ARIAN Rivera has
been officially announced as the top choice in this year's search for FHM's 100
Sexiest Women, the first winner who has never even graced its cover.
In an interview, Marian said she'd agree to pose for them if
she'd win, so now, she'll have to make her promise true. Her manager, Popoy,
says Marian will fulfill that promise as soon as her schedule allows it.
One thing sure is that Marian will attend the FHM event at
World Trade Center on July 17. GMA-7 is so lucky as their show, "Dyesebel," has
the sexiest man and woman winners. Marian is numero uno with FHM, while
Dingdong Dantes, it will be recalled, earlier topped the list of sexiest
bachelors of Cosmo Magazine. On July 18, right after the FHM event, both Marian
and Dingdong are flying to the U.S. to join the "Eat Bulaga" show at the Los
Angeles Sports Arena.
Popoy denies the accusation that he spent a lot to make sure
Marian would win in the FHM poll. "Wala kaming budget sa ganyan.
And even Marian will get mad if I'd spend money for that. We never even expected
she'd win kasi hindi naman siya sexy star and she has never posed for FHM.
Pero mayayaman ang fans niya, lalo na 'yung Marianknights na
taga-ibang bansa. Sila ang nagpadala ng pera para suportahan siya."
Marian got a total of 316,135 votes. Second placer Katrina
Halili (who was Marian's contravida in "Marimar") is quite far with
123,239 votes. Angel Locsin got 121,288 votes. Even if you combine the votes
garnered by Katrina and Angel, they won't be enough to beat Marian. Someone told
us, though, that if the votes were based only on those made by actual FHM
readers, it's Katrina who should have won. The great bulk of Marian's votes came
from texting and emails. Like what we've said, the FHM poll has turned into a
popularity contest among movie stars.
***
After the success of her movie with Aga Muhlach, "When Love
Begins," Anne Curtis is happy to star in Viva's Metro filmfest entry, "Baler," a
war story to be directed by Mark Meily ("Crying Ladies").
"It's going to be a super-production and I'm glad to be a
part of it," she says. "Siempre, happy rin ako na may ako na may
entry sa filmfest in December."
Aside from that, her fans are already eagerly waiting for the
telecast of her new fantaserye, "Dyosa," directed by Wenn Deramas. They
thought it will be the show to replace "Lobo" but ABS-CBN decided to air
Claudine Barretto's "Iisa Pa Lamang" instead.
"Mabuti na rin para mas mapaganda pa namin ang 'Dyosa.'
Dahil nga rito, some people call me 'Dyosa' now when they see me."
Does she mind?
"No. Sino ba naman ang hindi matutuwang matawag siyang
Dyosa? But I tell you, taping the show is so tiring kasi nga I play
three different characters. May nagiging eagle, may mermaid and
may centaur. Palagi pa akong naka-topless. Each role is very
challenging, pero pinakamahirap 'yung centaur na half human-half
horse, kasi the horse's body that I use is made of fiberglass at
mahirap mag-move. But on the whole, I'm enjoying it as it's something I've
never done before. I'm sure the show will please a lot of viewers."
Anne has no less than three leading men in "Dyosa": Sam Milby,
Luis Manzano, and Zanjoe Marudo. She's happiest, of course, with Sam, who's her
real squeeze.
***
A sex video showing a young man in the act of satisfying
himself is being circulated on the net and the rumor is that it's Starstruck IV
winner Aljur Abrenica. But those close to Aljur say it's just a lookalike. It
seems there's a demolition job on Aljur as it's also being rumored that he's
seen playing footsies with a gay in the locker room of a gym.
"Hindi po ako 'yung nasa video at hindi rin totoo
'yung tungkol sa gym dahil ni hindi nga ako nakakapag-gym these days
sa sobrang hectic ng schedule ko," he says. "And why would
I do such things na alam kong makakasira sa career ko? I don't
mean to offend gays dahil I know marami akong gay fans, pero
hindi po ako ma-kikipagl-andian sa bading, lalo sa isang gym. Ingat na
ingat nga ako in every move I do dahil ayokong may masabi sa'king
negative ang kahit sino."
***
GMA-7 has found a new leading man in Mark Anthony Fernandez
who's doing fine as Cyrus, Regine's temperamental boss in "Kim Sam Soon." His
edge is that he's not only good-looking on screen but also acts so well. His
dad, the late Rudy Fernandez, must be smiling from the great beyond now that
Mark has totally recovered from his disastrous bout with drugs. It'll be
recalled that Mark started with much promise as one of the "Guwa-pings" in the
mid 1990s and he was launched to stardom by Star Cinema in "Mangarap Ka" with
Claudine Barretto. But his subsequent junkie behavior became his undoing so he
had to go into rehab. It was GMA-7 who gave him another break casting him in "Impostora"
and "Kamandag" and he now certainly comes into his own in "Kim Sam Soon," where
his fairly controlled acting perfectly balances the unrestrained attempts of
Regine Velasquez at comedy. Mark is actually being projected as a sexy actor in
the show as he's photographed shirtless in a number of scenes. In one scene,
Regine sees him only in his boxers and in another scene, in his swimming trunks.
There's also a scene where Regine enters the bathroom and he's already naked
inside.
"Actually, nahihiya nga ako, lalo roon sa trunks
scene," he says. "Sa set lang sinabi na I'll have to wear trunks.
Pero okay lang kasi as an actor, dapat ready ka for
anything. First time ko ginawa 'yun in my entire career, kahit sa
pelikula. It's good I do work outs kaya prepared ako. Nakakahiya
rin ang scene na hubad ako sa harap ni Miss Regine. Buti na lang
at okay lang sa kanya at tawa lang siya nang tawa."
