Everyone is still talking about the successful run of the Megastar Sharon Cuneta's Mega-Thirty concert held at the Araneta Coliseum last Friday. Fans and friends of the singer-actress were treated to a nostalgic musical revue as Sharon and her special guests sang her remarkable hits like Mr DJ, Sana'y Wala ng Wakas, Pangarap na Bituin and a whole lot more.
Her special number with some of her leading men was one of the highlights of the show. Richard Gomez, Aga Muhlach and Robin Padilla were there to serenade the crowd. But Mega's first on-screen partner Gabby Concepcion was not there.
"Pupunta nga sana ako sa concert niya at makikita ko ang lahat ng mga naging leading man niya. Medyo naiinggit nga ako e. Medyo naramdaman ko nga na sumikip ang dibdib ko e dahil wala ako doon. Pero sabi ko, bakit ako wala doon? Pero siyempre baka isipin ng tao iniisnab ko yung concert niya. Hindi. Ayoko lang ng intriga. Katulad nga ng sabi ni Sharon, mas mabuti na lang para walang intriga baka yun lang ang mangyari. So, nirerespeto ko yun." explained Gabby.
Apart from having a two-day concert of his own at the MusicMuseum (August 15-16), he's also excited about his daughter's upcoming movie with Star Cinema. Gabby shared that he didn't see KC during his live guesting on The Buzz but met up with his daughter during her For the First Time taping.
"Hindi kami nagkita (sa The Buzz). (Pero) nagkita kami sa Tagaytay. May shooting siya doon, dinalaw ko siya. Siyempre, masyado siyang busy masyado akong busy. E kung kelan ako libre busy siya. Kung libre naman siya, busy ako. Tinawagan ko siya, sabi ko asan ka ngayon, sabi niya papunta raw siyang Tagaytay. Sabi ko, 'O sige, puntahan na kita diyan para makita kita'." he narrated.
He also candidly shared one of his phone conversations with Annabelle Rama, who happens to be Richard Gutierrez's mom, KC's on-screen love team.
"Tinawagan ko nga si Annabelle kaninang umaga e. E hindi ko alam ang itatawag ko sa kanya. Matagal ko na rin naman siyang tinatawag na tita e. Tita pa rin. Kasi hindi naman sa nang-iintriga ako, pero halimbawa napag-uusapan naman. Alangan naman'g tawagin ko siyang balae, e kapag nagkahiwalay balik na naman sa tita. Kaya tita na lang." said Gabby.
What can he say about the rumor that KC and Richard have been going steady for four months now?
Bata pa lang yan e, ang babait naman yang mga yan. Kung meron man'g nangyayari sa kanila more than the movie, e sa kanila na yun." he replied.
ABS-CBN.com also asked him to comment on the possible remake of Dear Heart, a movie he made with his ex-wife. Sharon has already expressed that she doesn’t want it redone unless KC is the one to star in it. Well, Gabby was more open to it shared that he doesn’t mind a remake at all.
"Ako kahit na sino, basta maganda ang pagkakagawa. E kasi marami nang mga ganyan e, kung yung mga kanta rin na-re-remake, yung mga pelikula na-re-remake din. E buhay pa naman si Danny Zialcita, yung director namin sa Dear Heart, baka puwedeng siya pa ang mag-direct. Baka meron pa siyang ibang view."
Gabby Concepcion OK with remake of 'Dear Heart'
Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 6:53 AM | Labels: Entertainment NewsRoxanne Guinoo has no idea on her supposed new soap
By BERNIE FRANCOABS-CBN.com
Actress Roxanne Guinoo said that she has no idea yet if she will star in the next teleserye that will replace afternoon soap, Ligaw na Bulaklak when it ends in September.
This is in contrast to reports that there is already a project for her that will take the time slot of the soon-to-end teleserye.
When asked if she knows about the next soap to replace her show, Roxanne said she hasn’t the foggiest notion about it.
