziggy (a freshman who's a balikbayan from the US and wants to fit in) and Mary Grace Perido (Louise, the Chinese heiress and ice skating champ who wants to have a normal teen's life).

The other guys are Rodjun Cruz as Jake (president of the student council and boyfriend of Abby, who also has feelings for Meg), "PBB: Teens'" Mikee Lee as Maui (congrats to Mikee who graduated first honor at the Ateneo and is now taking up management engineering), newcomer Kevin Lapena as Edge (the brother of Ziggy who's a champion swimmer and is in love with Meg), "PBB Teens'" Fred Payawan as Jiggo (brother of Jake who's "galit sa mundo").

At the presscon, we got to talk to Miki Hahn, a Viva recording star who has her own album, and learned that she's the best friend of our niece, Monica Maceda, as they're classmates at St. Paul's. She says her passion is really singing, but she's now excited to also try acting. Miki hopes she won't be typecast as contravida. "Kasi I play an antipatika role in 'Lipgloss' as a girl na walang magawa sa buhay," she says.

Kevin Lapena is the grandson of veteran character actress Lollie Mara and the late Malaya entertainment editor Manuel S. Pichel.

Maxine Eigenmann is the daughter of Mark Gil and Bing Pimentel, and a younger sister of Sid Lucero, whose manager, Ricky Gallardo, is also managing her. She has done modeling since she's 17 and shot several TV commercials like Palmolive, Rexona, Rejoice. She's turning 20 on September 29, but still looks like a teenager. She's also in the cast of the new ABS-CBN Judy Ann Santos teleserye with Derek Ramsay. Has she seen the movies of her Kuya Sid?

"Only 'Donsol'," she says. "I cannot watch 'Selda' kasi may love scenes daw. Na-shock ako nang makita ko ang puwet ng kuya ko. We share the rent of our apartment and all our expenses, pati bayad sa aming three yayas."

How come she joined showbiz only now?

"I wasn't really planning to act but it's my dad who encouraged me to try it and now, I'm enjoying it."

Don't miss the start of "Lipgloss" this August 16, 5 p.m. on TV-5 and fall in love with these teens. Supporting them are Lloyd Samartino, Emilio Garcia, Lorenzo Mara, Ricardo Cepeda, and Rachel Lobangco.

***

John Prats almost moved to GMA-7. He felt nothing's happening in his career with ABS-CBN since the sitcom he did a pilot for, "Parekoy," seems to have been shelved and he hasn't had a show for sometime now, while his sister Camille is now playing the lead in the toprated "Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan."

But before he and his manager, Arnold Vegafria, was able to sign up with GMA, ABS-CBN stopped him and he had a meeting with its executives Cory Vidanes and Deo Endrinal, where he was persuaded to stay on. He was promised he'd be given new projects and John is now banking on this. His first show will be an episode in "Komiks Presents: Mars Ravelo's Tiny Tony," where he'll play a small man. Then he'll also topbill an episode in "Your Song" for the month of September.

"I really want to stay with ABS dahil diyan naman ako nagbinata," says John. "I was just ten when I did my first project with them and now, 25 na ako, so bale 15 years na ako sa kanila."

Meantime, John is busy promoting his new movie with Regal, "Loving You," where he plays a cab driver who falls in love with his regular passenger, Ehra Madrigal. "This is the new movie promised to me by Mother Lily after I did 'Manay Po 3.' Kasi ayoko na sanang gumanap ng another gay role after 'Ako Legal Wife' and 'Manay Po 1,' but she promised me I'll have a new movie kung gagawin ko ang 'Manay Po 3' at heto na nga. I'm glad to be a part of the cast kasi nakatrabaho ko rito ang GMA-7 stars like Ehra, Yasmien Kurdi, JC De Vera, Polo Ravales, Jean Garcia, Kris Bernal at Aljur Abrenica. I really enjoyed working with them. Magaganda ang roles namin ni Ehra and I loved working with her at napaka-sexy niya. Isa siyang babaeng laging naloloko ng mga lalaki but I get to prove to her that not all men are the same."

***

Starting Monday, August 18, GMA-7 is replacing the late-night reality show "Kung Ako Ikaw" with three new programs comprising their "Bilib Ka Ba Nights": "Ripley's Believe It Or Not," hosted by Chris Tiu, on Mondays; "World Records," hosted by Paolo Contis, on Tuesdays; and "Masquerade," hosted by Ariel and Maverick, on Wednesdays.

This is 23-year-old Ateneo cager Chris Tiu's second show after "Pinoy Records." A Mark Bautista lookalike, he says he knows his schedule will be even more hectic now that he's hosting two shows since he still has to train with the Ateneo basketball team every day from 4 to 5 hours and also attend his classes. He has already finished management engineering but is now taking up his second major, applied mathematics.

"Basta kapag walang training at klase, magte-taping muna ako," he says.

Will he go into acting someday?

"No. I don't see myself being an actor. Hanggang hosting na lang."

"Ripley's Believe It or Not" will feature incredible stories and events that will surely stir up your imagination. "World Records," in turn, will show physical, back-breaking stunts and amazing performances achieved by inventive and daring challengers worldwide. "Masquerade" is Japan 's longest-running comedy hit series where contestants utilize their inventiveness and wit to entertain viewers with their delightful props, artistic sets and special choreography that trick the eye. The show also offers slapstick humor and weird stunts, so the wacky duo of Ariel and Maverick is just perfect as hosts of this goofy show.

***

Many writers have noticed the hunkier physique of Paolo Contis at the launching of his new show, "World Records."