We think, though, that Mark still has to work out some more
to add up more bulk to his too slender frame.
***
Studio 23 has a new head, March Ventoza, replacing the
amiable Leo Katigbak, who has been promoted to join the office of ABS-CBN
president Charo Santos as head of special projects. He was officially introduced
to the press and he promised to intensify the programming of the "Kabarkado Mo"
station that targets yuppies or young professionals.
They have the best Hollywood TV shows on air, like the new
drama "Dirty Sexy Money" that we've already written about, plus season 5 of "Two
and a Half Men" with Charlie Sheen and John Cryer (Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.), "Ghost
Whisperer" (Season 3) (Sunday, 8:45 p.m.), "Cheetah Girls" (Saturday, 7 p.m.),
and the new seasons of "Brothers and Sisters," "Grey's Anatomy," "Ugly Betty,"
"Desperate Housewives," "Criminal Minds," "CSI" and "Smallville." For their "Barkada
Nights" movies on Saturdays, they'll show "Analyze That" with Robert de Niro on
July 12, "Swordfish" with John Travolta on July 19, and "The Tuxedo" with Jackie
Chan on July 26. They also show "Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2" from 12 noon to 2
p.m., live streaming, plus the NCAA and UAAP games from Wednesday to Saturday
afternoons. Their specials include the primetime telecast of "Miss Universe
2008" on July 15, 7:30 p.m., and the 10th Annual Teen Choice Awards hosted by
teen sensation Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana on August 5, 8 a.m.
***
More emails.
From Sheridan Bacu-linao: "Wala bang ibini-bigay na
psychological test ang 'Pinoy Dream Academy' sa contestants
nila bago ito mag-qualify? Kasi, obvious na may nakuha silang
scholars na psychologically disturbed, like 'yung si Ross Dio
na nag-quit tapos, sinasabi pang 'I'm not a quitter.' E ano kaya
ang tawag niya sa sarili niya? Isa pa 'yung si Jet, hindi raw importante
sa kanyang sumikat. Mas importante raw sa kanya ang family niya? So
bakit siya nag-join? Kasama nga siya roon sa mga wait-listed
lang at nang mapili siya as the last scholar, iyak siya nang iyak sa
kaligayahan. Tapos ngayon, wala siyang ginawa kundi mag-complain. Wish
kong siya ang ma-expel between him and Sheng na game na game
naman at siyang nag-volunteer sa punishments sa group
nila na kinunan siyang halos hubad at ang takip lang ay floor mop.
Napaiyak tuloy siya. Isa pang may behavioral problem ay itong si
Laarni. Wala na siyang nakasundo. Buti nga't pumalag sa kanya si Bugoy
nang sigawan niya ito. Masyado kasing bossy. Noong nasa One Voice
siya, out of place na siya. Ngayong lumipat siya sa Pupilars,
hirap na hirap ding mag-adjust. Kaya i-expel na rin 'yan. Basta
ako, ang bet ko: si Van Fojas, followed by Hansen and Miguel. Sila
lang ang may 'K' mag-showbiz kasi ang popogi nila."
From Arlene Sarah Santiago (addressed to Sarah Geronimo
detractors): "Paano nyo naman po nasabi na hindi nag-hit ng husto ang
'Sarah, The Teen Princess' at two soaps ni Sarah Geronimo?
Nasusubaybayan nyo po ba ang career nya? Hindi po ba at mga bashers
lang po kayo kaya nyo kinocomment-an ng gayan? At baka hindi nyo po
alam na nag-#1 ang 'Pangarap na Bituin' sa primetime ano? If
i'm not mistaken nakakuha ito ng 57% rating. At isa ang 'Bituing
Walang Ningning' sa nagging hit na teleserye ng ABS-CBN.
Phenomenon kaya yun! So iyan po ba ang 'di mga nag-hit na
soap ni Sarah? Isa si Sarah sa mga biggest star ng
ABS-CBN at matataas ang ratings ng mga shows nya dun. Bakit nyo
po ba pilit na dinadown ang isang artistang walang ginagawang masama sa inyo?
Ano po ba ang tawag nyo diyan? Kase ako ang pagkakaintidi ko po sa mga bagay
na ganyan ay insecurity. Naiingit po ba kayo dahil isang napakalaking
bituin si Sarah? 'Wag nyo nang i-down o siraan si Sarah ng
kung anu-ano dahil alam ng maraming tao na napakarami na nyang napatunayan mapa-acting,
comedy, dancing, hosting, and especially singing."
Email us at
mmhannah143@yahoo.com.
***
Paolo Contis was also rushed to the hospital because of acute
stomach pain and test showed that he's suffering from kidney stones. He was
given proper medication and hopefully, the stones will be excreted naturally
without him having to undergo surgery.
"I now have to be more careful with my diet," he says. "Bawal
na ang masyadong salty foods at 'yung sobrang protein na
source daw ng stones."
But he's happy that his career continues to be on a roll.
After "Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita," he's now with Richard Gutierrez in
"Codename: Asero." And after winning the Star best actor award for "Banal," he's
now in the cast of two new films. He will be with Rufa Mae Quinto in Viva's
"Civil Status: Single," directed by Joey Reyes. He will be playing a gay role,
something that he has played before in films and on TV. He's also in the cast of
Viva's Metro filmfest entry, "Baler."
"May offer din ang Octoarts for their filmfest entry, 'One
Night Only,' but hindi pa sure kung maisisingit ko pa sa schedule
ko," he says.