“Hindi ko po alam, wala pa kaming balita. Sa Ligaw, meron pa kaming additional na six weeks. Di bale, one season plus six seeks, pero hindi siya second season. Extension lang.”
The former Star Circle Quest 2nd runner-up also belied reports that her contract with Star Magic recently expired and that she has a new manager.
“Hindi po (nag-expire ang contract ko with Star Magic). Hindi pa naman,” Roxanne explained. “Ako naman kasi, ang loyalty ko nasa ABS-CBN talaga ever since. Hindi pa man ako artista, mga shows na sa ABS ang pinapanood ko. Naaalagaan naman ako nang maayos. Talagang napro-protektahan kami ng Star Magic.”
Roxanne also revealed that she will be part of the weekly gag show "Banana Split", with other female celebrities like Angelica Panganiban, Cristine Reyes, Valerie Concepcion, Riza Santos, Princess Ryan and Wowowee co-host RR Herrera.
Roxanne said that it was just recently that she found out about the new project and is happy to be able to try comedy for a change. “Napakagaan ng comedy, yung mage-enjoy ka lang with the girls,” she enthused.
The sad news of Francis Magalona’s affliction quickly spread like wildfire in the local entertainment circuit, and by the time this column comes out, Francis would probably be in the thick of his chemotherapy at the Medical City.
Francis was diagnosed with leukemia, but according to his friend Day Cabuhat (who is also the manager of Ely Buendia’s band Pupil), the master rapper is holding up well, as well as his family.
"Last time I spoke with him, he is very optimistic. He was even telling me, ‘you’ll see me back on stage in no time. I’ll live long enough to see my grandchildren’," Day told us. As of press time, Francis was confined at the Medical City to prep him up for the chemotherapy session that started yesterday.
Day and Ely Buendia, known close friends of Francis, have been spearheading campaign to get more blood donations for their friend in need. "Francis had been with Ely when he had his own crisis a couple of years back, when he suffered heart attack. Ely is definitely helping in any way he could now that his friend is in this situation," Day said.
Day also took the opportunity to call on Francis’ friends and those who want to help. "He needs blood donations. He is type O, but any blood type is welcome because the blood bank takes care of it. There just needs to be an exchange everytime Francis requires for it in chemotherapy. For those who will go to donate, they can go to the lower ground level of Medical City in Ortigas and just say that they’re making the donation for Francis Magalona."
Bayani Fernando to lead contestants in 2nd season of ‘Celebrity Duets’
at 5:25 AM | Labels: Entertainment NewsThe mounting of the next "Celebrity Duets" on GMA 7 in September holds a lot of exciting promises as we have been hearing of the colorful line-up of the second batch of contestants this early.
The next batch of singing celebrities is a mixture of lifestyle, entertainment, and political figures and those in between. Names that have floated endlessly are the ones of MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando; Jinkee Pacquiao, wife of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao; famous fashion designer JC Buendia; presidential adviser Mike Defensor; Inquirer’s youthful editor Pam Pastor, lifestyle writer Bum Tenorio, and premiere entertainment journalist and TV host Ricky Lo.
We were told that at the last minute, supermodel Melanie Marquez begged off and asked to be replaced as she won’t be able to commit to the entire season of the much-awaited celebrity singing-cum-popularity contest.
By next week, we are bound to know the final list of contestants as the network will be ready to present them to the press in the launch of Celebrity Duets’ second season.
"Celebrity Duets" had its successful run last year with lifestyle icon Tessa Prieto Valdez winning the grand prize. The others who figured prominently in the show were Tim Yap, Jessica Rodriguez-Bunevacz, Wyngard Tracy, Dr. Hayden Kho, Dr. Manny Calayan, Frederick Peralta, and Ma. Theresa Licaros.
The thing about this show is that it has actually given some personalities in it a new lease in their career as made evident by Dr. Calayan waxing an album for a recording company and making singing his nighttime profession. Doc Hayden, for his part, has not recorded his own album yet, but he has also been holding shows, too.
Let’s see if this new "Celebrity Duets" will again accomplish the "impossible" for some of the contestants.