"This is the result of constant workouts in the gym," he says. "Actually, ang bestfriend kong si Dingdong Dantes was the one who encouraged me to continue with my workouts. E, nainggit din ako sa ganda ng katawan niya kaya tinuloy ko. Then, when Cosmo Magazine was looking for their 10 Celebrity Centerfolds, siya ang nag-suggest na isama ako at 'yun, nag-pictorial na ako ng hubad for them."

What did his girlfriend, Isabel Oli, say about it?

"Wala. Nanood nga siya. Nakita niyang lahat. Tawa siya nang tawa."

The pictorial is coming out in September and those who've seen it say he's so daring he even showed his pubic hair. "That's not intentional. Umalma siyang kusa kaya lumabas. Muntik na ngang lumabas pati 'yung ulo kasi it has a mind of its own," he laughs. "May approval naman 'yun ng manager ko, si Manay Lolit (Solis). Sabi nga niya, dapat, pinakita ko nang lahat para talbog ko na silang lahat. At sa akin, I can proudly say na natural lahat. They did not apply make up sa katawan ko kasi makinis naman ako from head to foot. Walang kailangang dayain o i-photoshop."

How is it being a host for the first time? "Siempre, ibang challenge naman ito for me. Kasi dati, sa acting lang ako. Ito, bagong chapter ng buhay ko. So far, enjoy ako. Kasi nakakaaliw talaga 'yung stunts at iba pang activities na mapapanood dito. It will show na people will go to great lengths talaga para lang makapag-break ng record. This will start this Tuesday na."

Paolo also plays Heart Evangelista's first boyfriend in "Codename: Asero" and he's glad it's rating very high. This week, Heart as Emily gets to work with Grecko's mom (Joanne Quintas) while Asero (Richard Gutierrez) is attacked by Razorback. Zeus (Richard Gomez) is confident Asero will easily defeat his opponent, which is what happened when Razorback fires a missile but Asero kicks it back and it hits Razorback, blasting it to pieces.

Troy (Marky Cielo) starts to suspect that Asero and their former Agent Phoenix are one since Asero has a fight move that only Phoenix can do.

***

Expelled "Pinoy Dream Academy 2" scholar Bea was asked pointblank if her boyfriend Miguel Mendoza is gay.

"Ay hindi po," she quickly denies. "Kung sinuman ang nagsasabing bading siya doesn't really know him. We've been on for three years and I've seen anything in him that would make me suspect na gay siya. Matagal din niya akong niligawan and I'd say our relationship is an open one, both romantic and platonic. We're here to support each other and we both have dreams to pursue in life na siyang mas priority namin. And contrary to what some people think, we didn't break up. Kami pa rin kahit we're far apart now."

They're both 18 years and come from well-to-do families in Ayala, Alabang. "We live in the same village and have the same circle of friends."

Did she feel bad that she got expelled early from the show? "Yes, ayan, nagkalayo tuloy kami ni Miguel kasi he's still inside PDA. I think some people misunderstood me kasi I have a strong personality. Bossy raw ako at snobbish kaya naka-enkwentro pa noon si Laarni. But I'm not really like that as I'm really friendly. I'm used to dealing with people from all walks of life at hindi ko ini-snob si Laarni just because she comes from a poor family in Mindanao . I admit that it's not easy to adjust to her ways but I honestly like her for what she is. I tried to reach out to her."

***

We finally got to see "Brutus, Ang Paglalakbay," the directorial debut of Tara Illenberger (a film editor) that we missed at the Cinemalaya filmfest in UP, in its special screening in UP. It won the Cinemalaya special jury prize and the best supporting actor award for Yul Servo. The lead characters are two Mangyan kids in Mindoro , aged about 10 or 11, Payang (Rhea Medina) and Adag (Timothy Mabalot). Brutus is their local term for transporting illegal lumber from their home in the mountains by tying up the logs on a raft that they float down the river.

Life is harsh in the mountains. The land that Payang's family has been tilling for generations is suddenly claimed by someone from the lowlands who has the papers to show that he owns it. They are ejected and forced to move to another place to do kaingin. Her dad contracts malaria and dies. His elder brother does "brutus" work and leaves, never to come back. Payang decides to do "brutus" work herself to look for her missing brother in the town where they're supposed to take the logs.

Adag joins Payang to earn some money to buy medicine for his sick baby sister. His dad's leg has been hurt in an accident and cannot work. In the journey that Payang and Agad take down the river, they experience various hardships and meet all sorts of people. Their raft is smashed by the river's strong current and they lose all their logs. They meet a platoon of soldiers looking for a rebel leader, Ka Milo, and Payang helps heal the toothache of their leader (Ronnie Lazaro) through some herbs. Later on, they meet an engineer, Kuya Lito (Yul Servo), who helps them build another raft.

Through it all, the children survive mainly with the help of their instincts. In the end, the journey becomes a rite of passage for Payang and Adag, with Payang being visited by her monthly period for the first time. The film is full of socially relevant messages (like how men mutilate our environment and how poor tribesmen are ruthlessly exploited by greedy intruders, among others) but it is never really rammed down our throats.

This is the third indie film about two kids who embark on a personal journey. First are the sister and brother in "Ang Daan Patungong Kalimugtong" who have to travel through mountains and forests by foot just to get to their school. Then there's "Kadin, The Goat," about a brother and a sister looking for their missing goat in Batanes. Just like in those movies, the child actors here, Medina and Mabalot (also unknowns) both give endearingly honest and unaffected performances. They're ably supported by both Servo and Lazaro.

The musical score by Joey Ayala using ethnic instruments is a big asset and Joey Abello's cinematography is often excellent, particularly those panoramic shots of the kids as they travel down the awesome river, but we wish his night scenes were better lighted.

Illenberger's debut is absolutely impressive and "Brutus" will surely be in our list of the year's best films.