Fresh from the overwhelming success of her "Megathirty" anniversary concert at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum last Friday, the country’s one and only megastar Ms. Sharon Cuneta is not likely to slow down on her 30th glorious year in the business.
Right now, the megastar is neck deep with studio work as she executes the well-laid plans she and her home recording company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, have meticulously put together to compliment her 30th anniversary year. She has been completing two brand new albums – the first is the third installment in her much-awaited "Isn’t It Romantic?" series on Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and the second, a children’s album of favorite lullabies and hymns and catchy nursery rhymes which kids and mothers will surely love.
The OPM album is just about done and is targeted for a September release. Revival songs dominate the album’s repertoire including the well-loved familiar ditties "Habang Atin Ang Gabi" by Southborder, "Heto Na Naman" by Gary Valenciano, "Bakit Ba Ganyan" by Dina Bonnevie, "Paalam" by Louie Ocampo, and "Saranggola sa Ulan" by Gary Granada, among many others.
The children’s album, aside from being a groundbreaking feat in the local recording industry, is the one project that Sharon considers very close to home. She is deeply involved in the conceptualization of it. In fact, her children Frankie and Miel were admittedly the ones providing her with song ideas for inclusion in its repertoire and she’s been so happy with the feedback so far.
Sharon’s idea for this album, according to Sony BMG A&R director Vic Valenciano, is to provide mommies and children a peak into the life of a child by way of music. "Something like getting into his world, witnessing a day in the life of a child. From the time he wakes up, to the time he goes to sleep at night, and every little activity in between – taking a bath, school time, play time, neighborhood activities, taking care of pets, dinner – the album constitutes songs to immortalize those moments with these little wonders parents treasure so much."
Sharon thought of this project "because I have two young children whom I love watching as they sing along with and dance to their children’s CD. Also in school, they are taught both English and Tagalog children’s and folk songs. Kiko and I just thought it would be great to do this album while they are young and can still appreciate this collection," she said.
Sharon has a deeper reason for coming up with this outing. "Another important goal for me is to be able to share our kind of music with Pinoy children all over the world who didn’t grow up here and therefore know so little of our very own folk songs. Hopefully, they appreciate the songs done in English."
Truth to tell, Sharon’s loyal fans, who have seen her through all of the ups and downs of her 30 years, now have things to look forward to in the life of their "idol." Sharon has them in mind as well for this children’s album. "This album is also for my fans who have grown up with me and who are also mommies and daddies now."
Everything seems to be happening for Katrina Halili at this point in her career.
She was just launched as the newest contract artist of OctoArts Films where she inked a two-year deal to star in about five movies, the clincher of which comes in the Gil Portes remake of the Vilma Santos opus "Miss X." Joey Reyes’s "One Night Only" (originally titled "Short Time") is another project she’ll be doing for OctoArts.
And now, nearing the end of the soap opera "Magdusa Ka" on GMA 7 where she plays not the villain, but the topbiller, she goes on to launch the newest drama series "Obra" which will give her a chance to work with prized directors every week for a whole month.
In "Obra," Katrina gets to work under the auspices of directors Joel Lamangan, Maryo J. Delos Reyes, Bibeth Orteza, and Jun Lana. She had just finished two episodes, "Taong Grasa" and "Misteryosa" and she couldn’t wait to finish the other two episodes. "Obra" started airing on Aug. 14.
She says she feels very much privileged to be given this much trust by the network. "Hindi ko nga po akalain na ganito kagandang projects ang ibibigay nila sa akin matapos ko sabihin na ayaw ko na muna magkontrabida after ‘Marimar.’ Nagulat din naman po ako. Pero masayang-masaya po talaga ako," she said.
Not only that, Katrina is also being said to be the lead actress in another GMA series called "Gagambino" which is set to start taping anytime soon, too.
From the looks of it, Katrina is the busiest and most in-demand young actress of her batch today. No wonder she feels exceptionally special even if she didn’t land the grand prize in the reality search "Starstruck" some years back.
